What book(s) are you reading?
Murray Bail's novel Eucalyptus and Robert Hass' poetry collection Time and Materials: Poems 1997-2005.
What's good about them?
The former appeals because it sometimes startles, is serious, sly and wry and full of telling observations; the latter because it includes a magnificent long poem State of the Planet.
When do you read?
Anywhere, any time of the day and night.
Do you ever abandon a book you don't like? Why?
Yes, if I decide it's insufficiently interesting, entertaining or informative.
What book do you think everyone should read and why?
No one book above all others. I wish more people read more than they do, and more widely.
Is there a book you've been meaning to get around to?
No. There are hundreds I wish I'd time to read.
How do you choose what you are going to read next?
Reviews, word of mouth.
- Otago poet, essayist and angler Brian Turner's latest book is Into the wider world: A backcountry miscellany (Godwit, pbk, $45) .
