In a bid to make ourselves read more, and so you can see some of the literature that inspires our travels, and our London adventures, we’ve decided to do a monthly recap on what we’ve been reading. Here’s November’s for you!
Tim
The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig
Jess and I read this book one after the other one evening and it definitely made quite the impression on these two adults for what is written as a children’s book! It’s a beautifully written story that is incredibly relatable, reassuring, a emotional. Matt Haig is one of our favourite authors, and I need say no more about this other than that I encourage everyone(literally) to read it.
Spirits Of The Season; Christmas Hauntings
Edited by Tanya Kirk
Earlier this Cold and wet November as festive lights and trimmings started appearing all around London’s streets and shops, I felt a real urge to purchase a season appropriate work of fiction to read. I am somewhat guilty of often just reading factual or biographical books and decided it was about time I read a proper story(or collection thereof). The British library have published a collection called Tales Of The Weird, and this selection of Christmas hauntings titled ‘Spirits Of The Season’ edited by Tanya Kirk is part of that collection. In this book there are fourteen short stories, all of which are set around this festive time of year, and all of which are of a rather spooky disposition. These are some of the best Christmas ghost stories dating between the 1860’s and 1940’s, and contain Yuletide chillers that are perfect for swapping festivity for fear by a crackling fireplace(albeit a Netflix fireplace on our TV).
Jess
The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig
OK, so this one doesn’t inspire travels, and only took about 15 minutes to read, but it is incredibly beautiful. Matt Haig, author of Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet, has written this rhyming story about a Truth Pixie who can’t lie and as a result has no friends. Although it sounds dark, it’s incredibly powerful with its messages about life, resilience and mental health, and the main message of all bad things will pass. A must read for adults and children alike!
The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
I bought myself this beauty when it caught my eye in the beautiful Daunt Books in Hampstead Heath, as I felt like I deserved to bring my love of reading back (I lost it when I realised I’d been reading non-fiction especially this one) by reading some fiction. But, you know, fiction based on truth and seemingly my PhD studies in some part too, so I got it, and then wasn’t really able to put it down. That could have been the loosely related short stories, the writing style, the short relations I formed with the characters, the relatable life experiences and the totally unrelatable experiences. Or it could just be that it’s not overtly challenging linguistically but it does make your brain work (or should if you have any sense of humanity). I would really recommend it to anyone, especially those interested in the Cold War, Vietnam War, America, refugees and life.
What are we reading now?
Tim: Test your cat: the cat IQ test by E M Bard
Jess: Ponti by Sharlene Teo
What are you reading? Is there anything you’ve read that you think we should read next? What’s on your bookshelf waiting to be picked up? Let us know in the comments below!
