5 lessons from Kit de Waal
Emily Rhodes in conversation with Kit de Waal
Did you miss our online supporter event with best-selling author and Bookbanks ambassador Kit de Waal?
It was a wonderful evening, full of warmth, honesty and brilliant conversation as Kit spoke to Bookbanks founder Emily Rhodes, read from her memoir Without Warning and Only Sometimes, and answered questions from supporters.
Still, if you weren’t able to make it, don’t panic! You can now enjoy the full conversation on the brand new Bookbanks YouTube channel.
While you’re there, we'd love you to subscribe. Over the coming months, our YouTube channel will become a home for stories about the transformative power of reading and plenty more celebrations of books.
In the meantime, there are a few of the moments from our hour with Kit that have stayed with us…
Hunger leaves more than an empty stomach
Kit spoke movingly about growing up in poverty in Birmingham and the hunger she experienced as a child. What struck us most wasn't simply the hunger itself, but the shame that accompanied it and the lengths she went to in order to hide it from friends and their families.
It was a powerful reminder that many people experiencing hardship are also carrying invisible burdens.
The book that changed everything
Kit didn't grow up loving books. In fact, she hated reading and the Bible was virtually the only book in the house.
Everything changed when a colleague recommended ten books to her. Among them, thankfully, was Madame Bovary. Its sheer humanity captivated her and sparked a lifelong love of reading.
One book really can change a life.
Read beyond your comfort zone
Kit encouraged aspiring writers to read as widely as possible, well beyond the genres they hope to write themselves.
Commercial fiction can teach you how to keep readers turning the page. Fantasy and science fiction can teach you about world-building. Every book has something to teach.
Great writing starts with permission
One of Kit's strongest recommendations was Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, particularly the chapter Writing With a Rounded Belly, which encourages writers to relax, stop striving for perfection and simply begin.
Find the story you can't let go of
For anyone struggling with too many ideas, Kit offered one simple piece of advice: work out what you can't leave alone.
For her, it's always the ordinary person standing quietly on the edge of great events.
If Kit's conversation reminded you why books matter, and you'd like to help us bring more brilliant books to food banks across the UK, we'd be enormously grateful for your further support.
Every donation helps us put more books into the hands of people who need them most.
