July 19, 2016, by Emer
3 Books To Read This Summer
Everybody knows that the primary purpose of summer is to catch up on your reading. (Before my exams finished, I caught myself saying “I can’t wait until the holidays so I have time to read again.” Please note, I am studying English.) But sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. As such, I have compiled this list of three books that will enhance your reading list this summer.
- The University Book: Speak Its Name by Kathleen Jowitt
Seeing as this blog is about student life, I thought I had better start out with one of my favourite books set at university. Speak Its Name centres around Lydia, a student at the fictional Stancester University, who is trying to reconcile her sexual orientation with her membership of the conservative (read: homophobic) Christian Fellowship. Come for the well-rounded LGBT women, stay for the laughter, the tears (I definitely did not cry no sir not me), and also did I mention well-rounded LGBT women?
- The Childhood Nostalgia Read: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling
I have never been into Pokémon (odd non sequitur, I know) and, as my friends have all hopped aboard the Pokémon Go train this summer, I’ve been feeling a little left out on the childhood nostalgia front. So I’ve added my favourite book from the Harry Potter series to my reading list. Some may argue that this book was long and dull, featuring ‘angsty teenage Harry’, but I say nay! This is, without a doubt, the best Harry Potter book: it introduced the infamous villain with a penchant for kittens, Dolores Umbridge, it features Nymphadora Tonks (i.e. Hufflepuff’s coolest ex-student), and who could forget Fred and George’s epic firework-based send-off?
- The Classic: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
If you’re looking for a more serious read, I recommend I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. It is the first in Maya Angelou’s seven-part autobiography series and tells the story of Maya and her brother, who are sent to live with their grandmother in a small town in Kentucky and then return back to their mother in St Louis. It is a stunning exploration of identity, racism, sexual assault and America in the 1930s and 40s. Also, if you have time I recommend checking out Angelou’s poetry.
You could try Girl with a Pearl Earring.