Thompson said her love of reading continued into adulthood, with authors such as Jane Austen and fantasy writers shaping her imagination and worldview.
“Books devoured me, they ate me,” she said.
“I couldn’t stop reading them. I was addicted to story.”
However, she said many of the female characters she encountered in literature left her feeling conflicted about her own identity.
“I didn’t fit any of the patterns of any of the characters I was reading in my favourite books,” she said.
“It was a conflicted time because I thought I’m not like those women so where do I go to find something that fits with what I feel about life and the appetites I have.”
Reflecting on Victorian literature, she described many women writers as being “still women in disguise”, referring to the restrictions and limited educational opportunities women faced at the time.
“I wonder how women were able to survive the constant beating down on them of people saying they shouldn’t be writing,” she said.
Thompson said she felt fortunate to grow up surrounded by books and intellectual discussion, but noted that many women historically had been denied the same opportunities.
“Women still don’t have access to books, which we need to develop our minds,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of access to the arts and education, saying they help people form opinions on everything from law and childcare to relationships and social behaviour.