My father was an autodidact. It wasn't a middle-class house. Shopkeepers are aspirant. He paid for me to go to private school. He was denied an education - he had a horrible childhood. He got a place at a grammar school and wasn't allowed to go. Kate Atkinson allowaspirantautodidact share on social
Because I write fiction, I don't write autobiography, and to me they are very different things. The first-person narrative is a very intimate thing, but you are not addressing other people as 'I' - you are inhabiting that 'I.' Kate Atkinson addressautobiographyfiction share on social
Because I've a track record of talking about books I never write, in Australia they think I'm about to write a book about Jane Austen. Something I said at some festival. Kate Atkinson austenaustraliabook Change image and share on social
Probably not needing to be published would give me more time to think about a book. Kate Atkinson bookgiveneed Change image and share on social
I was an only child and grew up in York where my parents ran a surgical supplies shop. When I say I wish I had brothers and sisters, friends say it's not what it's cracked up to be, but I think it must be good to have someone who knew you from the beginning. Kate Atkinson beginbrotherchild share on social
I've always loved mysteries, the something there that you didn't know, and with 'Case Histories' I just decide to make that more up-front. Kate Atkinson casedecidefront Change image and share on social
I did feel when my mother died if anyone was going to haunt me it would be her. And she hasn't, so I think it is possibly the end. Kate Atkinson dieendfeel Change image and share on social
The legacy of the fairy story in my brain is that everything will work out. In fiction it would be very hard for me, as a writer, to give a bad ending to a good character, or give a good ending to a bad character. That's probably not a very postmodern thing to say. Kate Atkinson badbraincharacter share on social
I spent four years doing a doctorate in postmodern American literature. I can recognize it when I see it. Kate Atkinson americandoctorateliterature Change image and share on social
Fairy tales opened up a door into my imagination - they don't conform to the reality that's around you as a child. I started reading when I was three and read everything, but I wanted to be an actress. Kate Atkinson actresschildconform share on social