Discover which books this year’s Libraro Prize winner is loving right now
- Donna Fisher is the winner of this year’s The Libraro Prize for her novel Sheep’s Clothing
What Book…
2026’s Libraro Prize winner, Donna Fisher
… are you reading now?
I have two books on the go – Bodily Harm by Margaret Atwood and The Society Of Literary Marauders by Sasha Wasley.
Bodily Harm is about a journalist on assignment in the Caribbean in the midst of reassessing life after a cancer scare. She’s sucked into a world of corruption and espionage – a thriller with a literary edge, just my cup of tea.
The Society Of Literary Marauders is a slower-paced tale about four women studying at Oxford in the 1920s who set up a club to read banned books.
It combines my two nerdy obsessions – history and books. Perfect for passing the many hours in the air between the UK and Australia, where I live.
… would you take to a desert island?
When I was 11, Dad bought me a subscription to a book club that sent you a hardback classic each fortnight. They were expensive for our working- class family, so I treasured them and read each one, even the one that scared me – The Fall Of The House Of Usher and other stories by Edgar Allan Poe.
The north-east weather battering my bedroom window likely enhanced the scare factor! I’ve loved and feared Poe’s stories ever since.
Maybe a desert island would make them less scary.
I’ll test the theory at the beach near my home in Australia (I still have the copy Dad bought me).
Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher would be perfect for a desert island as the gorgeous scenery would make his tales a little less scary
… got you into reading?
It wasn’t a book but the stories my Mam would tell me. She is a natural storyteller and could make up tales on the spot. I vividly recall one about an adventurous swordfish called Sammy. The stories were so engaging, I’d badger her to tell me what happened next.
I struggled with reading as a child, but the love of stories Mam instilled encouraged me to keep trying. It felt like a superpower once I cracked it, I could disappear into a story anytime I wanted.
… left you cold?
I’ve had a copy of The Artist’s Way for 20 years – not the same copy, though! So many friends have told me the 12-week programme is life-changing. I’ve made several attempts and always abandon it around week four. Then I give my copy away – only to decide a few years later to try again, buy a new copy, then repeat the process.