I don’t cope well without books.

If I don’t have a book on the go, it makes me nervous. I carry one in my bag every day even if I know I’ll be listening to podcasts on the bus or walking to work. You never know when you might need one, just in case.

And since I decided social media is a waste of time and I’d rather be reading, I’ve read quite a lot. Big props to my local library for supplying 90% of the books on this list.

Here are some of the good ones I’ve read over the last year.

1. Ordinary Human Failings – Megan Nolan
   Really enjoyed this, found the ordinaryness of the characters really compelling and liked the story and the writing style.
   
2. Wasteland – Oliver Franklin Wallis
   Brilliant, compelling, interesting, really engaging book about waste and where it goes. Genuinely changed what I throw away and buy.
   
3. Our Evenings – Alan Hollinghurst
   Loved this brilliantly written, beautiful long book from one of my favourite authors (Line of Beauty, Swimming Pool Library).
   
4. So Late In The Day – Claire Keegan
   Great short story, just 39 pages giving a snapshot of misogyny – just wished it was longer.
   
5. Shuggie Bain – Douglas Stuart
   Intense and bleak, but completely absorbing story of a young boy growing up in 1980s Glasgow with an alcoholic mother – loved it.
   
6. The Safekeep – Yael van der Wouden
   Good book, great twist, enjoyed it a lot.
   
7. In Memorium – Alice Winn
   Found this in the ‘new books’ bit of my library and grabbed it thinking the blurb sounded interesting. Turned out to be a brilliant book set in the brutal, brutal trenches during World War 1. Pretty unflinching fiction. A proper page turner.
   
8. The Haves and the Have Yachts, Dispatches on the Ultra Rich – Evan Osnos
   Another impromptu library pickup. Collection of essays written by journalist Evan Osnos from the New Yorker about the mega rich oligarchs ruining the world. I’d say 90% of them were very revealing and interesting; some a little too American-focused for my British brain. Still, enjoyed.
   
9. Heart the Lover – Lily King
   What a book! Brilliant. Excellent. Love story, farewell to youth, mortality, humans, oof. Sped through it, cried at the end. Didn’t even clock that it was a sequel? – Prequel? – to Writers and Lovers. If I ever write something half as good as this, I’ll be happy.
   
10. All That Glitters – Orlando Whitfield
    Really enjoyed this memoir about a guy whose best mate was committing art fraud. Good little peek into the London (and worldwide) art world. Which is ridiculous.
    
11. The Bee Sting – Paul Murray
    Pretty chunky (600+ pages), which made it difficult to get pulled into but then… it hooked me into the ins and outs of a dysfunctional Irish family, laughed out loud in places.

And remember the golden rule of books buying: if you can, buy local, and use your library, and if you liked it, tell me what you’ve read.

I get asked for book recommendations quite a bit. 

On average I would say it happens about twice a week, but that’s less than the times where I give out entirely unsolicited recommendations which is about five times a week.

In fact, if we’ve ever managed to get through a conversation without me saying “oh by the way I’ve read this really good book” and insisting that you write it down or shoving a copy into your hand before you leave my house, then maybe we’re not really friends.

Some people bake cakes. Others throw dinner parties. I suggest books.

Anyway if you’ve read something I’ve recommended before and liked that, there’s a chance you’ll like these too.

And if you hated whatever I said you’d like then…you’re welcome, and I’ve also done a post with podcasts that will improve your terrible commute, so if you’re in the market for timekillers but don’t trust my taste in literature, go there.

Annnd if we follow each other on Twitter then you probably recommended one of these to me, so there’s probably nothing new here for you. You are my guide.

Let’s begin.

1. The Girls – Emma Cline
Accurately sums up teenage angst, cannot comment on whether it accurately sums up murderous cults.

2. Girls on Fire – Robin Wasserman
More angsty teenagers with vaguely relatable feelings doing weird stuff. Grim but readable.

3. SweetBitter – Stephanie Danler
Early 20s girl moves to New York, works in restaurant, does a lot of drugs. Kept reading, wasn’t totally sure why but I liked it.

4. Wolf Border – Sarah Hall
Woman takes job introducing wolves to the Lake District. Made me want a more interesting job and also a pack of wolves.

5. The Shepherd’s Life – James Rebanks
Never had “biographical account of what it’s like to be a shepherd in the Lake District” on my must-read list either, but suggest you put it on yours.

6. Open – Andre Agassi
If you’ve got even the slightest interest in tennis and extremely famous people, Agassi’s your man. Two words: Barbara. Streisand.

7. Make Your Home Among Strangers – Jennine Capo Crucet

Cuban girl from Miami goes to a decent university, leaves her family behind. Cultural differences ensue.

8. Department of Speculation – Jenny Offill

Probably don’t read this if you’re newly married. Everyone else: you’re good.

9. Euphoria – Lily King

Three anthropologists living among a tribe in Papua New Guinea. Apparently this is based on Margaret Mead but I didn’t know who she was before reading it. This book is very excellent.

10. We Were Liars – E. Lockhart

A story about kids, and a dysfunctional family, who get together every summer. Not especially cheery, but which of these books are?

11. This is the Story of a Happy Marriage – Ann Patchett

Essays on writing, love and life. Good for commuting because you can nail through one between stops.

Ok. That’ll do for now. Subscribe. Follow me. Click like. RT. E-mail it. Tell your friends.