Oh, hello! It’s Easter Sunday morning as I write this; James is out on a dog walk with a friend and I am still in my pyjamas, under the covers, thinking about some of the wonderful books I’ve read lately.
I’ve always been a big reader and I’m also lucky enough to work with authors in my day job, so I’ve compiled a list of books that will put a spring in your step now that the days are longer and we are finally in British Summer Time territory. It’s a mix of old favourites, new finds and a couple of not-yet-published books too. Keep reading if you’re in the mood for some recommendations!
1. At the Pond: Swimming at the Hampstead Ladies’ Pond
Oh, this book. It’s a collection of essays from writers who swim at the Kenwood Ladies’ Bathing Pond on Hampstead Heath - a quiet, leafy oasis in the middle of London where women dip into the water all year round (yes, even in the depths of winter, when the water temperature plummets to just one or two degrees).
I started reading At the Pond after watching a 2018 documentary about the ponds on the Heath and falling in love with the stories of the people who swim there. I was enthralled by the woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer after losing her mum to the same disease and couldn’t wait to return to the pond after her surgery; a lady who lives with chronic pain and finds the silky waters both mentally and physically soothing; the man who had a near-death experience and has been coming to the pond in all weathers ever since.
It’s a truly beautiful, serene read that will make you want to brave the cold and experience the healing power and community of the Ladies’ Pond. I think we could all learn a thing or two from the women who commune there, not just to swim, but to feel a part of something and to find solidarity and peace amongst the trees and wildlife.
2. What am I Missing? by Emma Reed Turrell
This is one of two books included in this list that are yet to be published, but you don’t have to wait long for this one, I promise! It comes out on 4th April and it is absolutely worth the wait.
If non-fiction books are your bag and you want to know more about yourself and those around you, I implore you to discover the brilliance of Emma’s psychotherapeutic tools and techniques. In What am I Missing?, Emma reveals the blind spots that are clouding our judgement and keeping us stuck in patterns and behaviours that aren’t serving us, and provides tried and tested tools and techniques to overcome them.
This book is as gentle and hopeful as it is powerful and life-altering; I can’t recommend it enough for your springtime reading list.
3. Where the Hearth Is: Stories of Home by Kate Humble
Another essay collection of sorts, except that these stories of home are all written by Kate Humble herself from her interviews with those featured, giving the book a reassuringly familiar narrative and tone throughout (much like coming home, you might say).
I’d never read anything by Kate before I read this book, but I really, really enjoyed Where the Hearth Is. From the four weathered walls of a remote Shetland croft that encapsulates ‘home’ for generations of the same family, to displaced Syrian and Ukrainian refugees who have no choice but to carry the comfort of home in their memories and a few precious belongings, I couldn’t wait to pick this book up every evening and immerse myself in its pages.
4. Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal
There’s a bit more of a wait on this one folks, but you should absolutely pre-order it if you love a bit of tropical island escapism. It’s out on 6th June 2024!
Francesca is a wonderful writer and Welcome to Glorious Tuga, the first in the Tuga trilogy, is truly one of the best novels I have ever read. The story follows Charlotte Walker, a zoologist from London who has taken up a fellowship on a remote island called Tuga de Oro to study endangered gold coin tortoises.
I couldn’t recommend this book more, especially if you’re in need of a summer escape with a little taste of mystery and intrigue; the characters exude warmth and generosity and the story is as complex as it is vivid. Just…completely brilliant.
5. Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict by Elizabeth Day
Recently released in paperback, Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day is the study of friendship we didn’t know we needed. If you’ve ever felt curious about why we make friends, what our metrics of friendship mean or even why romantic love is almost always seen to be more important than friendship, this is the book for you.
Elizabeth explores friendship through interviews with her own friends and anecdotes from her life, as well as her research of the evolution of friendship from the ancient wisdom of Cicero to modern anthropologists such as Robin Dunbar. I found it absolutely fascinating and deeply moving in equal measure, having had a complicated friendship with friendship (see what I did there?) in my own life.
6. The Lido by Libby Page
An oldie but a goodie, The Lido was a breakout debut novel for Libby Page and still remains one of my favourite books. It follows Rosemary, 86, and Kate, 26, two women from different generations who end up united in a campaign against the closure of their beloved local lido.
Much like At the Pond, this book will leave you feeling incredibly inspired by the power of community and togetherness; I thought of the characters and their story often while I was setting up my own Reclaim the Night campaign with my friend and collaborator, Jayne. And the great news is that Libby has written a sequel, called The Lifeline. You can pre-order it here.
I hope that whatever this bank holiday has looked like for you, you’ve managed to squeeze in some time to rest and reset on the sofa (or maybe even a sun lounger). Here’s to longer days, and even longer books!
Lauren x