We asked our authors from around the world to share their thoughts on why they write, why they read, and the books that have influenced them.
Here’s what they had to say.
Tell us why you read and share your favorite books! Join the discussion @HarperCollins on Twitter using #hc200.
I was brought up in a house where books were an essential part of the furnishings. My mother was an avid reader and used to write to authors saying how much she had enjoyed their work, along with a P.S. saying could they make the next book longer; and my father blotted his copybook by buying a set of encyclopaedias off a travelling salesman who came to the door. I was eventually a beneficiary of both schools in more ways than one and remain grateful to this day, for I couldn’t have had a better upbringing.
