Sunday Shelfie with David Whitehouse
This week’s Sunday Shelfie is not so much a long browse through dozens of shelves, but a quick glance across one, but our author has a good excuse in that he’s recently moved house and his books are still in storage.
However, I’m super grateful that he still agreed to share with us some of the gems he’s got tucked away in those boxes, and what we may have had to sacrifice in photos, we have made up for in some brilliant book recommendations.
And before we get into them, don’t forget to subscribe to White Ink to receive every Sunday Shelfie straight into your inbox:
So, without further ado, this week I have for you the writer David Whitehouse.
David is the author of three acclaimed novels. His first, Bed, won the 2012 Betty Trask Prize 2012. His second, Mobile Library, won the 2015 Jerwood Fiction Prize. In 2022, his debut non-fiction book, About A Son, was shortlisted for The Gordon Burn Prize and the CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction and his latest book, Saltwater Mansions, was published this month to rave reviews. I finished reading it last night and honestly it is probably the best non-fiction book I have read all year. It made me weep, it made me gasp out loud, it made me text the friend who bought me it, and it was utterly compelling and original. David is a master storyteller and if you haven’t read his work before, you absolutely must.
David also took part in one of my Twelve Days of Christmas Writing Advice series a few years ago and you can find his brilliant advice on finding the shape and structure of your story and how each story demands an original treatment.
But what we want to have a look at is that one shelf he’s got currently, right? And here it is:
Let’s get into some more details about his entire collection in those boxes:
How would you describe your collection of books? Any favourite genres?