Cultural Life: Audrey Niffenegger, author

(AP)

Books

I just finished Lorrie Moore's new novel, 'A Gate at the Stairs'. It's quirky and full of perfect sentences, sentences I wanted to cup in my hands and carry around like fireflies (though the sentences would probably bite).

Television

I don't exactly watch TV. I wait until every other human has seen something; then I watch it on DVD. At the moment, I have a couple seasons of 'Torchwood' waiting for me.

Opera

I saw 'Doctor Atomic' by John Adams at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. It was very disturbing, with sumptuous, anxious music. At the end, the whole audience sat in the dark, in silence, and I thought, if the curtain does not go up in a second we are all going to start weeping.

Visual Arts

'Telling Tales', an exhibition of narrative furniture and objects at the V&A. Gothic, ornate and unrestrained. As a writer, I had fun spending an afternoon spinning fairy tales for each object.

Music

Andrew Bird, Laura Veirs, The Fiery Furnaces, John Adams, John Wesley Harding, Deep Listening.

'Her Fearful Symmetry' by Audrey Niffenegger, published by Jonathan Cape, price £18.99