MAUREEN HODGAN
“I can’t separate my life from reading—it’s an integral part of who I am,” says Maureen Hodgan, a heritage researcher-writer for the City of Calgary. “I can imagine not having a lot of things, but not my books.”
Hodgan, who always has a book on the go, prefers hardcovers; she reads them one at a time and usually buys them. “I have used the library, and I was an early adopter of Kindle but I dropped it because you don’t really know what page you’re on. I’m too analogue,” she says. “The former graphic designer in me also loves the covers.”
Hodgan is also a co-founder of d.talks, the non-profit that promotes discussions of art, architecture and design in the built environment. She also has an impressive collection of art and design books.
YOU NAME IT SHE’S READ IT: If there’s a book people are talking about, Hodgan’s probably read it, including all five volumes of Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle. “It’s like a train wreck, the writing is so personal,” she says. “I can’t believe he’s admitting these things about himself… Why am I looking?” Hodgan has also read all four of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, and both new releases by Jay McInerney and Dave Eggers. “Eggers’ novels are like art books to me because they take so much care with the design,” she says.
DOES SHE EVER CULL? “Rarely. I have a bit of a hoarder mentality when it comes to books and magazines. If anything, I collect bookshelves. Usually it’s time to get another Billy from Ikea!”
BIG INFLUENCE: “In non-fiction, it’s Paris 1919 by Margaret MacMillan. I’ve bought everything she ever wrote. Here’s a woman who can make history relevant. If people read this, they’d understand the geo-political stuff going on today.”
FICTION FAVOURITE: Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life. “Though it’s historical fiction, it’s almost what could have happened if time was more fluid and we could stop things from happening.” THE WORDFEST WRITER WHOM SHE MOST WANTS TO SEE: “The tree guy—I’ve already got tickets.” (Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees). THE BOOK SHE’S NEVER READ: “I’m really embarrassed to admit it, but I’ve tried three times to read Infinite Jest and I just can’t do it.”