Ed Smith

Ed Smith
Ed made his county debut for Kent in 1996 and now plays for Middlesex. He made his Test debut in 2003 in the third Test against South Africa and scored 64. He lists reading alongside listening to music and going to concerts as his favourite ways to relax. Reading and writing are family passions; his father is an author and Ed is also an author, broadcaster and journalist.

Find out more about Ed at his club website middlesexccc.com

What is it about reading about reading that you find so enjoyable?
Reading can turn boring hours into enjoyable ones - it is something you can do anywhere and at anytime. Books are cheap, portable and never run out of battery life.

Why do you think reading is important?
It's important to be able to spend time on your own - to enjoy your own company - and books are a huge help with that. Books also entertain and make us think.

What are your top five reads of all time?
1. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
2. The Reader - Bernard Schlink
3. Fever Pitch - Nick Hornby
4. Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
5. The Go-Between - L.P. Hartley

What was it that inspired you to become a reader?
My dad - Jonathan Smith - is a novelist, so I grew up around books at home. But my older sister was the big reader not me. It was talking to her about books which really encouraged me to read. I could see the huge pleasures and interests that books gave her, and I didn't want to miss out!