Welcome to Blokes vs Books, a campaign that promotes Kiwi men as readers.

Today, meet Jay Kiriona, actor and Shortland Street star.

What his full interview here on our YouTube.

As a kid Jay loved books on space and the galaxy and dinosaurs. The first chapter books he loved were the Goosebumps books where you can choose your own ending.

As a 17 year old when he was asking the big questions about life he came across The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho.

Other books that made an impression on him at this time were Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom and classic Salinger Catcher in the Rye as well as book to film adaptations like Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

There are several directions to go here but we think if Jay enjoyed the alchemist and Mitch Albom you’ll like The Prophet by Kahil Gibran and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

The themes in Fight Club are gritty and hard hitting (literally!), so we think you might also be ready for Bret Easton Ellis, Ken Kesey and Irvine Welsh.

Kia ora, Jay!