Shelf life: LYDIA SYSON
The historical novelist shares her top five reads with Judith Spelman
Judith Spelman
Former BBC World Service radio producer Lydia Syson completed a PhD on poets, explorers and Timbuktu before writing a non-fiction book about an 18th century fertility expert: Doctor of Love: James Graham and His Celestial Bed. Three historical novels for young adults followed, all based loosely on events in her own family history, including the story of her greatgreat grandmother, a 19th century anarchist. Her adult fiction debut is Mr Peacock’s Possessions, which is set in New Zealand and borrows from her husband’s family history.
Lydia is a Royal Literary Fund (RLF) Fellow at The Courtauld Institute of Art and a National Literacy Trust trained author. Choosing five books to keep caused her a great deal of angst. ‘I find it torture to narrow myself down to five favourite books,’ she says. ‘The pedant in me sets up a noisy clamour – what exactly do you mean, favourite? All my life? When I was ten? Last week? The books that have impressed me most, or comforted me best? Favourite when I’m ill, or when on a train? And so on. And so on.’ She managed it.