Favourite books
Find out what these celebrities say about their favourite books.
Caleb BrownQR Queensland Reds winger
As a youngster my two favourite books were Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ and Mark Twain’s ‘Tom sawyer’. I found both the books to be exciting to the young mind. Whether I was searching for treasure with bloodthirsty pirates or throwing stones with Tom and Huck - the books always promised adventure.
John RoeCaptain of the QR Queensland Reds
‘Where the Wild Things Are’ by Maurice Sendak is a great little story about a boy being a little bit naughty. I remember reading this book as a kid, but recently have been reading it to my 2 year old son at home almost every night. It is one of his favourite bedtime stories.
‘Bachelor Kisses’ by Nick Earls. I really enjoy Nick Earls Brisbane-centric writing. This is a very humorous story about a 20-something year old doctor living in a share house coping with the challenges of relationships and a tough job. I really enjoy all his books.
Musician
One of my favourite books when I was younger was one by a lady named Tamora Pierce. Well, to be exact it was a series called, 'Protector of the Small'. I think I was ten or eleven when I got stuck into them. They're set in a far away land in Medieval-type times and tell a story about a young girl who trades places with her twin brother so she can become a Knight. She becomes one of the best Knights at the institution but noone knows that she's really a girl. I remember feeling invincible after I read them. Even though that girl was obviously just a made up character, I really looked up to her. Books are pretty powerful in that sense.
Monica TrapagaEntertainer and Play School host
‘Love in the time of Cholera’ by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez is Magic realism. A beautiful story of unrequited love. Of all the Marquez books this is my all time favourite.
A recent impressive read is ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ by Jonathan Safran Foer.
Xavier RuddPhoto taken by James Looker
Queensland musician
‘The Lost World of the Kimberly’ by Ian Wilson is something I have read recently and is a fascinating read. I think it is an important book at this time because the Kimberly is under threat of being changed forever by installation of gas stations right along the Kimberly coast. The Kimberly is the world's largest remaining outdoor rock art gallery and provides an insight into our ancestry dating back to the ice age and recognising people from a time even before our aboriginal people of that area. A lot of Australian people are not aware of this art and it is important that we know about it.
A beautifully told tale of a boy who lost his father in 9/11 and how he starts uncovering family secrets through his journey after finding a key.
It's set in my favourite place, Manhattan and is just a brilliant, stunning book’
WhitleyMusician
My favorite book is without a doubt ‘Sailing Alone Around The World’ by Captain Joshua Slocum. The book is an account of Joshua Slocum breaking the world record for being the first person to sail solo around the world. It's so well written, the language is beautiful as you would expect from a Boston-based Captain from the turn of the century. I especially love his account of the islands of the Pacific.
