'I could escape': George RR Martin on how books shaped his childhood

03:12

‘I could escape’: George RR Martin on how books shaped his childhood

Reading provided an "escape" while growing up, George RR Martin has said at the Santa Fe Literary Festival.

"I had books... and through books I could escape", the author said while talking about his working class upbringing in New Jersey.

"I went to other planets and distant stars" Martin said, describing sci-fi, before discussing his love of Robert E. Howard and JRR Tolkien "They took me to The Hyborian Age and Middle Earth".

Up next

Kelsey Parker reveals pregnancy to friends and family in new video

01:15

Kelsey Parker reveals pregnancy to friends and family in new video

Justin Timberlake celebrates birthday with surprise from Jessica Biel

00:29

Justin Timberlake celebrates birthday with surprise from Jessica Biel

Coleen Nolan wipes away tears at sister Linda laid to rest

01:14

Coleen Nolan wipes away tears at sister Linda laid to rest

Love Island's Ekin-Su throws drink at Curtis as she ends relationship

00:36

Love Island's Ekin-Su throws drink at Curtis as she ends relationship

Editor’s Picks

Cancelled: The rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi Documentary

56:11

Cancelled: The rise and fall of Aung San Suu Kyi Documentary

WWE duo Pretty Deadly take us through a workout

03:34

WWE duo Pretty Deadly take us through a workout

Travel along with us on the Silk Road to Uzbekistan

05:17

Travel along with us on the Silk Road to Uzbekistan

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

03:22

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

More Editor’s Picks

Travel Smart

What to do when you visit Jamaica

04:42

What to do when you visit Jamaica

How to make the most of your trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast

04:46

How to make the most of your trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast

Here’s where to avoid the tourist crowds in Spain

06:17

Here’s where to avoid the tourist crowds in Spain

How to make the most of your city break in the USA

05:14

How to make the most of your city break in the USA

More Travel Smart

That Dress

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

02:03

How Melania and Donald Trump’s awkward kiss got everyone speculating

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

03:22

The Brookside kiss that made a lesbian storyline mainstream

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

02:15

The Spider-Man kiss was an ordeal for both actors but it was worth it

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

02:22

The green dress Keira Knightley wore everyone wanted

More That Dress

Binge Watch

How filming took an actor to the Sahara and Arctic Ocean

06:11

How filming took an actor to the Sahara and Arctic Ocean

The ‘intense challenge’ of filming Netflix’s American Primeval

07:50

The ‘intense challenge’ of filming Netflix’s American Primeval

Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgård faced their fears filming Nosferatu

06:21

Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgård faced their fears filming Nosferatu

How Gotham got a fresh spin with The Penguin

02:19

How Gotham got a fresh spin with The Penguin

More Binge Watch

Music Box

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

05:49

Lemoncello perform ‘Old Friend’ in Music Box session

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

05:45

Lemoncello perform ‘Sunflower’ in Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

04:13

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Wishes’ for Music Box session

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

03:58

Boston trio Tiny Habits perform ‘Mudroom’ in Music Box session

On The Ground

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

03:51

Searching for the ‘Whitby Woman’

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

04:18

On the campaign trail with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

06:26

Life at 50C: Delhi’s streets struggling to cope with heatwave

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

04:30

Indian farmers use election to make voices heard against Narendra Modi

More On The Ground

Behind The Headlines

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

10:42

What would a President Trump 2.0 look like?

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

06:27

When will the Cost of Living Crisis end?

How airlines greenwash the skies

07:23

How airlines greenwash the skies

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

06:35

Is it time to panic over AI? | Behind The Headlines

More Behind The Headlines

Decomplicated

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

07:25

What is tactical voting - and why could it be a powerful tool?

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

04:31

Are ultra-processed foods bad for you?

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

07:30

Why are UK councils going bankrupt?

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

03:34

What causes the winter flu and how does it differ from other types?

More Decomplicated

News

Watch: Punxsutawney Phil makes his Groundhog Day 2025 prediction

01:51

Watch: Punxsutawney Phil makes his Groundhog Day 2025 prediction

Homeland Security secretary pledges to 'get dirtbags out of here’

00:27

Homeland Security secretary pledges to 'get dirtbags out of here’

Ed Davey responds to Elon Musk calling him a 'snivelling cretin‘

01:28

Ed Davey responds to Elon Musk calling him a 'snivelling cretin‘

Garbage collector's narrow escape as oxygen tank explodes inside truck

01:12

Garbage collector's narrow escape as oxygen tank explodes inside truck

Sport

Mikel Arteta defends right to ‘respectful’ criticism of referees

02:21

Mikel Arteta defends right to ‘respectful’ criticism of referees

Pep Guardiola: Haaland will control his emotions against Arsenal

01:26

Pep Guardiola: Haaland will control his emotions against Arsenal

Ruben Amorim tells Rashford what he must do to stay at Man United

00:49

Ruben Amorim tells Rashford what he must do to stay at Man United

Fire engulfs kiosk outside Etihad ahead of Man City clash

00:25

Fire engulfs kiosk outside Etihad ahead of Man City clash

Climate

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

00:49

Surfers ride powerful 13ft waves amid weather warning

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

00:33

Floodwaters rage across Yelville as residents evacuated from homes

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

01:00

Greece shuts down Acropolis as temperatures hit almost 40 degrees

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

00:31

Eerie tornado sirens ring through downtown Chicago

Lifestyle

Meghan Markle joins Jessica Alba for surprise birthday party

00:26

Meghan Markle joins Jessica Alba for surprise birthday party

The ultimate guide to exploring Rome

08:05

The ultimate guide to exploring Rome

Martin Lewis warns Vinted and Ebay sellers they have days to act

00:48

Martin Lewis warns Vinted and Ebay sellers they have days to act

Harry makes first public appearance since settling newspaper claim

00:49

Harry makes first public appearance since settling newspaper claim

Will Bayley's Electric Road Trip

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

03:29

Paralympian Will Bayley puts his “Range Anxiety” to the test

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

03:07

The feel-good perks of living the Electric Vehicle lifestyle

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

03:07

Paralympian Will Bayley checks the performance of electric vehicles

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

03:24

To EV or not to EV? Paralympian Will Bayley considers electric cars

Saudi Cup

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

01:36

Saudi Cup: ‘A true display of horsemanship’, says Prince Bandar

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

00:42

Princess Nourah praises young fashion designers on show at Saudi Cup

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

01:26

Andrew Strauss says Saudi is an eye opener

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

00:32

Saudi Arabia is ‘pushing limits’ of fashion creativity

Galaxy The Ripple Effect

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

04:23

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on the imposter syndrome epidemic

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

04:26

Finance coach Ellie Austin-Williams on the psychology of money

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

01:01

Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE on how to tackle imposter syndrome

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

01:07

Simple ways to boost your money situation with Ellie Austin-Williams

Big In America

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

15:55

Can Willsow’s children’s books pique the interest of the US market?

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

16:33

Will the founders of Spice Kitchen be able to find US retailers?

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

16:06

Co-founders of See.Sense bring their cycle safe tech to New York City

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

15:01

Collctiv fintech founder Amy Whitell tries to crack the US tech market

More Big In America

Saudi Green Initiative

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

01:16

Saudi government doesn’t ‘pay lip service’ on climate action

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

00:36

SGI ‘seems like a nest of harmony’, journalist says

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

00:48

SGI ambitions are ‘extremely high’, says Saudi climate envoy

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

01:08

Saudi Green Initiative aims to ‘not just preserve, but create’

More Saudi Green Initiative

AlUla

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

01:51

Gérard Mestrallet on the challenges of bringing infrastructure to the region of AlUla

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

02:07

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman of the Canary Wharf Group on the investment into the historic region of AlUla

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

02:00

Oliver Ripley of sustainable hotel group Habitas talks about how AlUla challenged his preconceptions of Saudi Arabia

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard

02:09

Thomas Kaplan of wild cat conservation charity Panthera on the mission to save the Arabian Leopard