I had a minor surgical procedure on Monday which took longer than anticipated to recover from. The silver lining was that it gave me the opportunity to lie horizontal for many hours this week though, staring at walls in my house, which are adorned with my favorite books.
I don’t spend money on fancy clothes, I don’t have a skin care regime (should I be using vitamin C serum?!), my furniture is mismatched and you could just about swing a cat in my small kitchen. But I have books. A lot of them.
Like most writers, I have always been a voracious reader. Whilst I’m often adding to my collection, there are certain books I always return to. These are the books I’ve lost count how many times I’ve re-read. They aren’t necessarily my favorite books (I’ve only read Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once, but it is so breathtakingly brilliant, I always include it in my list of faves) but they’re the books that bring me comfort when I return to them. As we enter the season of summer holidays, I thought I’d share them with you, as perhaps you’ll enjoy a few of them too.
Love In The Time Of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
Possibly one of the best love stories ever written, this ambitious novel is set in Colombia in the late 19th and early 20th century. It spans many decades as it tells the story of Fermina Daza and Florentino Ariza, two lovers who meet when they are young but who are then pulled in different directions. It’s told with Márquez’s signature poetic prose and exquisite magical realism. I read it in my twenties and, every few years, I re-read it, having understood with each passing year more about life and the many forms of love.
Lines In The Sand by A.A.Gill
A.A.Gill was an exceptional journalist and this powerful and moving anthology of his writing, particularly the reportage around refugee issues and his time spent in conflict zones, is truly magnificent. I often read this if I need inspiration on how to write. He manages to convey so much humanity with his words.
The Shadow of The Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński
Another foreign correspondent whose writing I admire is Kapuściński, who developed a unique writing style, often compared to Hemmingway or Orwell, described as ‘literary reportage’. His career spanned the wave of anti-colonial uprisings in Latin America and Africa and between 1956-1981 he witnessed, and wrote about, 27 revolutions and coups. It’s hard to pick a favorite but I’ve read this one, about his time spent on the African continent, the most.
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Another love story, set in a dystopian future, in which climate change, war and the movement of people are brought together to tell a beautiful and poignant story of migration. It moved me profoundly and was the inspiration behind my book Ripe Figs. The sentences are so perfect – short yet emotive. This book dispels the myth that the best literature involves complex, long, sentences. I gifted it to all my friends in the year it came out.
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
If you’ve ever been curious about Taoism, the Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao Tzu, then this book is a great place to start. It's a cute, uplifting and thought-provoking book that explains Taoism using the characters from Winnie the Pooh. And it really works! I come back to it every time I feel a little uncertain about life. You can also just open up a random page and read a few sentences to get some nuggets of wisdom.
The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
I have A LOT of thoughts about Liz Gilbert’s decision to postpone publication of her next book* not least as I’m a big fan of her previous novels. Lots of people disregard Gilbert because they weren’t into her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, but those people are missing out because some of her novels are outstanding. This is a feminist fable of a 19th century woman who is fascinated by botany but unloved in the world. The writing takes you on a journey from the greenhouses of Kew Gardens in the 18th century, to the magical beauty of Tahiti. It’s a novel to get lost in and a testament to the power and talent of the forgotten women in science. You may have noticed that this book is not in the stack in my picture. If you are the friend who has borrowed that book please return it to me, writing this has made me want to re-read it!
*Ok, in case you were wondering about my hot take on the Gilbert saga, in short, I support the statement from literary human rights organisation PEN America. I think it’s bad for freedom of speech, sets a worrying precedent and I find it infuriating that an online mob has objected to a book before they’ve even read it. BUT, also, I totally get that as an author she’s entitled to pull her work if she wants to, and I do wonder if she just thought, ‘I don’t have the energy to deal with this kind of online abuse for the next 12 months.’ There is no shame in setting boundaries around yourself like that. In fact, I kinda respect it. Being in the public eye is exhausting, and it felt like a timely reminder to me that you don’t have to fight every battle in life. Sometimes, taking the easier route is the right thing to do.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Another book set in Latin America – you may have noticed, I love books with a sense of place. This book is also about a female scientist who heads to the Brazilian Amazon in search of a missing colleague and to bring back his groundbreaking research into human fertility. The writing is so immersive, you feel like you are right there, in the hot, humid and sticky jungle alongside her. It’s a plot-twisting, page turning, thriller and so, so, good.
Period Power by Maisie Hill
There have been a whole load of books on menstrual cycles published in recent years but this is my favorite and one I often return to for reference. It’s a transformative book and one that has changed me (and thousands of other readers, no doubt). Since following Hill’s practices and suggestions five years ago, my menstrual cycle has become one of the more enjoyable parts of my life. And I mean that! Everyone who menstruates should read this book. I only wish I’d read it as a teenager. For those towards the end of their menstruating years, her book Perimenopausal Power is also good.
I’d love to hear what books you return to, so please do share! I’m curious what it is about certain books that makes them so pleasurable to read again and again? Any thoughts on this? Let me know in the comments.
Yasmin xx
I've never been particularly into Elizabeth Gilbert, but I still find the vitriol towards the book baffling.
But lately it does seem like many readers discussing books online expect literature (in the broad sense) to present life and relationships as they OUGHT to be in an idealist's world, rather than as stories that help us better understand the imperfect life and relationships we do have out here in the real world (or quite simply stories that entertain and engage us). If your book doesn't seem to meet that ideal, even based on the blurb, you can expect to be bombed by 1-star reviews before you book even hits the shelves.
I don't know what people think they're achieving with this behaviour, but personally I think it degrades the quality of the books being published. I've read several romances recently where there was absolutely no conflict or chemistry, because the characters only ever had appropriate, reasonable reactions to things. And I need it to stop. :')
Character behaviour doesn't represent author beliefs. A storyline which includes a behaviour does not condone the behaviour.
What an excellent list, I loved one hundred years of solitude but haven't read love in the time of cholera, I'll have to track it down. I love returning to behind the scenes at the museum by Kate Atkinson which I first read as a teenager.