Jessie Tu on the book you should read at least once in your life

Book critic, journalist and author – when Jessie Tu recommends a must-read book, it’s safe to say we’ll head to the nearest bookstore and commit to reading that book over the weekend.

Debut of her first novel A lonely girl is a dangerous thing 2020 her second book The Honeyeater was released just earlier this month. Her novels explore cultural and moral beliefs and the complexity of emotions. She is not afraid to be challenged, surprised and ultimately transformed by the power of the written word, and sonic notes were her first love. She trained as a classical violinist for over 15 years, bringing the universal language of music to refugee camps in the Middle East while later volunteering with AUSAID in the Solomon Islands. Today she is a writer. And if there is anything Tu has learned throughout her life, literary and sonic experiences, it is to cherish each moment as the last, because nothing is guaranteed to last forever.

Below we spoke with Jessie Tu about how the written word, like Gabrielle Zevin’s novel Morning and morning and morning, is as full of joy and optimism as a ticket to a place like Disneyland. It reminds us that books are portals to new worlds, mirrors that reflect our own experiences, and sometimes even conversation starters.

The last book I read…

The pianist by Austrian Nobel Prize winner Elfriede Jelinek, translated into English by Joachim Neugroschel. It was my book club book. It’s a very original book, shocking and beautiful and terrible at the same time. Let’s just say our book club conversation was much more fun than the reading itself. But – I LOVE the film adaptation.

On my bedside table…

I am currently reading the latest issue of the London Review of Books – more specifically, Ange Mlinko’s review of Rachel Cusk’s latest novel “Parade”. My partner gave me an LRB subscription for Christmas last year and I love reading an issue from start to finish at my leisure.

My favorite book of all time…

“Morning and morning and morning“” by Gabrielle Zevin – this book was so transformative for me. It is so full of joy and excitement about the act of creating something – be it art, music, movies, or in this case, video games. It really represents the idea that we don’t all marry the most special person in our lives – that sometimes the most special person in our lives is not the one who fits neatly into society’s prescribed categories of belonging and possessions. I’m all for breaking down the notion of exclusive happiness within the strict confines of a heteronormative family unit.

The literary character I most identify with is …

Probably the character of Rachel von Fleishman is in troubleby Taffy Brodesser-Akner – the protagonist’s wife. I think her emotional core and her invigorating impulse was something I completely identified with, at least at the time I read it in my late twenties. Rachel believed that if she was perfect and successful professionally and romantically, she would be happy, and when she discovers that nothing you do guarantees you happiness – well, let’s just say that was something that hit me hard, because I (still) realize that nothing in life is guaranteed.

The book that changed my life is…

Far away from the tree by Andrew Solomon. This is a monster of a book – it will change the way you think about love and parenting and what it means to be a good person. It follows the lives of parents whose children have various physical, mental and social disabilities such as autism and deafness and child prodigies, and follows their lives over several years. It is deeply telling and extraordinarily moving. Andrew Solomon’s TED talk about love makes me cry every single time.

The best book I ever received is…

Far away from the tree by Andrew Solomon, given to me by my brother when I was in my mid-twenties. It changed my views on love and what it means to love.

The book I would give away is …

Morning and morning and morning, Gabrielle Zevin. Because I think it’s like giving someone a ticket to Luna Park or Disneyland. It’s just full of joy and wonder and childlike optimism.

When I was growing up, the best book on my bookshelf was…

On the road with Poppa Whopper by Marianne Busser and Ron Schroder – which I bought at BookWeek in elementary school and read over and over again throughout my school years. I loved the simple language and the pictures. It was completely captivating and I wanted to live in this book. It reminds me of the goal I have in writing (at least at this stage of my writing life), which is to give joy.