Seeing as the summer is drawing to a close (and I haven’t posted any book reviews in a while), I thought I’d summarize my thoughts on a few of the books I read this summer — and hopefully give some of my recommendations to add to your August reading lists. These were all great reads for me (I don’t say that lightly, by the way), and I highly recommend all of them, although the subject matter and writing styles differ a lot between the books. Anyway, let me know what you think, especially if you’ve read any of these yourself!
1. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
Admittedly, the fact that I read this on the beach in Italy probably makes it seem a lot better than it is. However, Tom Rachman’s debut novel is pretty wonderful, and I would read it again in a heartbeat (that is, if I didn’t already have a hundred books in my “read this now” queue). Tracking the lives of individuals involved with an English-language newspaper in Rome (from readers to publishers to copy editors), Rachman weaves a stunning narrative that doesn’t quite come together until the very end…which, of course, is what makes it so perfect. Each chapter reads like a little insight into the life of each individual, and explores their personal struggles as well as their relationship to the newspaper. Rachman is gifted at painting vivid, realistic, and raw characters, and even though each chapter is relatively short, his writing (which is very clear, by the way) packs a punch, as he pulls out distinct details from each character’s life. Bit by bit, the reader is also fed the story of how all these lives intertwine — both intentionally and unintentionally — which kept me hooked until the very end. Perfect beach reading, very fresh and original, and overall just fantastic writing.
2. The Table Comes First by Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik, a novelist and writer for The New Yorker, is one of my hands-down favorite authors, and he particularly excels with his memoirs. I read one of his other memoirs, Paris to the Moon, a year or so ago, and fell in love with his writing style — it’s sharp, witty, intelligent, and yet decidedly unpretentious. The Table Comes First is less of a memoir than Paris to the Moon, but very enjoyable nonetheless. Although it’s a 300-page volume on one seemingly simple topic, food, there is never a dull moment in Gopnik’s writing. Incredibly cultured, his wealth of knowledge shines through as he weaves together food’s history, philosophy, and its criticisms alongside personal experiences on the topic. It’s really a brilliant read, and I highly recommend this for all a) foodies, and b) francophiles.
3. Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary
If you’re looking for a good briefer on the history of Islam and the Middle East, look no further. (Okay, I know most of you probably weren’t looking for this. That being said, it’s totally relevant to the world today, and will seriously enhance your understanding of current events. So go read it!) Ansary’s book is widely regarded as one of the best histories of Islam out there, and his writing style is simple and understandable — this is not some stuffy book intended only for academics. What I love about Ansary’s writing is his humor, ability to synthesize, and that he doesn’t assume his readers have any prior knowledge of the topic. It reads like an engaging historical narrative, so if you’re into non-fiction/history, this is a good pick!
4. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
This is the first novel I’ve read by Rushdie. It’s still banned in many parts of the world and can be controversial in many respects (the book is partly a re-telling of the life of Mohammed, and Rushdie includes narrative elements which run contrary to the Muslim faith), but that’s part of what makes it an interesting read — it’s equal parts entertaining and relevant to our understanding of society today. I’ll admit, though, this is a tough book to understand without a lot of background knowledge of religion (and not just Islam), as well as historical events. I would recommend reading some sort of analysis to better grasp the major themes. This reading guide is a good start (and doesn’t give away the plot — just use it as you go from chapter to chapter). However, it is still an entertaining narrative, and Rushdie is a phenomenal writer — so I’d recommend this for anyone that really appreciates more complex literary styles and long, intense novels (think Beloved).
5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is a classic. I’ve been reading The Alchemist every summer for the past six years — I’m currently on my seventh reading. Regardless of whether you’ve read it before, it’s always a great addition to your reading list, and I find that I learn something new every time I pick it up. It’s not so much that the book has changed as it is that my life and perspective shift from reading to reading — so that something new stands out to me each time. That being said, the novel (very short, by the way — you could read it in a few hours) is packed with wisdom, reading more like a fable than anything else. It tracks the life of a former shepherd, Santiago, who abandons his flock in search of his “Personal Legend” — looking for buried treasure at the Pyramids of Egypt. It’s a timeless book about following your dreams (yes, I know this sounds cheesy), but all of us could use a reminder like this once in a while. A great book for self-reflection, and perfect for pretty much any time, ever.
{Images: The Imperfectionists; The Table Comes First; Destiny Disrupted; The Satanic Verses; The Alchemist}
Man, I really loved The Alchemist. It has such a magical universality to it.
Hey,
lovely blog and your are so lucky to be in Venice! Since you look like an accomplished bookworm, I was wondering if you could post about book suggestions? That would be great.
See Ya,
-L
I’ve nominated your blog for a Liebster award! Details here :)http://nmahtani.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/liebster-love/
I love your concept of 30 second book reviews! Also, I totally agree with everything you said about The Alchemist; it was indeed a wonderful read. Having read it only once, you post has got me thinking to retract it from the shelves and treat myself the experience of reading it once again!
After reading your book reviews, I want to be your new best friend. Not to mention that i’m also totally crushing on your DIY postcards. Check out my bookshelf if you want some additional inspiration: http://apartment-wife.com/bookshelf/
Food huh? Nice work… you should look for my upcoming romance in a few days entitled, Tahoe, set in 1983 LA – that’s right, no beepers, cell phones or high speed internet AND this is the year when a tornado surprised LA…retireandread.wordpress.com
Yay! So glad you included Adam Gopnik on your list. He’s one of my faves, too, although I haven’t yet read this new one.
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Wow, another amazing books added to my list 🙂 sincerely – hope to read them in less than a year, there is 20 of other waiting…
Thanks a lot for this short recommendations, there are some books not very much known in Czech Rep. yet 😉
You write so well
I adore The Alchemist, and I’ve been wanting to read The Imperfectionists, so I think that will be my next one. Love this post!
I loved the Imperfectionists! None of my friends wanted to read it because there’s not much action (this is why they won’t be in a book club with me either), but I thought it was completely charming. I’m current reading Honeymoon in Tehran and it’s making me want to brush up on my history of Islam, so I am definitely adding Destiny Disrupted to my list. Love the recommendations!