I wrote a post last year on what books I had read during the summer and I thought it would be good to do something similar this year as I loved reflecting on my time off studying. I hope you find these interesting.
1. Everywoman by Jess Phillips
I don’t know whether this really counts as a ‘summer read’ as I read it in the last few days of college, but I want to include it anyway. This book is a must read. Especially if you love politics, especially if you are a woman, but also if you are not a woman as it may make you think about the different experiences that come along with a sexist society and for women looking to make a difference within it. Phillips’ writing is so easy to read and this book really helped me get my head a bit more focused after feeling somewhat lost during the last week or so of college. Definitely, one to pick up if you want an easy yet impactful read.
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This is a book I had to read for my English course, although I had read it before about 4 years ago. When I read it first, I have to admit that I didn’t really get the hype that surrounds this book, but the second time around it I liked it a lot more. But hey, that doesn’t mean much as we all know that after a year of studying it I’ll probably hate it.
3. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Again, I read this play for my English course. I will need to read it again soon because I didn’t quite get all the scenes – or, at least, I don’t think they sunk in properly. It was interesting but I can’t say I loved it.
4. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
This also was an easy read and I would recommend it to anyone who loved Carrie – as Leia or not. I have to admit that I did cry a few times. I loved the section of her diaries that was in the middle. It felt so personal, particularly as she included some of the poetry she wrote then. Throughout the book, I couldn’t help but get an eerie sense that Carrie knew something was going to happen to her as she referenced her death quite a lot.
5. The Metropolis of Glass by Chloe Lee
I was sent this poetry book by the lovely people at Troubadour Publishing a while ago and wrote a full in a post which you can read here. Overall, I wasn’t that impressed. It felt average, but a good place to start for someone just getting into poetry.
6. A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
And now onto the holiday books. I read half of this before I went away and finished it whilst on holiday in Cornwall with my family. I love Game of Thrones (the TV series), so knew what would happen in the book, but that didn’t stop me loving it! I’m going to steadily read the rest of the Song and Ice and Fire series alongside my A levels, so it’s going to a slow process but something that I can distract myself with.
7. Five on Brexit Island by Enid Blyton (Bruno Vincent)
I read this book in about 45 minutes whilst on the beach. It was very funny and got quite ridiculous. A lighthearted read good for anyone in Britain at the moment and read Enid Blyton’s Famous Five series as a child.
8. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
After studying The Odyssey as part of my Classical Civilization AS level (and also studying Margaret Atwood’ The Handmaid’s Tale as part of my English course), I thought it would be fun to see what Margaret Atwood would make of Penelope’s side of the story. I did love it. I read it almost immediately after finishing Five on Brexit Island and found it just as easy to read. It’s laid out like a Greek play, with the Chorus and Penelope taking turns in telling the story. I did like the fact that it drew attention to the maids and how Odysseus was a big of a dick and probably a liar. I would recommend this to anyone studying Classics but also anyone who wants a fresh feminist perspective on a well-known story.
9. Doing It! by Hannah Witton
If you’ve read some of my monthly wrap ups, then you’ll probably know that Hannah is one of my favourite YouTubers. I love how candidly and open she talks about all sorts of topics, including sex and periods, which this book is based around. I think this book should be in every school as it’s so informative and easy to read – ideal for someone who’s just about to start puberty, or anyone who just wants to clarify any information (there’s a great table about all the different methods contraception which I know will be very useful to anyone who reads this).
10. There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker
I picked this book up a while ago as the title really intrigued me. It’s a poetry collection based around the themes of feminism and racism, subjects I always want to expand my understanding of. I loved the rhythm that many of Parker’s poems had as they really helped portray the messages she was trying to get across.
11. GB84 by David Peace
Okay, so I’ve not read much of this one. I need to read it for my EPQ so I better get on with it. It surrounds the 1984 Miners’ Strike in the UK but I can’t really tell you more as I’ve really red very little. I need to get my butt into gear and read it.
