The Child That Books Built: A Memoir Of Childhood And Reading by Francis Spufford Faber $195 THERE ARE READERS, there are avid consumers of books, and there is Francis Spufford. His intense love of children's literature mapped his own journey from child to adult in a unique way and this stunning interpretation of the power and influence of different types of stories has resonance far beyond his experience. He points a clear, cogent path through the complexity of quality writing for young people, using metaphor to structure his thoughts. First he negotiates the paths of the great forests so ably deployed by storytellers through the ages. He exposes what he terms the 'necessary myth' of the 'wildwood', choosing to concentrate instead on its relevance as a great symbol of the unconscious. It is in these early stages of reading that the invariability of story gives it a secure existence. Yet, conversely, its power to influence young minds contains inherent dangers adults ignore at their peril. Language is a tool to be used carefully. At the perimeter of the forest, for Spufford, lie reading islands. Books themselves can be autonomous and self-contained. Invented linguistic forms can make sense. Readers can become immersed in a self-centred coherent world of their own making in an attempt to keep the ebb and flow of real life at bay. His analysis of how books can break out to other islands using CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe is a triumph of perceptive criticism - a feat repeated throughout the book. Swimming bravely away, developing readers will encounter Spufford's 'towns'. Exemplified by what he calls the 'excellence' of Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Little House On The Prairie. These stories encapsulate more complex interactions in a relatively closed society. Readers are forced to observe and interpret characters who do not always conform to simple stereotypes. Finally, Spufford invites us to plunge into the black hole of adolescence. He was not a happy child. But in his dormitory at choir school he became comfortable with the role of a committed bibliophile and slight eccentric. Yet real life still impinged. As he progressed through the classics, James Bond and science fiction, Spufford felt an initial frustration with adult books - until discovering the fiction of Jorges Luis Borges. This led to a typical phase of anarchism tinged with utopian urges satisfied by the seminal work of Ursula Le Guin. The inevitable contact with erotic literature at about 18 comes with a welcome honesty about its value and purpose. And it is this perspicacity that gives the book an unerring voice and legitimacy. This book stimulates at every turn and provides dazzling insights. The quality of the writing alone justifies the cover price. Spufford will discuss his work with Legislative Council member Audrey Eu at the British Council in Admiralty on Tuesday from 6pm. Inquiries: ritz.ho@britishcouncil.org.hk
