Books: Inspirations - Novelist Allan Massie
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The music
Billie Holiday singing "You can't take that away from me"; partly because of the memories it triggers of when I first heard it at Cambridge, and partly because it sums up what is important to somebody who is trying to write novels.
The play
The Cherry Orchard - Chekov just has this wonderful ability to be able to make things happen under the surface which are different to what is actually happening on the surface.
The place
Lake Nemi, about 25 miles outside Rome. It was the starting point for Fraser's The Golden Bough. I used it in my novel Augustus. It's one of the world's numinous places; a magical place. The entrance to the underworld is supposed to be beside the lake, and it really does give you the feeling that it might be.
The film
Thorold Dickinson's version of the Pushkin story, The Queen of Spades. One of the most frightening scenes that I remember is the sound of the footsteps of the ghost of the princess as she comes to give the hero the secret of the cards. I only saw it once in 1948. I don't know why it's so frightening; it just is.
The artwork
Anything by Caravaggio, particularly the St Matthew paintings in the church of S Luigi dei Francesci in Rome. I always feel that there is a novel to be written about some of his models.
`Antony', Allan Massie's fourth novel in his Roman Quartet, is published by Sceptre at pounds 6.99
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments