Pint of Purple: Nicole Davis

What book are you reading at the moment?

Light in August by William Faulkner. I was told by my seminar tutor that it’s a heavy-going 400 page modernist novel, so I should give it time to absorb. I’m half-hoping I can just look at it and let that happen. It’s set in the Deep South in the 1930s, so a perfect excuse to read it aloud in an Alabama accent…

Who is your favourite literary character?

When I was creating the questions for this column I always knew I would least like to answer this one, there are so many literary characters I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting! Scout Finch is definitely up there for her beguiling naivety and innocent humour. To Kill a Mockingbird wouldn’t be half as powerful if not seen through her perspective. Oh and Countess Ellen Olenska from The Age of Innocence. She’s exquisite. A symbol of cultural hybridity, French sophistication and unconventional taste, completely unaware of the power she wields over Newland Archer.

What is the first book you remember reading?

The first I remember tackling on my own was The Complete Collection of Winnie the Pooh Stories. It’s a hardback, with this beautiful light green glossy cover and all the characters are embossed on the front. It was pretty much the weight of my 5/6 year old self. The corners are all worn from being read thoroughly from cover to cover multiples times. I’m going to make it a family heirloom.

What is your all-time favourite book?

Rust and Bone by Craig Davison is my most recent discovery that I absolutely fell in love with. It’s a collection of short stories featuring addiction, death, magic, killer-whales and boxing. Davison vacillates between moments of visceral brutality and heart-breaking tenderness. Each story is enthralling, evocative and unexpected, and I can’t recommend it enough. (Didn’t really answer the question though!)

If you wrote an autobiography, what would be the title?

A life lived sensibly with occasional bouts of madness – People that know me will understand…

Kindle vs. Book?

Book all the way! Partly because I’m a technophobe and partly because there’s nothing I like better than perusing through shelves of them.

How much is a pint of purple?

I know it’s £4.50 for 3 at circling. But consistent with the rest of my answers to this column, that’s not what you’re actually asking!