Founder Quick Fire
As the founder of Broad Books, you would expect Lizzie to know a lot about…well, books! Today, we ask some quick fire questions about her own favourites:
Favourite ever book?
A Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell; a real hidden gem, this book is about murder, intrigue and literacy. This was actually some of the inspiration for the surprise bundle, as I was sure I did not enjoy Ruth Rendell books when I found this in a charity shop ten years ago - and boy did it change my mind! A cherished copy of this short book is still on my nightstand, and I recommend it to someone new pretty much daily.
Most read book (not already mentioned)?
I read The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway every year around my birthday, because I long to disappear into the feeling of the book. Also, it reminds me that I am not that important, as nothing really matters (HA!), and that I must book a trip to Pamplona…
Favourite ever author?
I am a classic Jane Austen fan; I think there may be better authors out there, but what she did, when she did it…well, it can’t be beaten if you ask me.
Authors you always look out for?
Two very different Roberts; Robert Harris and Robert Goddard- both have very different styles, but neither have ever disappointed me!
Book you think about long after reading?
Well, apart from some of my favourites already mentioned, I have two books which have stayed with me since I read them a long time ago- and I don’t really know that I liked either. First is The Vegetarian by Han Kang - a strikingly unusual book containing dark dreams that felt very very real. Then, on a totally different path: The Sellout. by Paul Beatty - an uncomfortable and thought provoking book about a fictional supreme court race trial. The image of the protagonist riding a horse through the busy roads of his Los Angeles community is certainly enduring.
Non fiction favourites?
As a fiction fan, non-fiction books are much rarer in my rotation, though I must say I really enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance, an enthralling memoir combined with insights into social problems that exist in certain areas of America. This book opened up a whole genre for me, as I read around it to learn more.
Book that you haven’t read but want to?
This list is never ending, and grows by the day, a few examples include: Dante’s Inferno, which has been on my bookshelf (and reading list) for years, as has Homer’s Iliad, and Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere. Clearly I have eclectic tastes, and a short attention span!
Most disappointing ending to a book?
A book I thoroughly enjoyed reading until the last fifty pages is Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh; this book was thought provoking and I found the imagery of the era a pleasure to behold, but I can’t help but resent the ending. No spoilers here, but I did read that Evelyn Waugh also said that on a later review, he would have changed how the book closed…
Least loved book?
I try and avoid ‘hating’ books, but not every read can be a literary champion, and everyone’s taste is different. That said, this is obviously heresy from the founder of a book company, but here goes: I did not enjoy one second of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. I found it almost impossible to disappear into, and have tried more than five times!
Advice for second hand book buyers?
Go with your gut - take a chance on a different author, genre or style, take your time, read as much as you have chance to. Don’t give up if you don’t like one; there are thousands out there! And last but not least, share the books you enjoy with your friends, then you will always be able to find more!
