Welcome to Triple Choice Tuesday, an ad-hoc series I kicked off in 2010, which has been on hiatus for several years — but has now returned for 2024. This is where I ask some of my favourite bloggers, writers and readers to share the names of three books that mean a lot to them. The idea is that it might raise the profile of certain books and introduce you to new titles, new authors and new bloggers. If you’d like to take part, simply visit this post and fill out the form!
Today’s guest is Jan Hicks, who blogs at What I Think About When I Think About Reading.
Jan lives in Manchester, UK, and works as an archivist, which allows her to combine a love of history with a love of bringing order out of chaos.
“At times, it’s also like being a detective, and I often travel down rabbit holes in pursuit of answers,” she says. “All of which ties in with crime, historical fiction and magical realism being among my favourite genres.”
Jan can’t remember a time before reading. “I’m only ever without a book by accident. If there’s even the whiff of a chance that I’ll have time sitting quietly by myself, I’m going to need a book.”
Without further ado, here are Jan’s choices:
A favourite book: ‘Crime and Punishment’ by Fyodor Dostoevsky (translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky)
I’ve read and re-read Crime and Punishment four times. It’s a book about human nature, the power of the self, the loss of reason and the pursuit of justice. It’s about corruption and love. It is wild, funny, heart-rending and foul.
Within its pages are two of the greatest characters ever given to the world by literature: Raskolinokov and Porfiry. Their cat-and-mouse game is compelling. Their admiration for each other as adversaries makes their individual pursuits of justice, although so different in nature, equally convincing.
A book that changed my world: ‘The Gold Bug Variations’ by Richard Powers
This book taught me to think differently about literature. I’d never encountered anything like it before, with its combination of history of science, history of music, romance, mystery and archives. It sounds like it would be a difficult read, but Powers makes it all seem so easy.
It’s about the discovery of DNA, the desire to be free of obligation, the shattering effects of love and the mathematical rhythms in life.
A book that deserves a wider audience: ‘Villager’ by Tom Cox
Villager sprawls over time and place, slipping through the margins and brushing up against its own past and future. At its heart is a collection of songs written by an itinerant musician, and one ancient song in particular that echoes through the narrative.
Cox uses folklore, Bildungsroman, speculative fiction, diary writing and cultural reference points that span Mary Oliver, Mike Leigh, Oliver Postgate and Public Enemy to build multiple worlds each linked to the others across time.
It was published on the crowdsourcing model used by Unbound, so never had the benefit of a huge marketing budget, and is a work worth championing.
What do you think of Jan’s choices? Have you read any of these books?
I am intrigued by all three here, especially the Richard Powers novel, and Crime and Punishment, which has been on my wishlist for about 30 years!
Reading Matters 
I’ve read only Crime and Punishment but that alone confirms that Jan is a discerning reader. Four times! It tempts me to a re-read.
(I didn’t know that there was a translation by Pevear and Volokhonsky, I know there are people who don’t like their style but I thought they brought War and Peace alive when their translation was my fourth attempt at reading it.)
Villager sounds fascinating.
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I used to follow Jan, but WordPress decided otherwise – as it does – and somehow I couldn’t find her again, so thanks for the re-introduction. The Richard Powers looks to be indeed an -er- powerful read that I’ll add to the TBA. And Jan – sorry you seem to have given up contributing to Six Degrees. I, for one, miss you.
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I’ve enjoyed two of Richard Powers books so far, sounds like I should go back to revisit his earlier ones too 🙂
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I’m a little ashamed to admit that I’ve never read Crime and Punishment, though I know I should. The other two sound captivating reads and I will look out for them. Thanks for sharing.
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I love the other three Richard Powers novels I’ve read so far so I’d be keen to try that one.
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Love Jan’s blog! I’ve only read one Richard Powers – The Time of Our Singing – but loved it, so will have to check out more.
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I read C&P in the last year of high school, I think, a long time ago. I was really impressed and went on to read The Gambler and The Idiot. In the last year I read The Brothers Karamazov and really disliked it. I have C&P in my Audible library and I’ll get to it eventually.
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