I've just applied to go to university to study English so I clearly love a good book. On this rainy Sunday I thought I'd share some of my top reads with you, as is there anything better than a good book and a coffee on a Sunday afternoon?
Lets jump right in with probably my fave fave fave book- Just Kids by Patti Smith. If you follow me on instagram, you'll know how much I adore this book and Patti Smith on a whole. I think this is the only book I've ever read that has genuinely shaped who I am and managed to alter me in such a significant way. It tells the story of Patti's life with her best friend and soul-mate Robert Mapplethorpe who sadly dies, as well as capturing New York in the 60s/70s as Patti meets icons like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Simply, it's a bloody beautiful book that breaks my heart every single time I read it but I always go back. Beautifully written, magical book that I can't recommend enough.
Another one of my favourite books is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Not only is this a book I love dearly but it also helped me get an A in my English lit exam (thanks Fitzgerald!) I think this is the only book that I have loved more after studying it, looking deeper into the context of the book really opened it up to me and made the whole thing a lot more interesting. So if you get the chance, read up a little on Fitzgerald and his wife as they're interesting characters. I'm sure many of you will have see the film of The Great Gatsby, but even so the book is well-worth a read. (Also it's quite a short book so that's always a bonus)
A bit different to the others, Rapture is a poetry book! I was lucky enough to see Carol Ann Duffy perform her poetry, and up until that point poetry was never really my thing but the experience was magical and I fell in love with poetry, especially her poems from this collection. The collection is a bit different to others as you're encouraged to read it cover to cover as it tells the story of a relationship from start to heartbreak through a series of poems. It's a seriously beautiful, emotional collection which if you're feeling the love (or feeling the heartbreak) you should definitely definitely pick up!
The Book Of Longing is really hard to describe as it's part poetry, part essay type monologues and part artwork, but it's still a super good book to read. Leonard Cohen is an incredible musician so that really reflects in his work as his poetry isn't like stuck-up poetry, it feels really raw. So maybe is poetry isn't your thing, this is a book for you. Reading this book had a big influence on me as a writer as it shows that you can write something really beautiful without spending time thinking about how you're going to structure it, sometimes just raw emotion and thought is the best.
There was a massive buzz surrounding this book a while back and I totally understand the hype. I remember when I read How To Build A Girl I really didn't want it to end. I think every woman should read this as it's such a brutally honest piece about being a teenage girl and being desperate to reinvent yourself and be 'cool'. Honestly this book made me cry with both laughter and sadness. It's genius and if you haven't read it already, you really should!
This probably doesn't class as a very literary text but it's definitely a valuable part of my library. I love Alexa Chung and this book really encapsulates her vibe and her style and provides the perfect inspo. If I'm feeling a little blah in the mornings I'll take a moment to flip through this book and I almost always find some inspiration for the day. Also, containing some of Chung's photos and drawing, it's a super pretty book. In my future dream home, this book will definitely be sat on my coffee table.
What are some of your fave books?
2 comments
This is crazy. We have the exact same taste in books! I haven't read Rapture or Book of Longing, but all of the others are some of my favorite books of all time!
ReplyDeleteWhat other books do you like?
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