books
February 27, 2026
Ben Markovits: ‘I used to think any book concerned with people falling in love can’t be very good’
The British-American author on arguing about Jane Austen, the joys of Jerome K Jerome, and revising his opinion of Philip Roth
TL;DR
- Early reading memories include Donald Sobol's Encyclopedia Brown series and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
- Robert Graves' "Goodbye to All That" was a significant read at age 17, offering good company during a move to Berlin.
- Initially dismissive of Jane Austen, Markovits later came to appreciate her nuanced writing style, influenced by his sister.
- His opinion of Philip Roth evolved from disliking "The Human Stain" to appreciating the range of "I Married a Communist."
- Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat" is a comfort read, having been sent to his mother and later enjoyed by his son.
- Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" was discovered later in life and found to be a powerful novel.
- Currently reading Elizabeth Gaskell's "Cousin Phillis," another writer in the "two inches of ivory" tradition.
- P.G. Wodehouse's "The World of Jeeves" is a long-standing comfort read.
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