Here at VIP, we love nothing more than sinking our teeth into a good book, but sometimes it’s hard to know what to pick up next.
Author and one half of the genius Oh My God, What A Complete Aisling series Emer McLysaght shares the books that shaped her, the books that changed her and her ultimate read that should be on every shelf. Happy reading!
THE FIRST BOOK YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH?
Little House on the Prairie. I grew up in the countryside and while I wasn’t quite curing my own meat or exploring the frontier, I did feel a certain kinship with Laura Ingalls and her adventures and was extremely jealous of her wardrobe.
THE BOOK THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?
Sophie White’s Recipes for a Nervous Breakdown. The way she writes about mental health is so clear and honest and relatable. I’ve recommended this book to countless people.
THE BOOK THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
I can’t pick just one Sue Townsend title, so I’ll have to say both The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and The Queen and I. Every time I read Adrian I find something new to laugh at and The Queen and I is just genius.
THE BOOK THAT MAKES YOU CRY?
The Bridges of Madison County. I read it in my early twenties at a time when I had a lot of feelings and there’s something so beautiful and sad about it.
THE BOOK THAT LEFT YOU THINKING ABOUT IT DAYS LATER?
A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. It’s a classic from the 1950s which I only read recently after months of very modern fiction and there’s so much story and heartache in it. I felt like I was getting a lesson in crafting a beautiful book.
AN IRISH AUTHOR YOU ADMIRE?
Can I be a sap and say my co-author Sarah Breen? Every single time I read something she’s written it makes me laugh. I can always count on her to save a flailing chapter.
A QUOTE FROM A BOOK YOU WILL NEVER FORGET?
I recently read Nothing But Blue Sky by Kathleen MacMahon and there was a line in it that made me stop and get a pen to write it down. The protagonist, a widower, talks about how his late wife “taught me the habit of happiness. Before I met her, it never even occurred to me to pursue it”.
A BOOK THAT IS YOUR COMFORT READ?
Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes. It’s always on the bedside locker. I can open any page and just fall into it.
THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING YOUR OWN BOOK?
Worrying if we’re doing Aisling justice. Sarah and I chat a lot about “what would Aisling do?”. We never want to send her down a disappointing path or, god forbid, give her too many notions.
A BOOK THAT SHOULD BE ON EVERY SHELF?
Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy. It’s an absolute classic and belongs in the annals of Irish literature with all the greats.
THE FEELING YOU WANT TO HAVE AFTER READING A BOOK IS?
Contentment. I don’t mean it has to have a happy ending or be tied up in a neat bow, but I want to feel satisfied that I’ve taken something away from reading it.
THE PERSON YOU DEDICATED YOUR BOOK TO?
I co-write books with Sarah Breen so we kind of share our dedications but she very kindly suggested that we dedicate our first Aisling book to my Dad “who would have been so proud”. He died in 2008 and would have absolutely burst with pride.
Emer McLysaght is co-author of the bestselling Aisling series with Sarah Breen. Their new diary Oh My God, What a Complete Diary (Gill Books, €14.99) is available now from bookshops nationwide.
