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The Irish novelist on being inspired by The Catcher in the Rye, discovering James Joyce, and his aversion to books about hobbitsMy earliest reading memoryI’d say I’m four, nearly five. The year I start in school. I’m in our house near Dún Laoghaire in Dublin, sitting under the kitchen table, and I’m trying, and failing, to read a book of fairytales by the Irish writer Sinéad de Valera.My favourite book growing upI’m going to cheat a bit and choose a series – Richmal Crompton’s Just William books – so arch and funny and tongue-in-cheek. And exotic. The version of suburban Englishness she gently skewered was like something from another planet.My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor is published by Harvill Secker. To buy a copy go to guardianbookshop.com Continue reading...