Writers Read: Santa Montefiore

Friday, September 1, 2017

Santa Montefiore

Born in England in 1970 Santa Montefiore grew up on a farm in Hampshire and was educated at Sherborne School for Girls. She read Spanish and Italian at

Exeter University and spent much of the 90s in Buenos Aires, where her mother grew up. She converted to Judaism in 1998 and married historian Simon Sebag Montefiore in the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in London. They live with their two children, Lily and Sasha in London.

Montefiore's latest novel to appear in the US is The Daughters of Ireland.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers. I have read Age of Innocence and House of Mirth, which are two of my favourite novels of all time, so I have decided to read some of her other works. I have downloaded her entire collection onto my kindle and have started The Buccaneers. I adore Wharton’s prose, it’s witty and ironic and beautiful. She’s just a truly gifted writer! I love the way she draws the characters. I feel I know them and their thoughts and really feel for them. I also love the settings and the era. The Buccaneers is about five wealthy American girls who set out to marry English aristocrats. It’s about morals held by fashionable society of the time that considered it better to marry for status rather than romantic love. Wharton’s powers of observation are so acute. I’m loving it.

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell – most people have seen the movie, but few have actually read the book. I’m one of those who haven’t read the book! It is now on my kindle. I don’t usually read on kindle, but as I’m travelling quite a bit at the moment, it’s handy and light in my handbag. The novel I’m about to write is based just after the American Civil War so I thought it would do for research too. Scarlet O’Hara is one of the greatest literary characters ever created, so I know I will learn a great deal.

Testimony of Light by Helen Greaves. I’ve read this book loads of times. It’s about life after death. Frances Banks dies and transmits telepathically to her friend a fellow nun Helen Greaves, what it’s like on the other side. It’s fascinating, heart-warming and really informative. I’ve read hundreds of books on the esoteric over the years as I am psychic and therefore curious about that subject. Testimony of Light reinforces a lot of what I have already learned, but given me so much more than the other books I’ve read. Since my sister died recently, I’m even more interested in knowing what comes after. This book answers a lot of questions. One word of advice, don’t try to understand it all. So much of what happens when we die is beyond our limited comprehension. Just absorb it. I have also found that with every new read, I understand a little more.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy is a brilliant book about how you can manifest your reality with your thoughts. Basically, if you tell yourself you’re useless and will amount to nothing, you will make that happen. Whatever you think seeds itself in your subconscious mind, which then grows those seeds into flowers in your reality. You can attract wealth, success, confidence and anything else you want with your imagination. It’s easy and it works. I’ve been manifesting for years, but didn’t really know how I was doing it. When I read this book, I realised that I’ve been planting positive seeds by default. I have given this book to so many people. It’s amazing. Even if you’re sceptical, try it. It costs nothing to put 10 minutes aside twice a day for affirmations and meditation.