The actor chooses books from throughout his life. He will be talking about his own recent novel, "All Wrapped Up", at the Bradford Literature Festival on 28 June.
A Bright Shining Lie
In 1968, I was selling encyclopaedias to American servicemen in Germany. Every one of them was either going to Vietnam, returning from Vietnam, or doing all they could to avoid it. Reading this history-biography 50 years later opened my eyes to the reality of the horror show that thousands of young men my age had wasted their lives for.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Available on The Week Bookshop
The Earth
Émile Zola, 1887
I'd been rebuilding a dilapidated house in a tiny farming community in Normandy, and spoke just enough French to begin to understand the differences between me and my workmates. Then, recommended by a French friend, I read this and learnt how profound those differences really are.
Damascus Station
David McCloskey, 2021
A distinguished gentleman in the upper echelons of British government and counter-espionage recommended this, and I bought it on the spot. Although I'm not a regular reader of thrillers, I was hooked.
Available on The Week Bookshop
Barkskins
Annie Proulx, 2016
I once lived for two years in Canada in the tribal areas of the Micmac native people, but barely got to know anything of their story. Many years later I read this novel and marvelled at my ignorance. How could I have lived somewhere so important to North America's history and never asked questions of the people I saw every day? I consumed every word, barely pausing for sleep.
Available on The Week Bookshop
The Usual Desire to Kill
Camilla Barnes, 2025
I was involved in the evolution of this book from a series of written sketches to a play – both funny and deeply moving – and eventually into its final form. It was a fantastic lesson in the power of the novel, taking me into the minds of characters I thought I knew, and finally telling me the real story.
Available on The Week Bookshop
-
The best food books of 2025The Week Recommends From mouthwatering recipes to insightful essays, these colourful books will both inspire and entertain
-
Art that made the news in 2025The Explainer From a short-lived Banksy mural to an Egyptian statue dating back three millennia
-
Nine best TV shows of the yearThe Week Recommends From Adolescence to Amandaland
-
Winter holidays in the snow and sunThe Week Recommends Escape the dark, cold days with the perfect getaway
-
The best homes of the yearFeature Featuring a former helicopter engine repair workshop in Washington, D.C. and high-rise living in San Francisco
-
Critics’ choice: The year’s top 10 moviesFeature ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘It Was Just an Accident’ stand out
-
A luxury walking tour in Western AustraliaThe Week Recommends Walk through an ‘ancient forest’ and listen to the ‘gentle hushing’ of the upper canopy
-
Joanna Trollope: novelist who had a No. 1 bestseller with The Rector’s WifeIn the Spotlight Trollope found fame with intelligent novels about the dramas and dilemmas of modern women
