Friday 2nd April 2021 – An Interview with Rosemary Hopkin

Hello everyone, I hope you're well. 

I'm sorry this took me an extra few days to get to you, but I was very determined to do another interview about books. This one is with my mum, Rosemary, who was surprisingly quite difficult to get to sit down for ten minutes.

Rosemary's interview: 

Who are you and what do you do?

My name's Rosemary Hopkin and I'm a seasoned IT professional. I've been working at JTI for 25 years, and have lived in Switzerland for about the same amount of time. I'm a mother of two, juggler. 

How long have you been reading books? 

Ten years. I didn't read books until a friend invited me to join a book club. While I didn't really fancy it, I was grateful to have been invited and thought I should try it. I haven't looked back and I'm so glad that I gave it a go.

(Lisanne's note: my mum reads a new book every month, sometimes three if she's the one suggesting books, so that's over 120 books. Very impressive!)

What kind of books do you read? 

We read a variety of books because we read whatever's been proposed at the book club. So, it could be an autobiography, a Dickens novel, or a debut novel by a promising and ambitious author. And many of the stories are based on historical facts. I've learned a lot. From pirates in Iceland and Cornwall, to refugees in Syria and South America, to many war-related novels. 

(Lisanne's note: my mum got me to read All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr after she had read it at the book club.)

What book are you reading now/have you just read? 

We just read The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri and I'm now reading The Five by Hallie Rubenhold. 

(Lisanne's note: at my recommendation! My copy is still with my grandma, but my mum was very keen to read it, so she's reading it on her Kindle.) 

Why did you choose this book? (Why was it proposed?)

Because the leader of our book club recently died of cancer and she was a beekeeper, so it felt like a fitting tribute to her. She'd be smiling from above. 

(Lisanne's note: it's not entirely about beekeeping. It's actually about Syrian refugees with a link to beekeeping.)

Is there anything you've learned from it? 

I've learned of the atrocities in Syria that are still ongoing. I've also learned how important your mental health is and to not underestimate the power of the brain. 

What would you tell someone who wanted to read this book? 

That it's a harrowing journey with a twist at the end. Once again, it makes you realise how lucky most of us are, even in this Covid-ridden world. 

Once I'd actually finished this interview, my mum went outside to repot some of her plants. About half an hour later, she said: "You didn't ask me what my favourite book was!"

"Do you want me to ask you what your favourite book is?" I asked back. 

"I'd probably say All the Light We Cannot See."

I smiled to myself. 

You see, I've already mentioned it because I know how much you like it. 

Books discussed: (click on the titles)

The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri