Lucy Caldwell on James Joyce and Folktales

Author Lucy Caldwell shared her literary inspirations, highlighting the profound impact of James Joyce's "Ulysses" on her writing, stating that "even your text messages fizz after reading James Joyce." This sentiment underscores the transformative power she attributes to Joyce's work, suggesting it elevates everyday communication to a higher plane.

Caldwell's earliest reading memory involves "Storyteller" magazine and its accompanying cassette tapes, which she listened to at the age of two. Her favorite story was a Japanese folktale titled "The Goblin Rat." She recalls being both "entranced and terrified" by the narrative, to the point where she could recite it by heart, demonstrating an early engagement with storytelling.

Her favorite book growing up was Susan Cooper's "The Dark Is Rising" series. Caldwell first encountered these books at age 10 and has continued to reread the title book every midwinter since. She also shared that she reread the series with her own son when he was 10. The series, which explores the conflict between light and dark forces and incorporates Arthurian legend, is noted for its "adult melancholy" that maintains its appeal across different stages of life.