Natalie Haynes, a celebrated author and stand-up comedian, recently shared her literary journey, highlighting the books that have shaped her as a writer. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of her earliest memories is the beloved children’s book “Harvey’s Hideout” by Russell Hoban. She was only four or five years old the first time she read it herself. She snuggled in on her favourite yellow beanbag next to the heater. This influential experience took place in her family home in Bournville.
Haynes remembers with great nostalgia how “Harvey’s Hideout” opened the door to her passion for reading. It was a whole world of make-believe and ease,” she said. The warmth of that yellow beanbag and the stories that unfolded within the pages left an indelible mark on her.
As an adult, Haynes finds comfort in a different book altogether, Dinner by Meera Sodha, which she describes as her comfort read. This preference gives insight into her understanding of literature’s power to offer shelter and joy in the storm that is life.
On her way to these literary successes, Haynes makes no bones about the difficulties she had mastering Greek in her early years of study. “I dumped so much money down the Greek chute for a decade before I got it right,” she admitted. Her doggedness led her to revisit Ovid’s Metamorphoses. This legendary book opened her up to the legends and language and she fell dearly in love with vitality.
The book that most inspired Haynes’ dream of being a writer was written by Cynthia Heimel. She had a first introduction to Heimel’s work at the age of 20, just as she was starting her own stand-up career. Just reading her writing, that was transformational—after reading that, I was like, oh my God, this is how humor can work in writing.
Haynes had a turning point as a teenager. She found Thrasymachus, cowritten by CWE Peckett and AR Munday, and it changed her life. Though originally intended for prep school boys, Haynes discovered it invaluable for learning the Greek alphabet and verb endings. As she said in an interview, “It was a really hard read, but it introduced me to this whole new universe.”
In her literary exploration, Haynes recently revisited “The Turning Point” by Robert Douglas Fairhurst, which sparked her interest in Dickens for the first time since her school days. “It reawakened my love for great literature,” she said. Some books have the power to bring readers back to writers who readers have otherwise lost track of decades ago.
In the middle of all those thoughts on reading, Haynes joked that she would rather suffer through the cold than do as she’s told. This feeling encapsulates her mythical, curious heart and soul as a reader, writer, world traveler.
In a nod to her childhood admiration for Snoopy, Haynes quoted the beloved character:
“Gentlemen, enclosed is the manuscript of my new novel. I know you are going to like it. In the meantime, please send me some money so I can live it up.” – Snoopy
Through these varied experiences and influences, Natalie Haynes demonstrates how early reading can shape one’s aspirations and identity as a writer. Her remarkable journey is a testament to the transformative power of literature in fostering personal development and creative expression.