On My Bedside Table - Frank Coates
The Age
Saturday June 26, 2004
I like to be a bit more organised, so I only have two books beside my bed: The White Nile, by Alan Moorehead (which I'm re-reading), and Journey to the Source of the Nile, by Christopher Ondaatje. I'm flicking between the two books, which is a bit unusual for me, but they provide a different perspective of the same subject, so it's quite interesting.
I read in bed every night but not for long. It puts me to sleep, but it's a relaxing way to end each day. I wish I could read until late at night, but I just can't seem to do it, no matter how gripping the book is. I don't finish every book I start, especially if it's made me angry. If an author tries to take me beyond all credibility, I get annoyed and put it aside. Once I feel the author has let me down, I find it difficult to trust him or her again. I do a lot of research while I write my novels, mostly history books - or anything that will help me get a sense of a certain period in time. I love this kind of reading - it never feels like work. Very soon I'd like to start Pacific, by Judy Nunn, but I can't indulge myself just yet because I'm in the middle of researching my third novel. One of the pleasures of full-time writing is that I can sit down with a clear conscience and read a book. When I'm writing I put myself in a time bubble and I read everything around the period so I can construct a detailed picture about people, dress, architecture.I used to be an engineer so I have a methodical approach to research, which involves a database and catalogue system. I buy a lot of books. I've just tracked down an out-of-print book (thanks to the internet) called Railway Across the Equator: The Story of the East African Line by Mohamed Amin.Frank Coates's latest book, Tears of the Maasai, is published by HarperCollins at $29.95.
© 2004 The Age
