J.G. Ballard: My Favorite Books
The renowned English writer reflects on the literature that shaped his imagination.
Childhood Tales
As I enter my early 60s, I find that the books I read in my childhood become more vivid in my memory, while those I read just a few years ago are completely forgotten. The stories of Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe, which I read as a seven-year-old, still resonate with me today. Even just thinking about these books brings back the wide-eyed excitement and vulnerability I felt at the time. It's as if these childhood tales have left their pages and now live on in my mind.
This excerpt is from a new volume that collects the most significant short nonfiction of my 50-year career.
Formative Years
Unlike many people of my age, my reading of the great works of Western literature was completed by the time I was 20. In my late teens, I devoured a library of classic and modern fiction, finding solace in the vast and imaginative worlds created by the great novelists. Looking back, I realize that the foundation of my imagination was laid long before I went to university.
In contrast, my children and their generation started reading much later in life. Initially, I worried that they were missing out on something important by not immersing themselves in the works of writers like Jane Austen and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. However, I now understand that they needed to explore the heady, optimistic world of pop culture before delving into the profound complexities of these authors in their 20s and 30s.
The Influence of Shanghai
The books I read in my early childhood were deeply intertwined with the city I grew up in, Shanghai. As one of the most diverse cities in the world, it was a melting pot of cultures and languages. I read children's versions of Alice in Wonderland, Robinson Crusoe, and Gulliver's Travels alongside American comics and magazines. These stories coexisted in my mind with characters like Superman and Flash Gordon. My favorite American comic strip, Terry and the Pirates, set in the China I lived in, added an extra layer of excitement to my reading experience.
My mother, a former schoolteacher, taught me to read before I even started school at the age of five, expanding my literary world even further.
The Role of Reading
Reading played a significant role in my life during my school years. It served as a substitute for the lack of entertainment options such as television and theme parks. I would immerse myself in American comics and magazines, alongside classic children's literature like Peter Pan and the Pooh books. However, I also felt that something was missing from these stories, a sense of reality that truly reflected the world I was living in.
It wasn't until I discovered books like The Arabian Nights and Victorian ghost stories that I realized the importance of exploring the darker and more complex aspects of literature. These tales, though frightening, offered a deeper understanding of the world around me. The morbid tone and haunting illustrations left a lasting impact on my imagination. They showed me that childhood and the child's imagination are not illnesses to be repressed but powerful forces that shape who we become.
Throughout my life, my reading preferences and habits have evolved. I have become a voracious reader of various genres and even find inspiration in published material that many people overlook. While I regret some of the choices I made in my reading during my late adolescence, I also appreciate the rich and diverse literary landscape that continues to shape my imagination.
