The Next Chapter·Dog-Eared Reads

Why Laurie Petrou re-reads Michael Chabon's Wonder Boys and The Snapper by Roddy Doyle

The author and academic shares the novels she returns to again and again.
Laurie Petrou is an author and academic. (Random House Canada, Kat Keenan Photography )

Laurie Petrou is a Toronto-based associate professor and author of mystery/thrillers novels such as Sister of Mine.

She tells The Next Chapter that there are two books that she has to re-read from time to time: American author Michael Chabon's Wonder Boys and The Snapper by Irish writer Roddy Doyle.

"There are two books that I'd like to go back to over and over again.The first is Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon. I'll go back to any book of his, but that one I love. I just love the writing. The second is The Snapper by Roddy Doyle.

"Both of those books have humour, have beautiful writing, have wonderful characters. They 'jump start' me when I feel like I'm not sure what I want to write or what I want to read."

Laurie Petrou's comments have been edited for length and clarity.