Several high-profile writers have emphasised the significance of reading as a means to enhance their writing skills. Renowned authors like Stephen King and Margaret Atwood have stressed the importance of writers being avid readers themselves.

George RR Martin, the mastermind behind the Game Of Thrones series, once aptly said: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”

James Patterson, one of the best-selling authors of all time, is also a passionate reader. With estimated book sales of around 400 million copies and a net worth of approximately $800m, Patterson has penned classics such as Along Came a Spider, Kiss the Girls, and Murder House.

Born on March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York, Patterson has achieved success on the New York Times bestseller list an impressive 114 times. And as one of the world’s most celebrated authors, Patterson has often been asked about his favourite books. We’ve compiled a list of 20 books he has named as his all-time favourites. How many have you read?

James Patterson’s 20 favorite reads: numbers 20 to 15

It’s hardly surprising that Patterson’s list of favourite books is dominated by thrillers and mysteries, beginning with New York Times bestseller The Force by Don Winslow.

Following this is John Sandford’s Dark of the Moon, which introduced readers to the character Virgil Flowers. James Dickey’s Deliverance, a book published over half a century ago and perhaps more famous for its 1972 film adaptation starring Burt Reynolds, ranks 18th on Patterson’s list.

Preceding it is another police classic, The Black Book, co-authored by Patterson and David Ellis. This novel introduces Billy Harney, a Chicago officer embroiled in a crime where he himself is the prime suspect.

In 16th place is Stuart Woods’ Chiefs, introducing yet another new character. Set during a harsh winter in 1920, it narrates the story of Will Henry Lee, a newly appointed police chief hoping for better luck than his failed cotton farm venture.

Following this is Michael Connelly’s The Poet. The narrative follows reporter Jack McEvoy as he tracks a killer who ultimately claims the life of his own brother. Patterson appears to have a preference for novels that introduce characters, possibly more so than any subsequent appearances by these main characters, as none of them feature again on his list.

James Patterson’s top 20 favourite reads: numbers 14 to 10

In this segment, Patterson focuses on more contemporary authors, including the renowned JK Rowling of Harry Potter acclaim, who earns a spot under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. Other prominent authors in this section include Lee Child and George P Pelecanos.

Pelecanos’ Hell to Pay follows two investigators tracking a 14-year-old runaway, hindered by an obstructive pimp. James Lee Burke’s novel The Neon Rain tells the story of Vietnam veteran police detective Dave Robicheaux.

Next up is Galbraith with Lethal White, a stark contrast to Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The highly-rated book features London private detective Cormoran Strike assisting a young lad.

Elmore Leonard’s flamingo-adorned novel LaBrava centres around the protagonist, photographer Joe LaBrava, seeking beauty amidst Miami’s harsh streets.

Following that is Lee Child’s Killing Floor, the book that introduced Jack Reacher to the world, spawning several films in its wake.

James Patterson’s top 20 favourite reads: numbers 9 to 5

A recurring theme emerges as Patterson returns to recommending books that introduce fresh characters in similar genres.

Gregory McDonald’s iconic Fletch series introduces the eponymous train wreck of an investigative journalist as he dives into a whirlwind of new endeavours.

Next in line, Walter Mosley’s enthralling Devil in a Blue Dress unfolds the tale of Easy Rawlins, an African American war veteran drawn into a search for the enigmatic, jazz club-loving Miss Daphne Monet.

Who can forget Dustin Hoffman being asked, “Is it safe?” in the classic film of the same name? Marathon Man by William Goldman was brought to life by English film-maker John Schlesinger.

Frederick Forsyth’s masterpiece, The Day of the Jackal, holds readers spellbound and has seen multiple cinematic adaptations, including the 1997 film with Bruce Willis taking on the lead role in a modified storyline.

In Scott Phillips’ The Ice Harvest, we meet Charlie Arglist, a scheming lawyer plotting his escape with a suitcase full of cash, all while a slew of adversaries from his dubious past close in on him.

James Patterson’s top 20 favourite reads: numbers 4 to 1

Kent Anderson’s Night Dogs features a Vietnam vet turned police officer battling internal demons while chasing leads on the streets.

Next up is ‘he Digger’s Game, a tale of an ex-con who finds himself in too deep and under threat from the mob. The author, George V Higgins, leans heavily on dialogue in the novel, but according to top-rated reviews, he successfully pulls it off.

Lush Life by Richard Price explores privilege against the backdrop of societal disparity, focusing on a brash young hipster who is shot dead by a street kid from the wrong side of the tracks.

And lastly, Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg follows two friends as they attempt to unravel a murder mystery that leads them into the Ozarks.

While the delay of GTA 6 is a real blow to gaming fans, 2025 has actually been a pretty banner year for new releases.

Atomfall, Expedition 33 and Blue Prince have all been pleasant surprises, while the Switch 2 with games like Mario Kart World and Metroid Prime 4 should keep the momentum going.

Another game that has blown me away is Capcom Fighting Collection 2, which contains eight mostly fantastic arcade fighting games from an era when I was most in love with genre.

The games include excellent crossover titles like Capcom vs SNK Millennium Fight 2000 and its sequel, as well as arena brawlers Power Stone 1 and 2, and 3D fighters project Justice and Plasma Sword.

The collection is rounded out by 2D fighting games Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper and Capcom Fighting Evolution.

Personal highlights for me are Power Stone and the Capcom vs SNK games, which have commanded most of my attention since the game launched earlier this month.

While I prefer Capcom vs SNK 2, the original game is arguably the more interesting of the two, featuring a ratio system that lets you select up to four characters based on their rankings.

For example, you could select four characters with a ratio of one for a combined team ratio of four, or you can pick two characters with ratios of two apiece, or a three and a one and so on.

Experimenting with different characters and ratio combinations is what makes this game so much fun.

It could be that you sacrifice a couple of one ratio characters when playing against a four, but do just enough damage that your remaining two ratio character comes in and gets the job done. It’s a great gimmick.

Capcom vs SNK 2 also features the ratio system, only this time you set the ratios after selecting your team.

While I prefer the sequel and have more nostalgia for it, I do kind of like the original’s preset ratios and feel it results in a slightly tighter experience.

Still, both games are superb and almost make this package worth the price on their own.

However, my absolute favourite game in the collection is the original Power Stone, which is a 1v1 arena brawler with very slight shades of Smash Bros.

Players fight through a series of one on one battles in arenas littered with furniture you can throw at your opponents, as well as random items that drop in like rocket launchers and swords – a bit like the aforementioned Smash Bros.

You can also pick up gems that power your character up, before completely transforming them into super versions with devastating special moves.

It’s an enormously fun and addictive game that holds up extremely well despite launching more than a quarter of a century ago.

The sequel understandably expands on this format, but loses something in the process.

Instead of 1v1 battles in smaller areas, Power Stone 2 feature four-person brawls in much larger and arenas that transform as the battles rage.

It’s pure chaos and is brilliantly suited to multiplayer, feeling more like a party game than a serious fighter.

Sadly, Power Stone 2 doesn’t work as well in single-player, and actually exposes one of the problems with these kinds of collections.

While the Dreamcast original had the four-person battles, it also had a more traditional 1v1 mode similar to its predecessor.

The second Capcom Fighting Collection only contains the arcade modes with multiplayer and online, which is fine for most of the games, but makes Power Stone 2 inferior to the Dreamcast original.

Still, it’s a great game to fire up if you have three other players and controllers to spare.

Project Justice is an excellent 3D fighting game and one that will cost you an absolute fortune if you wanted to add it to your Dreamcast collection.

Plasma Sword is a solid 3D brawler with some interesting characters, although maybe due to a lack of personal nostalgia, it’s not one I can see myself returning to very often.

Then there’s Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, which is another brilliant 2D fighting game, albeit one that will likely be overshadowed by the Capcom vs SNK games (in this particular collection).

Capcom Fighting Evolution easily the weakest game of the bunch, thanks in no small part to the awful backdrops that looked dated back in the early 2000s, yet alone now.

Needless to say, the game also comes with a few customary extras, such as soundtracks and galleries. There’s also an ability to change the resolution and play in widescreen, although I prefer the original 4:3 aspect ratio.

While there are a couple of issues – primarily the lack of game modes for Power Stone 2 – Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a superb compilation featuring a largely excellent selection of games.

VERDICT: 4/5

Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is out now on PlayStation, Xbox, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Rossini’s Barber of Seville has always been one of my favourite comic operas. It is genuinely funny and the music is a delight but I doubt that any production has ever been as enjoyable and well received as the one the audience were treated to to open this year’s Glyndebourne Festival. Everything about it was simply magnificent.

American tenor Jonah Hoskins, as Count Almaviva, demonstrated from the start a glorious tenor voice that was a joy to listen to, especially when accompanied by genuine comic acting ability. The opening scene, in which he attempted to serenade the lovely but elusive Rosina, suggested that we were seeing something special, but this became extra-special with the entry of Figaro, played by Mexican baritone Germàn Olvera, who sang almost as well as Hoskins but showed perhaps even greater comic talent.

He also surprised us when he played the guitar with great skill and Flamenco flamboyance. When Figaro accompanied Almaviva in his serenading, it was glorious to see him in full view rather than the usual fake of miming his strumming while a member of the orchestra was playing the guitar music.

Often in this opera Figaro and Almaviva fall short of being a good comic double-act, but Hoskins and Olvera were glorious together and when their act was joined by Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Molinari, they inspired each other to form a great comic trio. And all of them showed superb singing ability that made Rossini’s most tonsil-tangling music seem simple.

With Rory Macdonald conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra at an exciting pace that increased the difficulty for the singers, they all passed the challenge brilliantly. Italian baritone Fabio Capitanucci was particularly impressive as Dr Bartolo in singing the fastest passages of all at breathtaking speed with Macdonald faultlessly managing the task of keeping the singer and orchestra together.

On top of all this, the director Annabel Arden deserves great credit not only for attracting a cast of such quality for the leading roles, but for spotting some excellent talent among the Glyndebourne chorus members and adapting their roles to take advantage of their abilities.

Despite all the praiseworthy features of the main characters, a particularly loud cheer from the audience at the end was reserved for Irish soprano Ailish Tynan in the role of Bartolo’s housekeeper Berta. Embellishing her single real aria with gloriously seductive behaviour and a flash of a green suspender belt provided perhaps the best of all the comic moments of the evening.

Great music, delightful singing, superb casting, delicious humour, imaginative direction: I do not think that I have ever seen an opera performance as perfect as this one. I wish I had more than five stars to give it.