Writer, economist, and historian Victoria Bateman has named Jane Austen's entire collected works as her choice for a desert island.
Bateman stated that Austen's novels offer both wit and entertainment, making them ideal for such a solitary scenario. As the eldest of three sisters, Bateman finds resonance in Austen's characterizations of sisterly life and the rural settings that remind her of home. She noted that while she often reads classics with a professional eye, due to her work as a historical consultant for period dramas, reading Austen for pleasure would be a welcome change.
Bateman also shared her current reading, Mishal Husain’s "Broken Threads," which she described as a compelling blend of biography and history that chronicles her grandparents' experiences during the partition of India. She highlighted the book's emotional impact, comparing its narrative quality to that of the best novels.
Her early reading experiences were shaped by Roald Dahl's "Matilda" and Jill Murphy's "The Worst Witch" series. Bateman recalled devouring "Matilda" as a child and identified with the protagonist's magical abilities. The allure of books set in girls' boarding schools, complete with midnight feasts and a perceived freedom from parental supervision, was particularly strong for her during her upbringing in Oldham.
In contrast, Bateman expressed a strong negative reaction to Karl Marx's "Das Kapital." Despite its acclaim among socialists as a blueprint for an equal society, she found the book to be remarkably sexist. Bateman elaborated that many economics texts have historically overlooked women's contributions to economic growth, a gap she aimed to fill with her own book, "Economica," which she describes as the first economic history of the world to explicitly include women.
"Economica" by Victoria Bateman is available in paperback.