Just like you’re meant to ‘build’ a cheeseboard, we reckon there’s a few select kinds of book that add up to a tasty summer reading selection. Our books editor, Eithne Farry recommends these for starters…
Worthy but rewarding
Because coming home feeling a little bit cleverer AND having enjoyed a book you suspected would be hard work is always very satisfying.
Middlemarch by George Eliot (Penguin Classics)
Moving, nuanced and intricately plotted, this is a glorious look at Victorian provincial life and the flawed, but unforgettable characters. A sweeping tale of bad marriages, emotional struggles and intellectual pursuits, it’s a classic for a reason.
More worthy additions: The Pillow Book by Sei Shōnagon (Penguin Classics); Beloved by Toni Morrison, (Vintage)
Cosy crime
When you need a bit of page-turning intrigue but nothing that’ll give holiday nightmares.
The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett (Profile Books)
Red herrings, elegant puzzles, poised prose and engaging characters make for a mystery worth solving as ex-con Steven Smith attempts to unravel the secret code that marks the margins of a children’s book and solve the disappearance of his beloved teacher Miss Isles.
Also making a good case: Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Sutano (Harper Collins); Look To The Lady by Margery Allingham (Vintage)
Family fortunes
An epic saga always feels like good value suitcase-space-wise. (A weighty tome makes an excellent fly swat, too.)
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Faber)
Set in the Appalachian mountains, this is a stunning retelling of Dickens’ David Copperfield. A coming-of-age tale, it charts the moving story of charismatic Demon and his embattled family as the opioid crisis wreaks havoc in the lives of their struggling community.
Or make room in the family suitcase for: Memphis by Tara M Stringfellow (John Murray); Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Bloomsbury)
Fun froth
Easy digestible and diverting, the palate cleanser you’ll want amid more worthy titles.
The List by Yomi Adegoke (Harper Collins)
A smart, savvy take on the dark side of social media as a young couple’s marriage plans are upended when the groom-to-be appears on an anonymous internet list, pitching his fiancée, ardent feminist Ola, into a tailspin of doubt about their relationship.
Or froth things up with: Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny (4th Estate); Darling by India Knight (Penguin)
Read more of Eithne’s summer reading recommendations on our feature on Summer Reading in the August issue of The Simple Things.
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