As much as we might not want it to be, summer is slowly winding down. Now seemed as good a time as any to round up the books I have read over the summer, and reflect on them. This summer followed my final year of university, my final year where I had a list of required reading. Past summers I have managed to sneak in a few books, but most of the time I lacked any motivation to really get me through as much as I would have liked. I was excited to get reading the ever increasing pile of to-read books I had acquired over the past few years (as well as a few new ones).
Haruki Murakami’s Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage
I fell in love with Haruki Murakami’s writing after reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki employs the same style and many of the same themes, but it is a story that is more pared down, although not less interesting. It follows the protagonist, Tsukuru Tazaki, who tried to untangle the mysterious reason why his friends chose to break off all connection with him. The truth is shocking, and unexpected, and all at once interesting and sad. For those who have not read Murakami before, I would recommend this as a good introduction to his work.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah
Not pictured (because I borrowed the book), was Adichie’s Americanah. It took me forever to get through this one, but not for lack of liking it. I found the story and the characters really interesting. I loved the thoughts of Ifemelu, and the pauses in the narrative that are made to include her blog posts about her experience of race in America. I hope to pick up another work by Adichie sometime in the near future, such as We Should all be Feminists or Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s In Other Words
This was the only non-fiction book that I read this summer. Lahiri reflects on her choice to move to Italy, and her choice to immerse herself in the language. The book documents her struggles, but it does so beautifully. Sometimes I find non-fiction a bit hard to get into, but at times this almost seemed like a novel to me. Lahiri, who usually writes in English, wrote In Other Words entirely in Italian. The novel includes both her writing in Italian, as well as an English translation beside it. Although I am not moving to another country or learning a new language, I could still understand her choice to “trade certainty for uncertainty”.
Dave Eggers’s The Circle
I picked up The Circle because the movie looked interesting. I knew I wanted to see the movie, but I also knew I finally had the time to read the book first. The fact that I had recently finished Eggers book What is the What in University also made me interested in reading this novel. The Circle considers the role of technology and especially social media in our lives. It follows a young woman, Mae, who joins a Utopian technology company called The Circle. She strives to be a better employee and person in the eyes of the Circle, by becoming ever more present on the internet. Ironically, I have not even gotten around to watching the movie yet. I would recommend this book though, as it was very thought provoking.
Sylvain Neuvel’s Sleeping Giants
This definitely is not the genre of book I would normally read. It is categorized as Science Fiction, but the story seemed so interesting, and I picked it up to try something a little different. The writing style was the first thing I really had to get used to. Most of the novel is set up as an interview, with the various characters being interviewed. The interviewee is left unnamed. Through these interviews, the story is developed about a secret project that is attempting to piece together the mystery behind a strange artifact, found in the forest in South Dakota. While it was not my favourite read, it still had thought provoking moments.
Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven
I have had this novel sitting on my book shelf for a very long time. I nearly gave it away in a recent book clear. For some reason, after finishing the previous books, I felt like turning towards this. I am certainly glad I did. It was hands down my favourite read of the summer. It reminded me why I love reading so much, and reminded me just what literature can do. The novel is about civilization’s collapse after a devastating disease sweeps across the world. The story line jumps to moments years before the collapse, during the collapse, and years afterwards. I loved the varied characters the book has, and how intertwined they all are. I also love that the story intertwines itself with Shakespeare.
Emma Straub’s The Vacationers
The Vacationers is a summer read, through and through. It tells the story of a family’s summer vacation in Spain, which seems like any other family vacation, until things begin to unravel. The novel keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering how certain things will unfold. It does not focus on a particular character either, but each characters gets a bit of attention, and their thoughts are unveiled.
Luiza Sauma’s Flesh and Bone and Water
I picked this novel up in the spur of the moment. I have to say, the lovely cover certainly swayed me. It was not exactly what I expected. It is similar to The Vacationers in the sense that it revolves around a family that is struggling, and has many secrets. The novel begins with Andre, a middle-aged man living in London and working as a Doctor. Andre is forced to reflect on his last year in Brazil, as a teenager, when a letter arrives from someone from his past. The characters are certainly not perfect, and at moments not at all likable, but if you read this novel you will understand why.
Reading all of these books over the summer felt refreshing. I had the freedom to read whatever I wanted, whenever. I finally got back into the habit of picking up books on my own time, and enjoying what they had to offer. I am currently reading Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler, so perhaps one day I will reflect on that book here. I hope in the coming months to make more throughout examinations of the books I read, but summer seems better reserved for reading enjoyable, interesting books, without having to put much thought into it.
What did you read this summer? Anything you would recommend? Any books you are excited to be reading this Fall?
Hopefully I have inspired you to pick up a book, or two. At the very least I hope you enjoyed the lovely covers all of these books had to offer.
Advertisements Share this:
