Thursday, May 15, 2025

Derek Owusu: ‘Anything by Charles Dickens is overrated’

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The author on how DH Lawrence and bell hooks changed his life, and why The Great Gatsby is the greatest novel ever written

The book I am currently reading
The Testament of Mary by Colm Tóibín. It hooked me from the first page. The writing is calming and gentle. I’m not sure why I took so long to get to it.

The book that changed my life
I’d have to say a short story and a book. “St Mawr” by DH Lawrence brought me into the world of literature. The Will to Change by bell hooks really helped me to understand my emotions, my identity, how they affect other people and why we should do away with unexamined notions of masculinity.

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