Summer Reading Recommendations

Holly

1. Monkey Grip by Helen Garner

   Although it’s been a few years since I last read Monkey Grip, it’s something I still think about a lot especially over summer when I’m stuck in the city in that limbo time of year between Christmas and New Years. It helped me to appreciate the space between. Recommended to me by Zoe back in 2020/21.

2. Things I Don’t Want To Know, The Cost Of Living, and Real Estate by Deborah Levy (Living Autobiography series – a 3 for 1 deal)

   I first read these a few years ago, then picked them all back up this year after a conversation at the pub with Mel from Before March when she referenced one. I remember Real Estate being my favourite the first time round, but felt a greater appreciation diving back in after reading some of her other novels (including Hot Milk, August Blue). 

3. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson

   This was a beautiful read. Perfect for a holiday down the beach. My friend lent me her copy while we were in Tasmania and I enjoyed most of it in the bath / on the sand while visiting Bruny Island.

4. How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell

   I was shown this book over winter as I sat at my friend's table listening to records and complaining about algorithms. I think I’d just switched off the automatic play option on Spotify after seeing Perfect Days. Really setting the scene, I’ve been slowly picking up and putting down ever since. The themes of ‘time’ and ‘space’ seem to echo feelings I’ve been writing about this year.

5. Chime Newsletter by Yasmine Ganley

   I love absolutely everything Yasmine does and is a part of. (Anyone Girl, Island Mag etc.) Thoughtful and considered. I really admire the way her newsletter evolves each week, reflecting on something she might read, or see, or a snippet of something she’s written in the past. It helps me to pause, and reflect, drawing parallels through what she has included and in my own life too.

6. Tart Magazine by Studio Sasha
   
   I have to mention the third edition of my friend Sasha’s project. A fusion of interviews, recipes, and beautiful imagery. You might even spy a playlist by yours truly <3
   
   

Zoe

1. Down the Drain by Julia Fox.

   Anyone who knows of Julia Fox won’t be surprised by the amount of personality written into this memoir. I can particularly recommend listen to the audiobook version (narrated by Julia Fox) while deep cleaning the house.

2. The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante.

   A perfect summer evening is one where you’re lost in a Ferrante novel. This one is a quick and vivid read that effortlessly captures your attention and stays in mind long after the book is finished. A neurotic brewing on motherhood that looks more broadly at how we perceive the responsibilities of women in maternal roles. 

3. Green Island by Shawna Yang Ryan.

   A multi-generational story following the lives of a family in Taiwan across decades of political unrest. I read this last month in Taiwan while trying to get a better understanding of the island’s recent history and happily got caught up in the story along the way. This is a good one for a buddy read or book club. 

4. Sunbathing by Isobel Beech.

   A delicately balanced book that has such a specific tone and air to it. Beech writes with that very particular Melbourne voice which adds an extra familiarity to it. Set between Italy and Melbourne while buoying between comfort, grief, and growing pains. 

5. Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein.

   Last NYE I went camping with a group of friends (and friends of friends), and 4 of us were reading this book. Doppelganger is written with such sharpness and wit and will give your brain something meaty to chew on over the break. 

6. Alphabetical Diaries by Sheila Heti.

   Heti reorganizes 10 years of her diaries into alphabetical order. This simple restructuring reveals so much about how she thinks and moves, exposing recurring patterns and insecurities. A vulnerable read broken up by that perfect Sheila Heti humour and relatability. Send me a message if you read this book – I want to unpack it with everyone!