Thursday 14 November 2013

Books Are Amazing... October Edition!

This month's book post is dreadfully late, and it's all my fault. There's not a good excuse, I'm just dreadful. And late. This month's poster is the lovely Georgina from Caramel Latte Kiss! Take it away, George...


Well, hello lovely Essbeevee readers! I’m George, and I blog over at Caramel Latte Kiss. Reading has always been a big love for me; I was always the kid with my head in a book, and I’m still that person now. Asking me to pick a favourite book is like asking a mother to pick her favourite child. I have books I read when on holiday, books for the train, books for when I’m sad, books for when I’m ill... you get the idea.
So without further ado, here are some of all time favourites.


I Capture The Castle – Dodie Smith
“I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.” That might be one of my favourite ever opening lines. I always struggle to explain exactly what it is about this book that I love so much. I’ve reread it so many times, and each reread is like sinking into a warm bath. There is an air of the fairytale to this story; the poor family living in a house built into castle walls, a romance that begins with DeBussy and fountains and the heroine with dyed green hands. Smith’s book tells the story of the merry-go-round of love, and the games we play to find it. You know what, finish this post, then go and read it. You won’t regret it.

The Secret History – Donna Tartt
This book gave me the chills when I first read it. I don’t want to say too much about it, but the book opens with a murder. You start the story knowing who has been killed and who did it. The book then jumps back to before the murder, and the story continues, told from the perspective of one of the murderers, and builds back up to the murder. By the end, you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of understanding why the murder has to take place. Tartt writes beautifully and this book is a must-read.

Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Forget the film (although it is very good), this book is magical. It’s the story of a boy, stranded at sea in a lifeboat with a tiger. The book’s theme is faith; which story do you believe? The boy and the tiger or a far more bleak tale of survival?


How To Be A Woman – Caitlin Moran
This ought to be required reading for women everywhere. I wouldn’t advise reading this in public though, it’s laugh out loud funny and will make people look at you like you’re a bit mental. How To Be A Woman is Caitlin Moran’s feminist manifesto, intercut with stories and memories of her own life, which will have you cackling like a maniac.

The Sleepwalker At Sea – Kelly Grovier
I was lucky enough to be taught by Kelly at University. Kelly is an American poet, who’s taught at several British universities. The Sleepwalker at Sea is his second collection (his first, A Lens In The Palm is worth a read too), and explores aging, love, loss and memory. The poems here are beautiful and haunting, and question what it means to be in the world. Kelly’s work is utterly engrossing. If you’re interested in poetry at all, you need this on your bookshelf.
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4 comments

  1. We have very similar taste- I love your 1-4, particularly 1 & 2, but I've never heard of 5- must check it out!

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  2. Just re reading The Secret History - love it x

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  3. Good lord, I'm on Essbeevee's blog! Well, isn't this exciting.

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  4. How to Be A Woman is one of the best books! Moranthology, a collection of her essays and articles is also brilliant reading :) x

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