You must go on a long journey before you can really find out how wonderful home is. ~ Tove Jansson
I’ve just realised that it’s a little over a week before summer officially starts. Where did the time go?
It’s been so tempting to skip the whole summer reading challenge thing, this year. Haven’t we been challenged enough already with this lock-down! But what can a reader do during a holiday, if not reading? So, I’m forging ahead and also invite anyone who’s up for reading to join me. Reading is a shared experience.
What is my criteria this year? As I shared in the previous post, travel is one of my interests. When I’m not travelling, I’m reminiscing about the last trip or planning the next. But for reasons we all know travel has been cancelled.
Instead I’m planning to embark on an arm-chair travel with some travelogue, memoir as well as fiction with a strong sense of place in order to satisfy my wanderlust.
I’m setting my goal low as I’ll also be catching up on creative writing, this summer. So, here is my pick:
- In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
Bryson is one of my favourite travel writers. He is just hilarious and a pleasure to read! I’ve read quite a number of his books but not this one set in Australia.
- Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi
It’s been sitting too long on my TBR. It’s time…
- Londoners by Craig Taylor
I think London’s sexy because it’s so full of eccentrics. – Rachel Weisz
- Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier
Lisbon is one of the top 5 cities I’d like to visit soon. And Portuguese is one of the languages I’m interested in learning.
Below are two additional books I had already planned to read, and have nothing to do with travel:
- Riders of the Tempest: The Story of WE by H. Hennenburg
- The Cost of Living: A Working Autobiography by Deborah Levy
This a second book in the series, and part of an autobiographical project by this writer. The Guardian claims the book is “not so much a memoir as an eloquent manifesto for what Levy calls “a new way of living.”
Are you reading this summer? How are you choosing your reads? Please do share!
Wishing you a lovely weekend! 🙂
I, too, have added Riders of the Tempest to my reading list. Also, Joe and Nelly, by Kim Russell. After that, I will be reading many of my old time favorites–these days feel ripe for comfort reading .
At the moment, it is news magazines, including Science News, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and High Country News, a magazine about the American West and its issues. I highly recommend it.
https://www.hcn.org/
Oh, YAY! Here’s to reading with friends. 😀 I’m really looking forward to reading H’s book. Congratulations are in order for Kim as well. If I understood correctly hers was a children’s book? Anyway, I hope I’ll have chance to revisit some of my favourites during summer.
Yours is a wonderful selection to read, Lavinia. It’s always a pleasure to reach for my favourites too when I don’t have time for longer works. Thank you so much the link and introduction to High Country News, I’ll sure check it out. 🙂
Sounds like some fascinating books. I hope Summer is a huge improvement over the past couple of months.
Thanks for sharing your books here …
I’m almost at the end of reading ‘Island Song’ by Madeleine Bunting.
Happy reading and Happy Wishes 🙂
All the best Jan
Sounds like a great line-up of books for the summer, Khaya. Something wonderful to look forward to. 🙂 <3
Me too, I really hope the summer season is a huge improvement.
It’s a pleasure Jan. And based on the reviews, your read sounds interesting too.
Oh yes, catching up on reading is always something to look forward to. 🙂 And all the best to you on your upcoming publication. The TBR will keep growing. <3
Of course. My home state is slowly reopening up with a few things. I just hope people can have some fun while still being responsible.
I’m currently reading Terry McMillan’s, It’s Not All Downhill from Here. It’s not that compelling or interesting, so I do not recommend :-/
Thanks for sharing your read, Kathy. It’s always a pity, when a book isn’t too compelling and more especially with a title like that, full of promise.
Thank you, Khaya, for adding my humble little book to your summer reading list! And I always appreciate your book suggestions – I’ll check these out. 😊
You’re so welcomed, H. I’ve already started reading your book. But I always go slow with poetry so not as to miss a thing. 🙂 That is, I read, put the book away to ponder and then come back to read again. I hope one day, you’ll grant me the opportunity to chat about it.
Happy Reading & enjoy the summer!