Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Eliza Reid’s trip started on a pastime farm in the Ottawa Valley, then after her being in love, moved to Iceland where she founded a family. But when her husband was elected president there, she suddenly became the first lady of Iceland.
This spring, she started another adventure with her first mystery of murder called Died on the island.
“I came from a background of journalism and therefore writing non-fiction for my first full book in a way was a kind of next logical step,” she said.
“And then I said to myself, I wonder if it is more difficult or easier to make history and people. In fact, it is more difficult in my opinion. But I wanted another challenge and I always liked the mysteries of murder, a kind of mysteries of murder of golden age, and I thought I would just give it a chance.”
The novel takes place in Vestmannaeyjar (the Westman Islands) during a diplomatic dinner. When the assistant ambassador of Canada suddenly dies, his boss, the ambassador of Canada, is quickly thrown under suspicion, and his wife must understand the secrets of each to erase his name and save his ruin marriage.
Eliza came from a reading family – her father was a English teacher and her brother awarded the award -winning Iain Reid – so books have always been part of her life.
She joined The next chapter Host Antonio Michael Downing to talk about some of the books that have shaped and guided her.
Murder on the East Express by Agatha Christie
Reid’s first choice is a literary classic of an author whose style she says had a huge impact on her as a reader and her latest book. The book is a mystery of murder on a train where someone is stabbed overnight.
Reid says: “It is an old mystery of classic murder and I am sure that it is the book I have read the most. I have probably read it 50 times. And I think I read it for the first time when I was 8 years old.
Garlic and sapphires By Ruth Reichl
His second choice is a memory of the famous chef and former culinary writer of the New York Times, Ruth Reichl. The book recounts his time spent as a culinary critic of the New York Times.
“I like the kind of memories and I have read a lot of different memories and memories of people-not necessarily famous people, but people who have had something interesting who have happened to them or who led an interesting life in one way or another,” she said.
Reid says: “I love there are recipes in it, and this is probably one of the books that I most often give as a gift. It’s just fun, it’s intelligent, it’s a little escape. I like him for many different reasons.”
Blood By Gerður Kristný
Reid’s next choice is one in his adopted Icelandic house. It is a minimalist account of an ancient Icelandic history of gods and giants drawn from poetic EDDA.
“I have made Iceland my house for more than two decades. And Iceland has this long and rich literary heritage. Iceland, the land of sagas – it is a really focused society.”
Reid says: “I chose this one because I do not read a lot of poetry, to be honest. But I see the value in it, but I like the kind of feminist foundations of this and the way in which it represents a different perspective on the told of an older story.”
In Seven feathers fallenInvestigation journalist Tanya Talaga goes to Thunder Bay, Ontario, to investigate the death of seven indigenous teenagers: Jordan Wabasseau, Kyle Morrisseau, Curran Strang, Robyn Harper, Paul Panacheese, Reggie Bushie and Jethro Anderson. Talaga examines how their premature life and their death can teach us daily on injustice in the face of indigenous communities.
Seven feathers fallen won the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize for non-fiction.
Reid says: “I think that when you reduce these enormous problems to this kind of specific stories, she really persists with you – both the prejudices that people had to tackle, the institutional problems that exist and really the fact that it is something that we have to continue to talk about and to face Canada.”
Patriot: a memory by Alexei Navalny
Patriot is the memory of Alexei Navalny, the Russian dissident who had been prevented from presenting himself to the presidency and died in prison just over a year ago. A large part was written while Navalny was imprisoned and he was able to pass the documents to his collaborators.
Reid says: “I put this on my list for two reasons. First, I think to illustrate that I think it is important for us to stay up to date on current world affairs, to stay up to date on what is going on. But secondly, because I listened to it, perhaps, perhaps, there may never be any doubt.
This interview has been modified for duration and clarity.
