Corrie Perkin – Journalist

Fiction
F Scott Fitzgerald  The Great Gatsby
“Seamless writing, and a story which envelopes you – completely and utterly. Students of writing should take note of Fitzgerald’s descriptions of Jay Gatsby in particular. “

 

CS Lewis  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
“I feel very lucky that right now, I am sharing this book with my third child. How many times did I read it as a kid? How many times did I read it to my other two children? And still, I wish I was sitting in the Beavers house, eating warm buttery crumpets washed down with a cup of tea.”

Evelyn Waugh  Brideshead Revisted
“One of the great journeys – from beginning to end.”

Tim Winton  Dirt Music

Non-fiction
Nick Coleman & Alistair Cook  America Observed: From the 1940s to the 1980s
“British journalism and BBC commentator, Alistair Cook, has spent 50 years living in the US. His observations of life, culture and the people are witty and intelligent. And he writes as he speaks – a further cause for celebration.”

EH Gombrich  The Story of Art
“More than 2000 years of art in one fantastic hardback.”

Katharine Graham  Personal History
“The autobiography of one of the American newspaper industry’s most influential figures. Katharine Graham, proprietor of The Washington Post, tells her extraordinary life journey in this Pulitzer Prize-winning story. A must for anyone who loves biography, journalism, business – and US politics.”

Nick Hornby & Nick Coleman (eds)  The Picador Book of Sportswriting
“Why do people follow sport? Why do they love reading the sports pages of their newspapers and magazines? Because every sport has its villains and heroes, its drama and edge, its politics and intrigue, triumphs and tragedies. This collection features published work over the past 100 years or so, covering many sports – horse racing, soccer, rugby, tennis, the Olympics……. All students or journalism and creative writing should have this by their side. Pure inspiration.”

David Remnick  The Devil Problem and other True Stories
“A collection of essays by American journalist – now New Yorker editor – David Remnick. Remnick’s subjects range from failed US presidential nominee Gary Hart, to editor Ben Bradlee, Northern Ireland activitist Gerry Adams, and basketball superstar Michael Jordan.”

Don Watson  Recollections of a Bleeding Heart: a Portrait of Paul Keating
“A very human portrait of a Treasurer who became Prime Minister. Watson’s skills lies in his great perception, and his ability to reflect – upon events, upon conversations, upon intrigue.”