Lorraine Candy: my five best books
The former editor of The Sunday Times Style Magazine and podcaster chooses her favourite books

Lorriane Candy's book, Mum, What’s Wrong With You?! (4th Estate £14.99), a guide to raising teenage girls, is out this week.
1
Beryl Bainbridge (1991)

The Birthday Boys
I am obsessed with Antarctica and went on an expedition there 20 years ago. This haunting novel is about Scott’s ill-fated 1912 trip, and uncovers the arrogance of these upper-class male explorers, but also paints a beautiful picture of an untouched land and the human endurance needed to conquer it.
2
Judith Kerr (1968)

The Tiger Who Came to Tea
I have four kids, so I know this one off by heart. If I can’t sleep, I just recite it in my head. But one look at the cover makes me instantly melancholy about my babies growing up.
3
E. Jean Carroll (1993)

Hunter: The Strange and Savage Life of Hunter S. Thompson
This is a crazy tale of a crazy man told by one of Rolling Stone’s funniest female writers. I am not entirely sure what’s true or what’s not, but it is a wild ride.
4
Dr Louise Newson (2019)

Menopause: All you need to know in one concise manual
All midlife women should read this fact-filled, evidence-based book – it changed my life when I hit my late 40s. It explains the low risks associated with HRT, and defines the symptoms of perimenopause.
5
Bernardine Evaristo (2019)

Girl, Woman, Other
I love this humorous and spirited exploration of difficult women, which follows 12 characters, of different ages and generations, as they navigate life’s big questions. I encouraged my teenage daughters to read it.
6
Patti Smith (2010)

Just Kids
This autobiography is the vibrant story of the author’s relationship with the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and of her love affair with New York City. I met Patti once and was so star-struck that I couldn’t think of a single thing to say, so we talked about hairstyles!