Steve Earle Declares Love for Harry Potter Books

In the run up to the publication of his first novel 'I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive' -- also the name of his new album -- Steve Earle has been speaking about his reading habits and in particular his love of the Harry Potter books.

In an interview with the Telegraph, the 56-year-old discussed his preferred reading matter, "I mainly read non-fiction, and that's probably because I have a huge amount of insecurity about my lack of education and the things I don't know. But I loved the 'Harry Potter' books."

He continued, "When the Potter 'Phoenix' book was released in 2003 I was living with a woman and her 10-year daughter and we went out at midnight to get a new copy. There were kids lined up to buy a f------ book. I thought that was so cool. I know a lot of kids gave up on the Potter books but I read every one."

When it comes to fantasy novels it's not just the work of J.K. Rowling Earle favours. He said, "I also tend to re-read the fiction I liked when I was younger, like Tolkien. I was that hippie generation, don't forget.

"Fiction is what I read least and then it tends to take the place of drugs. I get addicted and go back to things like Tolkien" he added.

Writing his first book proved a protracted process and in total took over eight years to complete. Earle explained, "My father passed away three years ago and a lot of the book relates to questions of mortality ... I was thinking a lot about the themes that would come out in the book and the record."

Watch the Video to Steve Earle's 'Copperhead Road'