Summer Reads

[Katie]

Here in the Northern Hemisphere summer has arrived, and what better time to get stuck into a good book? (I know some of you on the southern side of the planet will be experiencing mid-winter, but I find a book is equally good to curl up with on a cold day too!) 

Sunshine or not, with lockdown restrictions in place over the last few months, I know I’ve certainly been reading more. My preference tends to be something which is a page-turner, and comes recommended by a friend, but I’m pretty open to different genres. 

I’m currently two-thirds of the way through Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which I’m really enjoying (I’d recommend it!).

@Laura2592 recently got stuck in with a great book-related topic, and lots of you shared the books you have in your listing, but what do you like to read yourselves?

What are you reading right now, and what would you recommend?

[Huma0]

@Katie 

I'm really glad you're enjoying Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel because I have a particular soft spot for that lady. Many, many moons ago, I used to work in PR and one of my clients was a literary award for new African writers. The award was for a short story and Chimamanda won either the second or third year that we ran the prize, I can't remember now.

The finalists were all brought to London for an awards ceremony and part of my job was to set up and take them to media interviews. They were all lovely, but I do remember Chimamanda being one of my faves. She was still quite young at the time (as was I), just staring out, but such a talent and so very, very mature for her age, so serene and just lovely to everyone. It was really fun hanging out with her and very gratifying since to witness her continued success.

[Katie]

@Huma0 she's a very talented writer so I'm not surprised that she won the award - what a great story! Did any other authors stand out to you from the ones who were finalists over the years? 

[Huma0]

@Katie 

Sorry I think I made a mistake and that Chimananda was maybe one of the finalists and didn't win the overall prize! Just goes to show though that she made a big impression on me and is perhaps the most successful out of the writers that I met during my time in that role.

They were all lovely, but I especially remember Helon Habila, who won in the second year. He still writes books, but I think is more of an academic now and also writes review for The Guardian. And also Binyvanga Wainaina, who sadly passed away last year, still in his 40s. He was a riot. Such a warm, big hearted guy and a great storyteller.

I was only involved in the first four or five years of the prize (around 2000 to 2005) and there have been many winners since then. I am sure many of them are well worth reading: 

I'm really pleased that the prize is still going today. You can read more here: http://caineprize.com/

[Katie]

Amazing, if she didn't actually win then the others must be pretty great too! I'll have to get ordering some of their work 📖 🤓

[Ute42]

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@Katie  

Summer has arrived? Here in Germany (northern hemisphere) sommer has arrived on June 20, that was 2 months ago. I agree though that one can always read a good book, may summer arrive or depart. I've seen people reading books in autumn.

The most recent and very entertaining book I've read was „Life“ by Keith Richards. You, Katie, look like a pretty young girl and I'm not sure if You know who Keith Richards is.

Keith Richards is the guitar player with a Rock and Roll band called „The Rolling Stones“. They had their highdays in the outgoing last century. The band members are pretty old meanwhile, most of them in their late 70ies. I'm a big Stones fan and I was always waiting for them to announce a „last“ world tour. Picture this: I'm at their last concert in Munic and Charlie Watts (their drummer, age 79) falls off his drumchair and dies live on stage. This is the dream for each and every fan of the Rolling Stones: To see their „very last“ concert.

Talking about dead people: You, @Ann72 , mentioned

• this year I'm only reading books by dead authors.

Why does an author has to be dead for You to read his or her book? Are there any other criteria for You to read a book or is it sufficiant that the author is just dead, no matter what the content of literature is? In all seriouseness Ann, this is the weirdest reasoning I've ever read for a book to make it into someones bookshelf.

[Ann72]

@Ute42  I know it sounds weird, but I have to read manuscripts by living authors for my job, so for pleasure reading this year, sorry, only dead ones.  Reading contemporary books is hard when you're in this business - I know how the sausage is made.  I do it, I mean I have done it every year except this one, but I haven't seen anything come out this year that makes me want to drop everything and read it.  If a book has a lot of attention i already know everything about how that happened.  I probably first heard about the book two years ago, when it was sold, and I've had lunch with the editor and heard all about it, and I know how many lies have already been told behind the scenes, and what the marketing budget is, and how Person A thought it was a load of crap and Person B the best book ever written, and how the author is sleeping with her publicist, while her husband, a lesser author, is home with the kids in Brooklyn but sleeping with his editor, and should I go on?  I think now you don't think it's weird at all.

And you're reading Keith Richards' book, which of course wasn't written by him at all.  It was written with "the assistance of" James Fox, but I doubt Keith actually sat for hours in front of his computer "writing."  James Fox wrote one of my favorite books of the '80s, WHITE MISCHIEF, about ex-pats in Kenya, PROBABLY BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR. 

[Katie]

Haha true @Ute42, but here in the UK the summer unfortunately means quite variable weather conditions, so sometimes it takes a few months to notice that it's arrived 😄

Yes, my parents are Stones fans so I'm familiar with the legendary Keith Richards - I bet there are some interesting tales from the adventures that he had along the way in the book! 

Gosh what a way to go, I had no idea that was how he had died - what an experience being there for that moment, quite shocking I imagine! 

[Ute42]

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@Katie  

Yes, Keith Richards has some interesting stories to tell. I can't quote any of them here though,

as none of them would be in line with the community center guidelines.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Katie 

I can't think of anything worse than reading a book when the sun's shining and you can climb a mountain in shorts and a T-shirt and just experience life.

I've been reading maps. Found this great place to take one of my daughter's to, missed an Airbnb workshop, and then another.. but it was well and truly worth it. We accomplished something.

Great End, Red Pike, Sprinkling Tarn, Great Gable, Green Gable and Skiddaw in the far distance with a fabulous sunset in the evening and a stunning dawn cloud inversion in the morning.

The views towards the sunrise and the Langdales were equally stunning.

I had three enquiries for the same dates that evening and Airbnb App wouldn't work. 😞 

But got a book-in(g) anyway 😊

[Ute42]

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@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

Great pictures, did You take them? Very tasteful cropping.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ute42 

Yes, thanks. My photos of a very rare occurrence.

(I've had a bit of practice 😀 )

[Katie]

Great pics @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0! Looks like you got the good weather too. I love that feeling of standing above the clouds in beautiful landscapes like this ⛅

For me reading a book and hiking a mountain aren't mutually exclusive activities - I'm all for the hiking first and then reading the book once the sun goes down 😊

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Katie 

Planned around the weather, but we never expected a cloud inversion and them rolling in around us and over the pinnacle we were on. My daughter had held dreams of seeing something like this.

Quite magical.

[Anna8631]

The Summer I  Turned Pretty by Jenny Han! It’s a trilogy actually and I loved it.

Next is sequel The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord!

 https://printsbery.com/invitations/wedding/blue 

[Katie]

Thanks for the recommendation @Anna8631 - I love a series that you can really get stuck into 🙂