The Guardian ran a very interesting story this past week. In the article, some forty or so writers are asked which book they read this year made the biggest impression on them. And, of course, I'm writing this because Mr. Stoppard was queried.
Just based on what Mr. Stoppard writes, I've always assumed he focuses on classics and works that will, someday, end up in his plays. Instead, I learned that Mr. Stoppard is up-to-date on his non-fiction and fiction. Here's what he has to say:
I started the year by reading a dozen books on the Wall Street implosion. Even if you're bored with it all, The Big Short by Michael Lewis (Allen Lane) is unmissable: and if you're not, How Markets Fail by John Cassidy (Penguin) has the best, deepest backstory, and is as well written as you would expect from someone who covers economics for the New Yorker.
This year, too, I enormously enjoyed the last 518 pages of Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections (Fourth Estate), which I had put aside in 2001 to read when I had time. I am now on page 14 of Freedom. Highly recommended.
And here's a link to the entire article.
