Summer and reading. The two things go hand in
hand quite well, don’t they? When I was younger, buying a new book at the
beginning of the long stretch of school holidays was literally THE BEST THING
EVER. Usually I’m the first to jump up and defend the internet against
criticisms of dulling our everyday experiences, but I have to say I really do
miss the magic of going into Waterstones, opening up a new hardback and
breathing in the new-book-smell. I for one am so guilty of opening up a book,
having a quick peek at my phone, and then realising 45 minutes have passed and
I’m lying horizontal on my bed drooling over a Tasty Facebook video of a
spaghetti bowl made of cheese (MADE OF CHEESE!).
Kindles are amazing,
blogs are great and listening to a podcast is practically a ritual of mine,
but I do try to actively ensure that technology and social media don’t distract
me completely from the joys of curling up with a good book, you know, in my
actual hand. If I had my way, summer reading would involve a sandy white beach,
ice cold pina coladas on tap and a topless Ed Westwick lookalike to fan me with
a palm leaf. Sadly, I’ve got to make do with the drizzly British summertime and
the odd day off from my full time job. Thankfully, the recent additions to my
bookshelf pack more than enough punch to liven up such a boring setting for my book binge. This collection
features poetry, non-fiction and some autobiographical type works from the
wonderful Emma Gannon, Michael Faudet, Olivia Laing, Rupi Kaur and Bryony
Gordon.
1. Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
I,
like many others, stumbled across the extraordinary works of Rupi Kaur through
her Instagram page. Rupi is an all-round fab gal and general feminist icon who,
in her spare time, somehow managed to write a book full of raw, upsetting,
uplifting and ultimately honest poems. Milk and Honey is split into four
sections: the hurting, the loving, the breaking and the healing, and guides
the reader through an achingly truthful account of life and loss. The pages of
her poems are dotted with beautiful line drawings too - a definite plus for an
art lover like me.
2.
Ctrl Alt
Delete: How I Grew Up Online by Emma Gannon
Emma has long been one of my all-time favourite writers. Her blog, Girl Lost in the City, has a permanent place in my bookmarks bar and I’m not ashamed
to say I purposefully have a stalk through her brilliantly sharp Tweets from
time to time. When I heard Emma was releasing a book I’m fairly sure I let
out a little squeal, and after reading it, I can confirm that it was
in fact squeal-worthy. Ctrl Alt Delete is a witty, no holds barred account of
growing up in the digital age, with tales of cringe MSN romances, how
the internet can manipulate perceptions
of our bodies and equally how it brings a whole host of positives. She touches
upon finding your internet ‘tribe’ and the many opportunities the rise of
digital technology has afforded us through a completely relatable,
easily digestible tone of voice. This book catapulted me back to my youth,
growing up fighting on the online battlefield that was Bebo, Facebook and MSN, and
reminded me of hilarious memories I’d completely supressed. I loved this book
so much that once I’d finished, I flipped it right back open to read my
favourite chapters again.
3. The Lonely City by Olivia Laing
This beautifully covered
book by Olivia Laing deals with the link between loneliness and creativity.
I’ve always been someone who is particularly affected by the emotional
ghostland that is loneliness, despite having so many lovely, lovely pals, and
I’m fascinated by the fact that loneliness seemingly doesn't have a direct
link with actually being alone. After a friend explained the concept of book to
me I was all for it, and it was genuinely such an interesting read. The book discusses the concept of loneliness through a look at tales surrounding the likes of Andy Warhol,
Edward Hopper and the author herself. It investigates the link between
loneliness and finding peace in art and artistic mediums, and I feel so much
more educated on the fluidity of emotions after reading this book.
4. Dirty Pretty Things by Michael Faudet
Last but most certainly not
least is this beautifully written poetry book that deals with love, lust and
loss. Michael Faudet’s whimsical short poems captivated me from page one, and
once I’d started turning the pages I literally didn’t stop until I’d reached
the last page. His beautiful, sexy, romantic words cover the pages and tell
interweaving stories of passion as well as dealing with the nuances of day to
day romance. Also, as a plus, the typography used throughout this book is
bloody gorgeous and right up my street. If you’re a hopeless romantic, or as
obsessed with the concept of love as I am, this one is for you.
Not included in this list is Mad
Girl by Bryony Gordon. I’m currently in the middle of reading this little gem
and so far am thoroughly LOVING it. I’m sure I’ll tweet my thoughts on it after
I’m finished, I’m always banging on about books on there.
Hope you enjoyed this list,
if you have any recommendations holla at me on here or on Twitter.
Sara x
