Oscar Kightley's top read

A bit about this Kiwi's favourite book

Lawrence Smith

Comedian, playwright and actor Oscar Kightley.

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Avenues asked laughter technician Oscar Kightley what book tops his list. Is it something hilarious or something serious?

In everyone's lives there is at least one book that has struck a lingering chord. It could be something from childhood, or a recent read, but nothing beats a great book. What does that one great read tell us about a person? We asked comedian, actor and playwright Oscar Kightley to reveal his bookshelf.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." What a great opening line for a book. I'm a keen pupil of studying the opening lines of books. And this line is a stunningly simple beginning to what is a grand and epic tale.

I was faced with an interesting dilemma when Avenues asked me to write something about my favourite book in the world. Do I lie and pretend it's something like The Brief And Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao or The Art Of War or 100 Years Of Solitude or The Bone People or any number of titles I could have reeled off to pretend I was flash.

Or do I tell the truth and confess that it is any single title out of the incredibly high-quality Asterix series. (Asterix and the Goths and Asterix the Legionary are two of my favourites.)

Or do I marinate on it and think further about which book it is that I think has every element for a wondrous story; a book I would take to an island resort in the Pacific that was beautiful, but didn't have a library. So, I thought some more, and came up with the confession that it is The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien's prequel to The Lord Of The Rings, and a book which I think he never topped.

The beginning of the book goes on to say ...

"Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole, with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

I first read that line while a pupil at Rutherford High School in Te Atatu, and it sounded so cosy and comfortable that I wanted to know more about who lived in that hole in the ground. Not only that, I wanted to visit it and have tea with freshly baked scones and an assortment of baked treats.

So, I kept reading and was entranced by the story of a most unlikely hero, who is reluctantly called upon by fate to lead a marvellous band of champions on a quest to visit a dragon guarding a hoard of treasure.

Even better, the champions became good friends as they bonded over tea, food and plans made in the mystery of night.

If you haven't read this book yet, you should try it one time. You'll love it.

What are you reading now?

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat by Oliver someone [Sacks]? 

What music are you listening to the most?

Dub reggae.

What television show can't you miss?

A live All Black test. 

What movie did you last see?

Once Upon A Time In China II.