Toronto singer-songwriter Royal Wood has a diverse set of interests informing his music. He is a former foreign exchange trader, a sommelier-in-training and a lover of fashion, and he has had a lifelong passion for the written word — one of those astute young men carrying a well-worn copy of The Catcher in the Rye around throughout his high school years.
With the new album Ghost Light coming out today and a concert set for May 7 at the Danforth Music Hall, we asked the Juno Award–nominated musician to tell us the five books that were most influential for him.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
This treasure found its way into my hands by way of my older brother Markus. I remember lying on my bed playing guitar. As he sauntered into my room as he always did, he placed the book on my bed and uttered, “You should read this.… I think you’ll love it.” I think I read the entire novel cover to cover that day. A powerful tale that is as relevant today as it was when it was written.
Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger
This work of Salinger’s was my Holy Bible. Whenever a moment presented itself, I would pull out the scuffed dog-eared book and read and reread favourite sections and passages. The fact that the book took on such a spiritual nature for me is not surprising, considering the author’s known love affair with eastern religious philosophies like Zen Buddhism. I still often flip through the book today.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
I revere this novel for two reasons. The first being its childlike wonderment and humour, despite dealing with the serious themes of racism and rape. Secondly, for me as a kid, it was the narrator’s father, Atticus Finch, that served as the character I most rooted for and admired. To me he was the noble man I strived to be when I grew up. I don’t think a better “hero” was penned in 20th-century literature.
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Truly the defining work of fiction on what it was like to be a teenager, when I read this book it seemed to resonate in me in a way few have since. We all experience the duality of life, so looking back, I recall my adolescent years split between the dark and the light. However, they were most certainly emotionally charged times, and ones I don’t think I would be in a hurry to repeat.
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
My English teacher Mr. Milner fuelled my fascination for the character Marlow’s obsession with the ivory trader Kurtz. Milner ignited my enthusiasm for this novel long before I ever opened its pages. He was a powerful figure in my life as a teenager, ushering in many works of literature outside the walls of the classroom. Heart of Darkness was one of many I devoured, reading and discussing with my old friend.
