Literary journalist Sam Leith spoke about his latest book, The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading, in an interview at his North London home. He reflected on the evolution of journalism, his privileged entry into the field, and concerns over modern distractions from reading. Leith also shared advice for aspiring journalists amid industry challenges.
Sam Leith, literary editor of the Spectator, bestselling author, and host of the magazine's book club podcast, has released a new paperback titled The Haunted Wood: A History of Childhood Reading. The book traces children's literature from the ancient world to Harry Potter, serving partly as an elegy to the lasting impact of early reading. Leith compared childhood books to the music one listens to as a teenager, noting that rereading them as an adult reveals elements such as ‘racist or misogynistic’ content that children might overlook. He described the experience as hitting differently for adults, offering insights for both the child and grown self within.
Leith entered journalism over 30 years ago, influenced by a family background in the profession, which he called ‘kind of in the blood’. His career began in 1992 with a gap-year role at the Literary Review, secured after a letter to editor Auberon Waugh, who offered him an unpaid position as an ‘office boy’. This exposed him to a fading era of journalism featuring long, boozy lunches, generous expenses—like flying racehorses across the Atlantic—and payments in claret. Leith, an Oxford-educated Old Etonian, acknowledged his privilege, recalling his grandfather's work for Peter McKay, which likely aided his start. He observed that such pathways have narrowed, with declining regional newspapers and high London house prices favoring those from affluent backgrounds like ‘Tarquins and Jemima’s’.
Discussing childhood perspectives, Leith contrasted romantic and puritan views, linking modern fears of social media and smartphones to historical moral panics, such as those over television or the 1990s Jamie Bulger case. As a father of three, he noted his children read less due to reduced boredom but expressed worry over attention-mining digital content like TikTok, which he sees as more aggressively entertaining than books. Leith advised young journalists bluntly: ‘don't’, citing a ‘grim vista’ in the industry. He criticized AI as corrosive, saying, ‘I kind of hate AI and everything about it’, for stealing creative work. Despite debates over arts degrees, Leith defended his English literature education at university as invaluable, providing tools for criticism and personal growth.
