Int: You live in the countryside now, don’t you, Susan? Are there any big differences between the way of life in villages and towns?

Susan: The kind of social life is different  — like, in the countryside people tend to invite people around to their houses much more. In cities people were more inclined to meet in a pub or club. However, everything is changing.

Int: Is that more to do with age perhaps?

Susan: Maybe, but I also think it’s because people are a lot more interested in cooking. They pick up exotic recipes, make specialties themselves and love sharing them with friends or neighbours. Now it’s more widespread.

Int: Oh, yes, everything is changing now… Even the shops seem to be changing. The larger shops are taking over from the smaller. How do you feel about it?

Susan: I do like to support small shops. It would be a real shame if they disappeared. I mean, most people buy just about everything in the supermarkets which are more comfortable. Small shop business is decaying… It also means you don’t have the same social contact when you go to big shops. People are too busy and I sometimes feel really annoyed because many of them are indifferent to what they are doing or buying.

Int: You were telling me before that you like poking around the smaller shops and bookstores. Have you read any good book lately, Susan?

Susan: Ah yes, I’ve just finished a book called Birdsong. It’s all about war. I think it’s so well written! It really does give you an incredible impression of how horrific any war is…

Int: I thought we knew everything about war…

Susan: There were things I had known about before but it’s just the way the author puts it that it really brings war close to you much more. I viewed war somewhat differently. Somebody told me that they’ve made a film of it. I can’t imagine it being as good as the book.

Int: Have you ever seen a film that was as good as the book?

Susan: Probably not… If I go to see a film because I really liked the book, then I am inevitably disappointed by the film. I thought "The Remains of the Day" was a good film. It was very popular back then. But the book is so good that the film still wasn’t as good as the book.

Int: Were you disappointed by the screen adaptation?

Susan: Oh, no. But I didn’t go to see it again. I’ve read the novel twice, though. I didn’t choose to, I was somewhere and I had nothing better to do. And the second time I read it because it was the only book I had.

Int: I think, people seem to be reading less and less these days. The only time they can read is on the way to and from work… How about you Susan?

Susan: I don’t use public transport much… But if I’ve got a good book to read I find it more relaxing than watching TV. In fact, it depends on the family. Although I grew up in a family where parents didn’t read books, they mainly watched TV, my mum took me to the library and I got books out. My parents inspired me to take up reading as a hobby when I was quite young.

Int: How do you choose a book to read?

Susan: Normally I choose a book my friends advise me to read.

Int: Do you read book reviews?

Susan: Most of the time… you get these reviews that are from decent newspapers and you buy and read the book… and you realize it’s by no means what you’ve expected it to be. The plot is primitive, the descriptions are poor… and the characters are …eh... just dull. But all of them have got really good reviews. Sometimes I think it’s because one writer writes a review of another writer and they are all praising each other so that everyone’s books get sold.

Int: Susan, if you went to the desert island, what books would you take with you?

Susan: I don’t know… Maybe something funny, something I can re-⁠read a number of times. Honestly… I’d take one of the gossip books about celebrities. Even though they are trashy and people laugh at me for reading them, I’ve never kept secret of my preference.

Int: What’s the attraction with gossip?

Susan: Well, most people love gossips whether they admit it or not. I think we are all naturally curious about other people but…but particularly we like to find out some private things about celebrities.