Ten Books That Made Me

This episode is a little different for me. I don’t usually talk about my own reading or personal life in such a direct way, but reading underpins everything I do as a guide, storyteller, blogger and above all a human being.I’m sharing the ten books that made me who I am: the ones that shaped my imagination, my values, my work and the way I see the landscape around me. I have to be upfront and say these aren't an attempt to impress. They’re honest, sometimes surprising, occasionally slightly cringy and absolutely true to my lifelong relationship with books.This episode is inspired by Go All In, the theme for the National Year of Reading. The campaign encourages people to read what they love, not what they think they should love, and that spirit sits right at the heart of this conversation. Link to the Go All In website.National Year of Reading 2026 | Go All InAcross February, I’m exploring what reading means to me through blogs, podcasts and social posts. This episode is the first step - a frank, personal journey through the books that have shaped my life so far.If it encourages you to think about the books that made you, or nudges you or someone you know back toward reading for pleasure, then it’s done its job :)