BOOKS TO READ.
EVER SINCE I WAS LITTLE I’VE BEEN AN AVID READER. I’D DEVOUR AN ENTIRE SERIES IN THE MOMENT IT TAKES SOMEONE TO FORGET THEIR CUP OF TEA. BUT IN THE WAY THAT MANY OF OUR YOUTHFUL PAST-TIMES PASS AS WE GET OLDER, MY LOVE FOR READING TOOK A BACK SEAT. THESE THINGS ARE NATURAL - WE HAVE MORE THINGS ON OUR PLATE AND READING WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING PERSONAL TO ME. BUT RECENTLY WITH EVERY SCREEN-TIME REPORT I RECEIVE, AND EVERY TROUBLESOME SLEEPLESS NIGHT THE MORE I’VE NEEDED BOOKS BACK IN MY LIFE.
I’ve made it a habit to always have a book in my bag. I whip it out on the bus commutes to work, when I’ve been told that my account manager will “just be a moment”. Some of my favourite bloggers and influencers have also caught the literary bug, and it’s certainly contributed to its spread to me. Not only is it refreshing to hear a verified so-and-so discussing their latest book as opposed to a new mascara or pair of boots, it’s a personal relief that the people who I follow are educating themselves and spending some time offline. (Fashionable bookworms include Shot From The Street, The Anna Edit and Pandora Sykes from The High-Low).
So seeing as many of us are in social isolation and quarantined, I wanted to share some books that I’ve read recently that you could add to your stack.
NORMAL PEOPLE | SALLY ROONEY
This was one of those books that I became attached to even after finishing it. One of those where you identify with the two protagonists -Connor and Marianne- and their differing views on life, relationships, thought processes etc. I really loved this book and have bought it for some friends as a gift. And to think that Sally is of the same decade as me to write this is marvellous.
ME TALK PRETTY ONE DAY | DAVID SEDARIS
David Sedaris. His name was being thrown left, right and center as the author to be reading in 2019. Everyone spoke highly of his humouristic writing and delightful story-telling, of even the harder topics, and this book did not disappoint in popping my Sedaris cherry. Many of his books are short, autobiographical stories, and this one tells of his relationship with language, speech and general conversation etiquettes. A fun read - I already have the next Sedaris on my shelf.
EDUCATED | TARA WESTOVER
One of my absolute favourite books. It would be an understatement to say that I was hooked, especially as I missed my bus stop by being so engrossed. An autobiography where Tara shares her upbringing in an evangelical, survivalist Mormon family in rural Idaho, all the way to her receiving a PhD from Cambridge. Her continuous fight for self-identity and struggle to balance her ever-expanding life and her family loyalty was gripping.
SAPIENS | YUVAL NOAH HARARI
It seems like everyone has read this or plans to read this. A brick of a book but written in such a fluid and fascinating way that it was worth lugging around in my bag. Yuval goes into history of humankind and how we were the homo variation that came out on top, how we’ve evolved and what infrastructures we’ve set up along the way. In the past I’ve always found non-fiction books that touch on politics, economics etc to be a little dry, Yuval’s writing makes it so accessible without losing the evidence of all the research that has gone into it.
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE | CELESTE NG
I finished this book mere hours before posting this onto the blog and I had to include it. Celeste’s writing allows us to dip our toes into the lives of various characters in the story. Mia, the artist and single mum to Pearl, the coming-of-age teen, move around as artistic nomads until they decide to settle in Shaker Heights -the picture perfect community. Celeste touches on family dynamics, race, class and the importance of secrets and the burden of carrying them. She has another book -Everything I Never Told You- that I’d like to read next.
EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE | DOLLY ALDERTON
The book that circled the blogging spheres, I naturally became “influenced” and decided to buy it myself. Having just gone through a break a few months back, it seemed like the right book at the right time. Dolly is one of the charismatic and knowledgeable co-hosts of The High Low podcast, and her autobiography was certainly up to par. Following Dolly down memory-lane of her romantic and/or sexual antics and all the things we thought we knew about love at various ages in our lives. She definitely hit the nail on the head for me when she ties in her female friendships as the one true relationship that will stand the test of time. Bought this for a friend too -I hope she liked it as much as I did.
ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE | GAIL HONEYMAN
This book came at a timely moment in my life, and I found the themes and inner turmoils of Eleanor to hit quite close to home. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t put this down. I was so engrossed in Eleanor’s view of the world that I had oftentimes become oblivious to what was happening around me in mine. Choosing to read another chapter or four over playing croquette in the sun.