A perfection of thought
"The summer night is like a perfection of thought." ~ Wallace Stevens
It might not be summer yet, but the weather where I am is currently gorgeous and I'm starting to get that build-up-to-summer feeling. So here are seven book recommendations for this summer:
1. The Odyssey, Homer
The ultimate tale of journeys.
"As I read it by the ocean in Australia, the story really came to life: I could see the water, feel the sun, hear the waves that wafted Odysseus onward in his journey to meet his destiny." (ML Stedman)
2. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
An emotional masterpiece, which is both suffocating and liberating at the same time.
The opening sentence: "It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they executed the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York."
3. Five Go Off in a Caravan, Enid Blyton
This carefree book about the famous five's summer adventure has always been my firm favourite.
“'I do love the beginning of the summer hols,' said Julian. They always seem to stretch out ahead for ages and ages.'
'They go so nice and slowly at first,' said Anne, his little sister. 'Then they start to gallop.'"
4. Ulysses, James Joyce
A beautifully chaotic, wonderfully weird reimagining of the Odyssey, ideal for summer reading not least because of its sheer size.
“The sea, the snotgreen sea, the scrotumtightening sea.”
5. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Utterly irresistable.
"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."
6. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, Maggie O'Farrell
I finished this on the plane journey to Budapest a few summers ago, so it is always a summer read in my mind. My only warning? You may not be able to put it down.
“We are all, Esme decides, just vessels through which identities pass: we are lent features, gestures, habits, then we hand them on. Nothing is our own. We begin in the world as anagrams of our antecedents.”
7. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
My favourite of all of Christie's wonderful creations.
"One little Indian boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and then there were none."
What are you looking forward to reading this summer?
It might not be summer yet, but the weather where I am is currently gorgeous and I'm starting to get that build-up-to-summer feeling. So here are seven book recommendations for this summer:
1. The Odyssey, Homer
The ultimate tale of journeys.
"As I read it by the ocean in Australia, the story really came to life: I could see the water, feel the sun, hear the waves that wafted Odysseus onward in his journey to meet his destiny." (ML Stedman)
2. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
An emotional masterpiece, which is both suffocating and liberating at the same time.
The opening sentence: "It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they executed the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York."
3. Five Go Off in a Caravan, Enid Blyton
This carefree book about the famous five's summer adventure has always been my firm favourite.
“'I do love the beginning of the summer hols,' said Julian. They always seem to stretch out ahead for ages and ages.'
'They go so nice and slowly at first,' said Anne, his little sister. 'Then they start to gallop.'"
4. Ulysses, James Joyce
A beautifully chaotic, wonderfully weird reimagining of the Odyssey, ideal for summer reading not least because of its sheer size.
“The sea, the snotgreen sea, the scrotumtightening sea.”
5. The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Utterly irresistable.
"The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame."
6. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, Maggie O'Farrell
I finished this on the plane journey to Budapest a few summers ago, so it is always a summer read in my mind. My only warning? You may not be able to put it down.
“We are all, Esme decides, just vessels through which identities pass: we are lent features, gestures, habits, then we hand them on. Nothing is our own. We begin in the world as anagrams of our antecedents.”
7. And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie
My favourite of all of Christie's wonderful creations.
"One little Indian boy left all alone; He went and hanged himself and then there were none."
What are you looking forward to reading this summer?
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