This week’s Shelf Life features Alain de Botton, who is currently stoking controversy with his latest book, Religion for Atheists. De Botton, who tweets @alaindebotton, tells us which book he’d give a lover and why exactly he’d like to meet Madame Bovary.
1) What are you reading at the moment?
Some porn: Modern Architecture since 1900, by William Curtis. Full of beautiful images and thought-provoking words.
2) As a child, what did you read under the covers?
The Lego catalogue. I still can’t entirely believe that now, as an adult, I could buy myself pretty much anything from the Lego catalogue without asking anyone for permission. Sadly though, the urge to do so has gone away.
3) Has a book ever made you cry, and if so which one?
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is very sad at the end – because the by-now very attractive sounding couple dies in a car-crash.
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