Author Hannah Murray answers a series of rapid-fire questions about her reading preferences while in a bookstore. She shares her 'guilty pleasure' read (A Court of Thorns and Roses), what she's currently reading (Changing My Mind), her favorite classic (Tess of the D'Urbervilles), and books that make her laugh (The Pisces) and cry (Intermezzo). She continues by naming the book world she'd live in (All Fours), the best and worst book-to-film adaptations (Gormenghast and The Hobbit), her favorite translated book (Arturo's Island), best non-fiction (Stranger on a Train), a book she didn't want to end (Bel Canto), and what she's excited to read next (American Men).
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Game of Thrones’ Hannah Murray, author of The Make-Believe, is our next guest Under the Cover!
You probably know Hannah from iconic roles including Cassie in Skins and Gilly in Game of Thrones. Now, she’s written her incredible debut The Make-Believe, describing how she became part of a secretive and cult-like wellness organisation, seduced by its rituals and charismatic leader and leading to a dramatic breakdown and hospitalisation. It is an extraordinary and honest look at fame, mental illness and the search for meaning and magic.
Hannah is a huge bookworm so it was a treat to chat to her about some of her favourites. Let us know what you think in the comments, or head to our online bookshop to browse the list and order any of her recommendations (affiliate link in bio)
Thank you so much to BookBar Islington for having us!
📜 Hannah’s list:
The Make-Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness by Hannah Murray
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith
The Pisces by Melissa Broder
Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
All Fours by Miranda July
Gormenghast, based on the novel by Mervyn Peake
The Hobbit, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
Arturo’s Island by Elsa Morante, translated by Ann Goldstein
Strangers on a Train by Jenny Diski
American Men by Jordan Ritter Conn
Transcript
What's your guilty pleasure? I don't think we should feel guilty, but I love A Court of Thorns and Roses. And I was like, maybe I am a romantic person, because I love this so much. No are you reading right now? Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith. I'm really into it. It's sort of terrifyingly clever. I feel like I'm learning so much. Best classic? Tess of the Devil's. My mom was always, like, read Thomas Hardy, read Thomas Hardy. And I was, like, no, I don't want to want to read Dickens as rebellion. And then I did, and I no, like, oh, yeah, she's right. It's brilliant. Which book makes you laugh? The Pisces by Melissa Broder. She writes these brilliant scenes about meeting awkward men off Tinder. There's a really brilliant bikini wax scene. Which book makes you cry? Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. It just destroyed me. If you had to live in the world of a book forever, which one would it be? All Fours by Miranda July. I would love to live in that motel room that has been beautifully decorated and encounter strange characters. Best adaptation? Melvin Peake's Gormenghast. Not enough people have seen this. And worse adaptation? This is an adaptation I have not seen, The Hobbit trilogy of films, because that is a very short good, and I don't understand how you can make three epic three hour movies. I'm not into it on principle. Best book in translation? Arturo's Island by Elsa Marante, about a young boy living on an island off the coast of Naples, and his relationship with his father and his stepmother, who's almost his age. I'd never bad anything so immersive, I guess. Best non fiction. Stranger on a Train by Jenny Diski, which is her account of traveling around the perimeter of The US on Amtrak trains. I just adore it. And a book you didn't want to end? Best Canto by Rank Patchett. It's such a gorgeous, gorgeous world that she creates. You know it's gonna go horribly wrong, and I didn't want it to go horribly wrong. What are you excited to read next? American Men is a non fiction book about American masculinity. He, like, interviewed loads and loads of different men and then chose four to, kind of, write about in-depth. It just sounds brilliant.
