Five Minutes with John Boyne

Posted on 12 November 2015

Among the stack of new books in Teen Book Club, one of the stand-outs is the latest book from John Boyne, award-winning author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas . His new book, The Boy at the Top of the Mountain , offers a startling look at World War II from a unique perspective.

Pierrot is an orphan – a child who needs a home. He knows nothing of the Nazis. Then he is sent to live with an aunt in a grand house at the top of a mountain. But this is no ordinary time. It’s 1935. The Second World War is looming. And this is no ordinary house. It is the Berghof – Adolf Hitler’s home. As Pierrot is taken under Hitler’s wing, terrible things are about to happen.

Here are the books, places and films that inspire John and his writing.

My 5 Favourite Books

These change quite regularly but the five that spring to mind right now are:

• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
• The Go-Between by LP Hartley
• The Cider House Rules by John Irving
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier

My Favourite Places to Write:

• At home, in my office, overlooking the garden with my dog Zaccy asleep on the floor beside me.
• On an aeroplane. It’s one of the few places left where one can be left entirely undisturbed and free of distraction.
• In the corner of some quiet bar in a tranquil European city that the tourists haven’t discovered yet.

My Favourite Film Adaptations of Books:

• Anthony Minghella’s film of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley
• James Ivory’s film of EM Forster’s Howards End
• Jonathan Demme’s film of Thomas Harris’ The Silence of the Lambs
• David Lean’s film of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain is out now. Buy your copy today!