- Home
- My NYPL
My Borrowing
My Shelves
My Community
- Explore
New & Notable
Collections
Made at NYPL
- Research
Electronic Resources
Tools and Services
Collections
- Using the Library
Get Oriented
Services
I am a...
- Locations
- Classes & Events
- Support the Library
- Help
Popular Music, Biblio File
Reading With... Vince Clarke
When I asked Vince Clarke, founding member of Depeche Mode and musical genius behind synth bands Erasure & Yaz, to list his top five favorite books of all time he said, "that's impossible." Therefore, Vince shares with us (in his words) just "5 books out of 1000" that he enjoys:
(1) A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
A drug dealer of the future periodically moves away from his spaced-out world to become an informer for narcotics agents until he becomes unable to separate his two personalities.
Vince says he likes the book: "co's it's so 'friggin' weird."
(2) A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury:
Thirty-two short stories
Vince says: "My 'addiction to fiction' began right here."
(3) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A classic novel set during the Great Depression.
Vince says: "The last sentence makes me cry (everytime)."
(4) Christine by Stephen King
A creepy book about a possessed car.
Vince says it is: "one of the scariest books i've read."
(5) The Quiet American by Graham Greene
A war story set in Indo-China.
Vince says: "because some days I like to revel in misery (but only for an hour or two)."
Check out NYPL's collection of Vince Clarke's bands:
Vince Clarke's music can also be found on the audiobook version of ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley!
Subscribe to NYPL Blogs RSS Feeds
Discover
Picture of the Day
William Blake (1757-1827). So cried he ... NYPL Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
One of 700,000 pictures in the NYPL Digital Gallery
Comments
What Vince Clarke reads!!!
Submitted by JiuJu on October 29, 2010 at 5:02 PM.
HE is the COOLEST! I love this!!!!! Awesome post! I LOVE his choices.
I love him!
Submitted by Jordan on October 29, 2010 at 10:12 PM.
Vince Clarke is my hero. He is a musical genius. His reading list is my reading list. Sooo glad I found this-
Love you Vince!
Submitted by Mimi on October 30, 2010 at 9:39 AM.
Strangely, very interesting! Anything this man does is great!
Vince Clarke Talks about His Favorite Books
Submitted by Sean McCarthy on October 30, 2010 at 11:53 AM.
I'm thrilled to hear that Vince is a Stephen King reader. There are two creative spirits I have been so impressed with over the years for their originality and skill. Stephen King and Vince Clarke.
Sean McCarthy
RADIOIRISH.COM
This was so cool!
Submitted by Jordan on October 30, 2010 at 12:14 PM.
Vince Clarke is my favorite of all time - want to read Sound of Thunder now. Thank you!
stephen king
Submitted by Ryan P. Donovan on October 30, 2010 at 3:20 PM.
I've read a few Stephen King books, but agree with Mr. Clarke. "Christine" is probably one of the scariest I've read, and might be favorite from King overall. Great interview!!
Vince Reads!
Submitted by Jane on October 30, 2010 at 3:54 PM.
I'll read what he's reading! The. Master.
Thank You!
Submitted by Marie C. Hansen on November 1, 2010 at 10:19 AM.
Thanks everyone for commenting. I was excited to hear he was a Philip K. Dick fan because PKD is in my top favorite author list!
Very cool! I love Graham
Submitted by Ursula Murphy on November 4, 2010 at 4:27 PM.
Very cool! I love Graham Greene too.
VINCE CLARKE!
Submitted by Rya Ramone on November 6, 2010 at 2:31 PM.
What an AWESOME post! KUDOS! Getting Vince to talk about books rather than music (which is awesome) is a really COOL thing! He has influenced my music, just like he has everyone else out there, and now he's influencing my reading list!
HE. Is. GOD.
Post new comment