My summer reading list

By Anu Jose

While Christmas is over for another year, there are still a few weeks left of lazy summer days relaxing.  It’s the perfect time to catch up on books you wanted to read in 2017 but never had time for. Summer reading is pure bliss, holidays personified!

So here is my short list:

  1. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, the winner of the 2017 Man Booker prize.
  2. The Golden House by Salmon Rushdie, because he is Rushdie and it is set in New York and partly in India and references to idiocy that is Trump’s America.
  3. Exit West by Moshin Hamid, because his previous novel was so well written and this was short-listed for the 2017 Booker prize.
  4. The Choke by Sofie Laguna, an award winning Australian writer.
  5. Anything is possible, by Elizabeth Strout
  6. First Person by Richard Flannagan, because his last novel was so good, he is an interesting man and I am sure he won’t disappoint with this new book.

Stan Grant’s ”˜Talking to my country’ and David Marr’s essay on Pauline Hanson ”˜The White Queen’ have also been collecting dust by my bed, so those need to be read. Being the mother of the 3 girls, Clementine Ford’s ”˜Fight like a girl’ are sure to have some lessons I can pass on to them.

It is also a great time to share the love of reading with any small children in your life. I am delighted to see my 7 year old reading the same books I did at her age and loving them, Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series and The Naughtiest Girl series. Along with Kate De Camillo’s books and Good night stories for Rebel Girls. I will get her to read Wonder, we saw the movie and it has such powerful lessons for children. My 5 year old is enjoying Billie B Brown which has relatable stories for those starting school with Hey Jack being the ”˜boy’ equivalent. We have been reading Charlie and Lola and Malala’s Magic Pencil (inspiring and brought tears to my eyes).   My 3 year old listens to anything her big sisters suggest but Peppa Pig is a clear favourite (tastes do develop thankfully!).

Hope you enjoy relaxing and catching up on what is some wonderful, thought provoking writing. Looking forward to some 2018 new releases to then catch up on next summer!

 

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