Cathy Olmedillas is the founder of Studio Anorak, the content and illustration agency behind internationally acclaimed magazines like Anorak Magazine and DOT. She writes and art directs all of the agency’s work. Cathy is passionate about inspiring children with creativity and wants to help amplify their imagination and voices.
Which three books would you recommend?
Oh, the Places You'll Go!Dr. Seuss
The most joyful book I have ever read is "Oh the Places You'll Go!" by Dr Seuss. A friend of mine recently gifted me a copy of it and even though I had read it before, I have of late read it differently. It is not just a beautifully-illustrated and fun to read kids book, it is a lesson on how to view and experience life, and enjoy anything it throws at us. It teaches us to trust ourselves and the spirit we have within and encourages us to throw ourselves with heart in the adventure that life is.
Kafka on the ShoreHaruki Murakami
I love reading stories filled with surprises, that leave you with no clues about what to expect next, a bit like a child when they read a book. No-one writes more wonder-filled books than Murakami. He is a master at blurring lines between reality, dream and fiction which is why I am a huge fan. Each of them lives within me but I am never sure whether some of the scenes I remember are ones I have dreamt or read! Kafka on the Shore is my favourite book of his because it carries many strange episodes that are not there to be rationalised or understood, but just felt. For those who prefer more linear stories, I would recommend Norwegian Woods. No talking cats or fishes falling out of the sky in that one!
PatienceToby Litt
I would recommend this book because it offers a unique voice on childhood. It is written from the perspective of a mute child in a wheelchair who lives in an orphanage in Ireland in the late 70s. It reads like his interior monologue, and uniquely it has no punctuation except from the odd full stops at the end of very long sentences! It takes some effort to get used to it but it gives this story of friendship even more realism and poignancy. It is such a beautifully told story that made me chuckle and even shed a tear!
Whose reading list are you most curious about?
I'd like to know what the artist Marina Abramović reads.