Helen Graham on being inspired by Maggie O’Farrell, her favourite books of the year, and her fascination with the world of plants and their healing properties.
The first book I remember reading:
I can still feel the heft of a hardback copy of Alice in Wonderland I was given when I was about six. I loved it passionately and read it twice on my own in my bedroom – or at least, that’s how I remember it. I was utterly transported, amazed that words could make scenes unfold in my head like a film. That experience was the beginning of a life-long passion to lose myself in a book at every opportunity which has, on occasion, got me into trouble!
A book I recommend to everyone:
The Physic Garden by Catherine Czerkawska. I’ve recommended this book to several people recently. I can’t remember how I came across it, but I’m so glad I did. The world of plants and their healing properties has always held a fascination for me, and I found this gently provocative story deeply moving. Set in Regency Edinburgh at a time when science was coming to the fore and the old ways were being swept aside, the demise of the physic garden echoes the achingly sad loss of love. Looking back over his life, trying to come to terms with a betrayal that broke him and find peace, is a grandfather who has a delightful relationship with his young granddaughter. Exquisite.
The best three books I have read in the last year:
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. I adored being drenched in the mysterious, watery world of the upper reaches of the Thames in the Victorian era. It’s familiar territory to me as the river in my village where I learned to swim as a child was a tributary. This story flows like a river with tributaries feeding into it, and all the twists and turns come together in a magical and satisfying way.
The Paris Peacemakers by Flora Johnson is a book to savour. Beautifully and sensitively written, I cared about the characters from the outset. Flora doesn’t flinch in describing the horrors of WW1, contrasting them powerfully with the flamboyance that was part of the new peace. I particularly enjoyed the circularity of the book’s structure and the poignant rugby theme running throughout.
Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry. The protagonist is carrying such a heavy load of sadness it takes your breath away, yet the narrative is shot through with flashes of pure joy. The loops into early onset dementia in his mind are extraordinary as he attempts to face what is too shocking to remember. The pace is as slow as a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, yet it gripped me, utterly.
A book I didn’t finish:
I’ve never managed to finish reading Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as if People Mattered by E.F. Schumacher despite multiple attempts, mainly because I always got so wound up about how important the ideas were and how upsetting it was that society can’t seem to change in these simple ways.
An author who has inspired me:
Maggie O’Farrell. I’ve read and loved all her novels over the years, sometimes being moved to tears, which is a rare thing for me. I particularly admire the way she crossed from contemporary fiction to historical with Hamnet. Bold, creative and profound Hamnet is unlike anything I’ve read before or since. Utterly immersive descriptively, with strong, believable characters and a riveting narrative, glimpses of Maggie’s diligent research can be seen throughout, but never intrude on the story. The Marriage Portrait is quite different and equally fascinating.
My favourite place to read:
Propped up on pillows in bed at the end of a busy day, phone off, nothing to stop me reading ‘til I can’t keep my eyes open. Bliss! 
Helen Graham has worked as a knitwear designer and a filmmaker and co-founded a film festival. Nowadays she’s mostly researching and writing. She has three children and five grandchildren and lives in Edinburgh. Based on the life of her ancestor who was Walter Scott’s favourite comedian, The Real Mackay is her debut novel and can be purchased here.
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