Hello! I’m back!

I had a lovely break, in which I have been busy with many non-book tasks. (For instance, I have planted many scented plants on my balcony in the hopes of drowning out my neighbours’ vapes). Reading-wise, I have spent most of the past three weeks on a single thousand-page novel (Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell), which I am enjoying enormously and hope to review once I finally finish it! I also read Robert Harris’ Conclave, which I liked very much, but it was right at the start of my hiatus and I’m not sure I still remember it well enough to review it. I’ll definitely be reading more of his work, though.

Anyway, what better way to ease back into the swing of things than with a 20 Books of Summer list? It’s that joyful time of year again, characterised by light evenings and undue optimism about how quickly I can read. In stark defiance of my history with Cathy’s wonderful summer reading challenge, which I have succeeded in exactly once (in 2020, when I had nothing else to do), I am having another go.

I’ve definitely found in the past that I’m more successful when I try to have some method to my madness, which this year manifests as a theme. I’m not going travelling this summer – not even in the UK, except maybe for day trips – because I have assorted tedious responsibilities like “extending the lease on my flat” and “having the kitchen replumbed” that have to take priority. (I do have a work commitment in Manchester that will require a night away, which I’m quite excited about because I’ve never been there before, but I don’t know if that counts as a holiday exactly). I’ve therefore developed a 20 Books of Summer list that is mostly made up of books that will take me to other corners of the world – plus a few British seaside towns or walking trips:

From a Crooked Rib – Nuruddin Farah (Somalia)
“Cherry” Ingram: The Englishman who Saved Japan’s Blossoms – Noake Abe (Japan)
Death on the Riviera – John Bude (France)
Fire From Heaven – Mary Renault (Greece – sort of)
The Beautiful Summer – Cesare Pavese (Italy)
Anil’s Ghost – Michael Ondaatje (Sri Lanka)
Nine Coaches Waiting – Mary Stewart (France)
Der blaue Himmel – Galsan Tschinag (Mongolia)
Red Sorghum – Mo Yan (China)
Tour de Force – Christianna Brand (unnamed Mediterranean island)
Winchelsea – Alex Preston (England)
Uncle Paul – Celia Fremlin (England)
O Cruel Alexis – Virgil (Rome)
Ashenden – W Somerset Maugham (Switzerland)
Requiem for a Wren – Nevil Shute (Australia)
The Remainder – Alia Trabucco Zerán (Chile)
Aberystwyth Mon Amour – Malcom Pryce (Wales)
When in Rome – Ngaio Marsh (Italy)
Der geteilte Himmel – Christa Wolf (East Germany)
Another Day of Life – Ryszard Kapuscinski (Angola)

I’ve finally learnt my lesson, and this list is packed with mystery novels, thrillers, short nonfiction, novellas, and even a single solitary poem in the form of O Cruel Alexis – so I hope I should be able to make it through them all in the time! I didn’t get on with Pryce’s Aberystwyth Noir series the last time I tried it, despite the fact that – as an alternate history/fantasy combination – it should be right up my street. However, I’ve now learnt more about the Welsh colony in Patagonia that forms a jumping-off point for Pryce’s alternate timeline, so I wanted to give it another try. Plus, is my German still good enough for the Tschinag and Wolf novels? There’s only one way to find out.

No doubt I will chop and change my books as the summer goes along, but I’ll try to stick with my vague travel theme! The library always does a display this time of year with books set in beachy places, so I can already see that I might be tempted… I’m looking forward to reading other people’s lists, and seeing where all your reading adventures this summer will take you!