Brian Dickinson

I remember reading 1984 at school when I was 15 and talking about it to my teacher. I think that was the first book that stayed with me for a while. Since then anything by John Steinbeck is excellent. In Dubious Battle is brilliant although not one of his best known novels. A girlfriend (who I later married) took me to see a play of Of Mice and Men in Eastbourne once. It had such a powerful impact on me I could not stop talking about it for ages and imspired me to read more of Steinbeck.

I agree with John that books we read as teenagers help form out personalities and perhaps our politics later on.

As for my favourite films. I never get tired of watching either of the first two Godfather films with Godfather 2 being the better one. Not particularly imspiring films but excellent non the less.

As for imspiring films you can't beat The Shawshank Redemption or Field of Dreams. I recently watched Mystic River which was superb. Clint Eastwood's direction and Sean Penn's acting were of the highest calibre.

I am a teacher from Crawley, Sussex. I am a House Coordinator at Thomas Bennett Community College and teach Humanities, AS/A2 Sociology and GCSE Law. I previously taught History at Tideway School in Newhaven.