Benjamin Wood's Literary Journey: From Steinbeck to Auster
Author Benjamin Wood opens up about the books that have profoundly shaped his life and writing career, from childhood favorites to contemporary discoveries. His reflections reveal a deep connection to literature that spans decades and genres.
Earliest Reading Memory
At the age of eight, Wood's mother gifted him Stanley Bagshaw and the Short-sighted Football Trainer by Bob Wilson. He grew up believing the author was the same Bob Wilson who played as a goalkeeper for Arsenal and presented sports on ITV. Although this turned out to be false, it never diminished his appreciation for this brilliant rhyming picture book. Wood believes it should be reissued to inspire more children to read, noting that his own sons adore it.
Favorite Book Growing Up
During his secondary school years, The Red Pony by John Steinbeck had a profound impact on Wood. He was amazed by how vividly a writer could evoke a landscape through words. This novel was also the first to move him to tears, and stories with such emotional power have always remained dear to him.
Book That Made Him Want to Be a Writer
Around the age of 20, Wood experienced a bout of illness that left him bed-bound for several weeks. During this low period, he read Mr Vertigo and In the Country of Last Things by Paul Auster back-to-back, having already devoured The New York Trilogy earlier that year. These books made him ache to write fiction of his own, sparking his passion for storytelling.
Book He Came Back To
Wood initially struggled to enjoy Gilead by Marilynne Robinson when it was first published and again after returning from studying in Canada. The religiosity of the narrator's voice made it difficult for him to connect. However, after becoming a father, he picked it up again, and John Ames's letter to his young son resonated fully, highlighting how life experiences can deepen literary appreciation.
Book He Rereads
While Wood does not typically reread novels, he often revisits short stories. The collection he has returned to most over the past 20 years is Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer. He frequently shares her story The Ant of the Self with his undergraduate students at the start of term, describing it as a near-immaculate piece about the complexities of a father-son relationship, almost committed to memory.
Book He Could Never Read Again
The Magus by John Fowles is a clever and engrossing novel, but it features one of the most frustrating endings Wood has ever encountered. Fowles himself was dissatisfied with how he resolved the plot's intricate threads, creating different versions for updated editions. Wood loved the book so much that he threw it at the wall out of disappointment, a testament to its powerful yet vexing conclusion.
Book Discovered Later in Life
Corregidora by Gayl Jones, a short novel from 1975, unravels a character's inherited trauma and depicts her haunted consciousness through time with devastating effect. Wood praises the fluidity of its movement from present to past as purposeful and affecting, showcasing the enduring impact of lesser-known works.
Current Reading
Wood is currently reading Bad Attitudes by Agnes Owens, an author he had never heard of before but now plans to explore further due to her extensive backlist. He notes that this is the point from which he likes to begin a novel these days, embracing new literary discoveries.
Comfort Read
Old School by Tobias Wolff serves as a literary blanket that Wood has wrapped around himself at many stages of his life, describing it as quietly beautiful and insightful. Similarly, Mildred Pierce by James M Cain has become a comfort read; he never thought he could be so invested in the success of a 1930s chicken and waffle restaurant, but he was and always will be.
Benjamin Wood's latest novel, Seascraper, is out in Penguin paperback on 2 April. His literary journey underscores the transformative power of books in shaping personal and professional paths.
