During this period of isolation we all have lots of time on our hands. People are choosing to turn to something a bit more nourishing than trashy TV: books. Here’s a list of top 5 books to read if you haven’t, or re-read if you have. No shame or regrets either way.
We know that during this somewhat dark and lonely time that people are turning to books and fiction now more than ever before: reading culture is booming.
If you’re not an avid reader or at all immersed in the world of fiction, sometimes it makes things that bit more simple if someone can just hand you a book and say, “Here’s a good one—I couldn’t put it down. Read it”.
Entering the world and the rhythm of reading can be tough. You need something that grabs your attention from the first chapter. Either the stakes are high as hell and you just have to find out where the story is going to go and what happens. Or you’re intrigued. By the setting, the characters or even the tone. Something sparked your curiosity and kept you lingering on the pages until the very end.
If you’re in need of some top-dollar recommendations, and wanting to bask in the isolated reading goodness, we thought we’d pop a few mega titles on your radar.
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My Dark Vanessa (2020) by Kate Elizabeth Russell
This novel came out in early March of this year and was an instant New York Times Bestseller. Why? Because it is relevant as hell. The book jumps between the year 2000 and 2017 and follows the story of Vanessa Wye, a young woman who had sex with her English teacher at the age of 15. He was 42. Now, as she’s 32 years old and witnessing sexual assault allegations come out against her former teacher/“lover”, she must re-think what their relationship once was. No longer the “great love story of her life”, but rather an experience of grooming and rape.
With the #metoo movement in full swing, this story is more powerful than ever. Vanessa’s experience is complex, it’s nuanced and it’s heart-breaking. It’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking story that everyone needs to read. It’s one of those novels that makes you feel like it’s a true story, because let’s face it: it kind of is. This sort of thing has been happening for years and under our noses for the longest time. Here’s your insight into the dark and disturbing world of our every day.
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Where The Crawdads Sing (2018) by Delia Owens
This book came out in August of 2018, but it has remained a top best seller since. It has so many beautiful elements that tie it all together and make it a book worth reading, re-reading and sharing with others. Personally, I recommend this book to everyone I know: it has something in it for everyone. The story follows the character of Kya, a young girl branded the “marsh girl”. After being abandoned, she is forced to raise herself in her family’s home that sits alongside the marsh in Barkley Cove, North Carolina.
Told retrospectively, we grow up with Kya and witness her study the marsh, fall in love with two boys and become a woman. It’s a story that is gripping, a tribute to our natural world, a coming of age tale and a question of murder. Owens completely transports you to another world with her vivid, descriptive language. I think that’s exactly what we need right now, to be taken from our respective homes and placed unto another world entirely.
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Norwegian Wood (1987) by Haruki Murakami
A cult-classic, to say the least. Murakami’s first book, that brought him so much initial fame, he fled Japan because it was all too much. Why is this book one that hits us so hard? A story of lost love, of death, of mental illness, adultery, intelligence, loner-hood and so much more. It’s a story that is simple and complex all at once. A nostalgic tale through the eyes of Toru as he looks back on his youth and questions what happened and maybe what went wrong.
He’s studying in Tokyo and experiencing two very different friendships, possible romances, with two explicitly different women. Naoko, a long-time friend from his past. Midori, a wild and free-spirited classmate. Toru navigates us through his past life, the decisions he made and the relationships he fostered. It’s the sort of story that transforms you, as you experience transformation alongside the protagonist. He grows, he changes, he morphs and so do you, alongside his journey. A book to return to, or read for the first time if you haven’t (with plans to return again one day soon).
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I Know This Much Is True (1998) by Wally Lamb
This book is an epic tale. Most copies span a decent 800 pages or so. It feels like a commitment in the beginning, but don’t we all have copious amounts of time right now? It’s worth every moment. A family saga, the story follows along with character Dominick and his twin Thomas who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.
The book kicks off with Thomas cutting off his hand in the public library and the repercussions that follow for him and his twin, Dominick who’s felt the weight of his twin brother upon him his whole life. Every character in this book feels totally three dimensional—they’re flawed and that’s what makes them real. This is why we care for them. We learn of their past family history dating back two generations and begin to understand why these twins are much the way they are. A story that leaves you feeling completely satisfied upon its final pages and one you will remember for years to come.
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The Alchemist (1988) by Paulo Coelho
Another cult-classic that has already stood the test of time and will continue to. It seems that every year that passes, more and more people are picking up this book for the first time or the hundredth time. There are so many lessons in its passages that speak new truths every time we grace its pages.
The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd boy, who believes his recurring dreams to be a prophecy and sets out on a journey of self-discovery after a meeting with a gypsy fortune teller who guides him to the Egyptian pyramids where he shall find his “treasure”. The fable is about so many things, but it’s really about the people you meet along the way and the lessons we learn from them—those that teach us new things about ourselves. So, if you’re feeling a bit stuck during this time of isolation, here’s a sweet, simple read to pick you back up and to engage you with your purpose.
There are far too many books in the world, it’s overwhelming. We want all the time to consume and live through each of their stories. For now, let’s start with one. All it takes is the motivation to get the ball rolling, and once you’re in a full-fledged reading storm, you can’t stop. And why would you? There’s not much else to do these days.
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