I’m delighted and honoured to be invited to make my contribution to Richard Fernandez’ remarkable Secret Library on his blog Cafe Thinking.

Cafe Thinking - Watergate - Secret LibrarySecret Library is a lovely idea – authors are invited to recommend three personal books from their list of favourites. The only rule is that they must not be well-known. Here are my own personal (and secret) additions to Richard’s bookshelf:

Secret Library today welcomes Charles Harris, whose novel, The Breaking of Liam Glass is out on 29 June. We’ll be reviewing the book in due course but in the meantime Charles has some favourites to share. He is, by the way, a writer, director and script consultant for cinema, television and theatre, has a number of non-fiction and short story titles under his belt, and speaking of belts, he’s a black belt in Aikido and trainer in arts against street violence. Welcome to the library, Charles.

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee

Laurie Lee - Secret Library - As I Walked Out One Midsummer MorningI don’t know anyone who’s opened this book who hasn’t been immediately enchanted by it. Much less famous than Cider With Rosie – the first in Laurie Lee’s autobiographical trilogy – this sequel finds Lee leaving home on foot with little more than his violin and the determination to make his way by busking. He walks first to London, and then on a whim (because he knows one Spanish phrase) buys a boat ticket to Spain. Here the writing really takes flight.

Read the rest here