Nick Bradley is a writer. He is the author of The Cat and The City, which is set in Tokyo and follows the adventures of a stray cat and the wide cast of characters she brushes up against on her travels. Nick went to Japan for “just one year” and only returned to England ten years later. He was a Japanese teacher, English teacher, video game translator, travel writer and photographer. Nick currently lives in Norwich with his cat Pansy.
Which three books would you recommend?
The Crow Road Iain Banks
I remember reading this book as an undergraduate at university many years ago. The main character in the book also happens to be an undergraduate, so that's why I would recommend a young adult, or someone starting out at university to read this book. I think the reason it resonated with me so much is that as well as having a murder-mystery plot, it also documents different generations of a family living in a small town in Scotland. I love Scotland, and there is just something so captivating about the characters and setting of this novel.
It's a novel that grapples with deep themes: existence, religion, philosophy, family relationships, suicide, art, love, and death. It's really a fantastic story of what it means to become an adult in a complicated world.
I'd always wanted to be a writer, even before I read this book – ever since I was a small child – but while I was reading The Crow Road, I started to be gripped with the idea that I COULD do it, if I just put pen to paper.
GhostwrittenDavid Mitchell
Who will love this book:
-
Anyone who enjoys stories set in different parts of the world
-
Anyone who enjoys incredible writing
-
Anyone who enjoys being swept away with their imagination
-
Anyone who enjoys spotting connections and links
- Anyone who enjoyed my book (I think)
The Makioka SistersJun'ichirō Tanizaki
What I really loved about this book was how it transported me back in time to a traditional household in Japan during the Second World War. It showed the drama and tragedy of the characters' lives in exquisite detail. I love Tanizaki's writing, and I love his ability to depict humans in all lights – from beauty to ugliness, from cruelty to kindness – and always with a strong sense of humour in his writing.
The final sentence alone is one of the strangest, funniest jokes at the end of a 500-page novel I have ever come across. It still makes me chuckle thinking about it.
After reading this book, I went on to devour as many Tanizaki books as I could get me hands on, and I'd recommend you also read: Naomi, The Key, and A Cat, A Man, And Two Women.
Whose reading list are you most curious about?
Oh gosh... This is a difficult question to answer. I suppose my friends' recommendations? I'm always intrigued to find out what my friends are reading, especially those who have similar tastes to my own. In terms of famous people... I suppose I'm always curious what my favourite writers recommend, but I have too many favourite writers to list here.