A black and white photo of drag king, Hugo Grrrl who has wonderful eyebrows, shaped beard and a beehive hairdo. Behind him is a collage of book covers.
Hugo Grrrl is the host of new show, Mr Hugo’s Little Library, on TVNZ+.

Booksabout 10 hours ago

‘Lyrical, important, educational, moreish’: Hugo Grrrl on a book everyone should read

A black and white photo of drag king, Hugo Grrrl who has wonderful eyebrows, shaped beard and a beehive hairdo. Behind him is a collage of book covers.
Hugo Grrrl is the host of new show, Mr Hugo’s Little Library, on TVNZ+.

Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: George Fowler aka Huge Grrrl, host of Mr Hugo’s Little Library on TVNZ+.

Everyone should read

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo is astounding. Lyrical, important, educational, moreish. It follows all these interconnected stories of people in Britain navigating class, race, queerness, culture and patriarchy. I’m not doing it justice but it’s truly masterful. A must-read.

The book I want to be buried with

Tomboy Survival Guide by Ivan Coyote. It’s a memoir of Ivan’s youth, about finding his authentic transness in a binary world. It was actually life changing for me, it gave me the language to describe myself. I actually have the cover illustration tattooed on me so, in a way, I will be buried with it. 

The first book I remember reading by myself

Beatrix Potter! I have a vivid memory of reading her as a small person in my big childhood bed. It taught me what “soporific” meant and now whenever I use it, I still think of sleepy bunnies. 

From left to right: the book Hugo Grrrl thinks we all need to read; the book they’d be buried with; and the book they first remember reading by themselves.

Greatest New Zealand book

Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd. Hands down. No contest. Absolute banger of a read. A national treasure for a reason.

The book I never admit I’ve read

The Reacher series. In fact I’ll happily admit that I love a trashy thriller. If your dad would read it on vacation, chances are I’m into it.

The book that made me cry

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. It takes a lot to make me cry but I sobbed all over this novel. It’s such a soft, queer love story but set against an epic setting of gods and war and prophecy and fate. And the entire novel reads like poetry. It’s painfully beautiful. Read it if you wanna get your heart broken. 

The book I wish would be adapted for film or TV

Transgender History by Susan Stryker. Historical trans people are so badass, and those stories are so precious and important, especially now. The historical gender bent fashion warrants an adaptation alone!  

If I could only read three books for the rest of my life they would be

Matilda by Roald Dahl for comfort and nostalgia. Chasing The Scream by Johann Hari for sobriety. Hello Cruel World by Kate Bornstein for punk, queer self care.

Best thing about reading

Too many to count, but I love that it requires sustained focus. My attention span has been absolutely scrambled by screens, same as everyone else on the planet. But getting absorbed in a novel makes me feel like my brain is actually working again. 

Three book covers ascending.
From left to right: the book that made Hugo Grrrl cry; the book they wish would be adapted for the screen; and the book they’re reading right now.

Best place to read

Under the covers and a cat. Tea on the nightstand. Rain on the roof.  

What I’m reading right now

All About Love by Bell Hooks. I perhaps foolishly picked it up because I thought it’d be a feel-good read, but it’s actually hitting me with so many hard truths I’m struggling to get through it! Turns out love is hard work actually.  

Mr Hugo’s Little Library is on TVNZ+ now.

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