Self-isolating? Read These Books
The coronavirus is inducing a feeling of collective panic, one that I’m certainly not immune to and if you are self-isolating, or will be in the future, this might increase that anxiety. This is because it’s an interruption of daily life, reminding you that something is wrong but, even more so, it’s because self-isolating will probably encourage you to spend more time on your phone, seeking social engagement via the news and social media in place of finding it in the real world. And the news and social media are not very nice places to be right now. I’ve logged out of Twitter and am trying to spend less time on my phone generally, as the hysteria is multiplied tenfold on social media, with self-isolating being one of the most stressful things for many.
But instead of thinking about it as self-isolating, why not think about it as time off work to catch up on all the TV shows, films, reading and listening you’ve missed out on during the last few months? I think reading is a particularly good idea because it feels productive, unlike Netflix bingeing sessions, so it will hopefully stop you from feeling like you’re wasting time which could, in turn, cause more anxiety. But what to read? There’s so much choice!
Firstly, look at the books dotted around your bookshelves and home that you’ve been meaning to get round to but just haven’t had the chance yet. This is such a great time to get to those! If there aren’t any, instead of toilet roll, why not panic buy books? Things that were written before the word coronavirus became a part of our everyday vocabulary, so you can become somewhat oblivious to it (whilst still remembering to wash your hands!)
Any book will do, but if you don’t know where to start, here are some ideas that I think will be perfect during self-isolation…
the ‘lose yourself in another world’ book
This kind of book is ideal for times of anxiety, as it’s bound to get you out of your own head. A novel with a gripping, page-turning plot is perfect for this, which is great because these types of books exist across all genres and so there’s something out there for everyone. Fantasy would be a particularly good one though, for obvious reasons of escapism. This isn’t my genre of choice but I have been meaning to continue reading the Game of Thrones books so maybe now’s the time?
Here are some other ideas:
the ‘i’ve been meaning to read that’ book
We all have books that have been sat on our to-read pile, digital or physical, for a long time. According to GoodReads, I have 165. This is the perfect time to read them because it will make you feel like you’re putting your time to good use and ticking things off your to-do list! For many people, these books will be classic novels, either the traditional texts we think about when we say classics, some of which I’ve read and enjoyed, I have listed below, and modern classics. But this category will be different for everyone!
Here’s some ideas of books that I’ve read and enjoyed:
the ‘well it could be worse’ book
Approach this category with caution. These kinds of books might not be good for those who feel total hysteria about the world we’re living in but equally, they may remind you that what feels like an apocalyptic time has got nothing on what some writers’ minds have come up with. I’m talking about dystopian fiction, of course! It’s one of my favourite genres and for me, I think this would be a good thing to read during self-isolation, especially if it’s a dystopia that isn’t particularly concerned with health or the environment, which are two things that make me feel anxious at the moment for obvious reasons.
So here is a list of some great dystopian fiction that is not particularly focussed on health or the environment (although it inevitably does touch on them so maybe avoid this list if you don’t think it would be productive for you):
Exit West by Mosin Hamid (some would argue that this is more magical realism but I think it can also slot into the dystopia category)
the ‘relatable comfort blanket’ book
I think we all need a comfort blanket right now and luckily, there are so many books that act just like them! I’m talking about the books that you can see yourself in, the feel-good books with hope at their core, or at least somewhere in and amongst their pages. Self-care books aren’t really my thing but there are a number of books that, although don’t fall into the traditional category of self-care books, have acted as such for me.
Here are some of them:
the ‘I’m educating myself’ book
Like the books you just haven’t got round to, reading an educational book can help you to feel productive during a time when productivity levels are low. Educational is often synonymous with boring and dull but this certainly isn’t the case with some of the more informative books I’ve read. In fact, many of them have been empowering, enlightening and have made me excited about new ways of looking at the world, and inspired me to make changes, big and small.
Here are some of my favourites:
Hopefully after seeing all the wonderful books there are out there to read, you’re feeling more positive about the prospect of not leaving your home for the foreseeable or it at least seems more bearable!
If you aren’t currently self-isolating, do try and support your local book stores, whether it’s a Waterstones or an independent, and stock up on books there, as this will be a difficult time financially for them. If you’re unable to, I’ve added clickable Amazon links for every book I’ve mentioned!
Happy self-isolating or as I like to call it, happy-sitting-in-bed-and-reading-all-day-guilt-free-time <3
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | February 2020
February was a month of settling in to my final semester of university, which brought with it a bout of deadlines that arrived much earlier than usual. With all this writing came less reading, but lots of collapsing onto the couch with some feel good TV, even some films, which is so unlike me as I am, generally, someone who watches films exclusively at the cinema.
After this intense period of watching I am once again out of TV shows to watch, so please leave any recommendations in the comments (I only really like light-hearted TV because I 1. am a wimp and 2. use TV as a way to relax so don’t enjoy anything stressful.)
As always, let’s start with books, of which there was a mere three this month…
Books
Perfume by Patrick Suskind | ★★★★
This was the first book I had to read for a university module about humans, animals and their intersection (which is super interesting.) I’ve actually read this novel before, as Sam bought me it for my birthday a few years ago because we used to semi-ironically listen to Nirvana and this was Kurt Cobain’s favourite book. Following a man who has an abnormally strong sense of smell which defines his life from his birth to his death, it’s a very weird, unusual story. It’s written in a similar style to Vladimir Nabokov’s prose, which I love, so the style of writing was probably my favourite thing about it, but the hilarity of the strangeness of the story is also great.
Expectation by Anna Hope | ★★★
I was definitely influenced to read this book by its social media coverage, as lots of my favourite people to follow Instagram sung its praises. Whilst I enjoyed its plot and the issues it explored, motherhood and friendship being two of them, I found the writing style to be a little dull, which made certain moments have less impact, and limited it from surpassing a 3 star review. An easy, enjoyable read? Definitely! But it’s not one I’ll particularly remember or will go out of my way to recommend.
I’m trying to monitor whether I’m reading books because I saw them on social media and unthinkingly added them to my ‘to read list’ or if because there something I’m really interested in. Instead of relying on social media, I’m trying to discover new books more and more by wondering round bookshops and picking up books that intrigue me, reading their blurb and maybe a few pages, rather than taking so many recommendations off social media, as I think I’m beginning to lose my own taste in books.
Company Parade by Storm Jameson | ★★★★
This is the first in a series of Storm Jameson novels that I’ll be reviewing over the next couple months, as her fiction is the subject of my dissertation. Jameson is an author who sat on the margins of the modernist movement and has long been forgotten, but I became fascinated by her after studying one of her novels on a module last year and have decided to focus my dissertation on her work. If anyone’s interested, it’s about how she depicts clothing as uniquely powerful for her female characters- still working on my title.
This novel follows a young woman from Yorkshire who moved to London to pursue a career in writing in the post-WW1 years. It partly explores the trauma of war on society and individuals but what I love about Jameson’s fiction is her capacity, which is way ahead of its time, to authentically explore and depict young woman, who are often working-class, in a way that has philosophical and socio-economic importance. I like to think of her as Virginia Woolf but with more social commentary. This is a bit of a lazy comparison but I feel like it’s the best way to get people to read her work, which they should because it’s great and a shame that it’s been forgotten.
Tv
Next in Fashion | ★★★★
I was really excited about this show, mainly because it’s hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung, a duo I didn’t know I needed, but that makes so much sense. Happily, it did not disappoint and I enjoyed every episode. The designers were all really great personalities but were, equally, incredibly talented designers (good job casting directors!) I loved watching the process behind each design and I think the themes for each week were well-chosen, plus, the guest judges were really impressive and not outdated at all, which I think they sometimes can be shows like this one.
(Mild spoiler: I really wanted the runner up to win, mainly because his looks on the sportswear week and the climate week were incredible. This is very weird for me because I’m generally uninterested in menswear, so this did ignite a minor identity crisis. But the winner’s ultra feminine final collection won me over the end which reassured me of my roots in womenswear.)
Crashing | ★★★★
Since finishing Fleabag, I’ve wanted to watch this series, also created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, but didn’t get round to it very quickly. I’m at once happy and sad that I finally did, happy because I finally watched it, sad because now it’s over. The humour is very much similar to that of Fleabag and although it isn’t quite as genius, it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable watch with weird and wonderful characters.
Love Is Blind | ★★★
This Netflix series really appealed to the part of me that is obsessed with the weirdness of American culture because, wow, is it weird. Weird in all the best ways that make great television, though.
I have to say though, as I watched the credits appear for the series finale, I felt my final brain cell slide begrudgingly down the side of my head, like a slug moving away from the grasp of a piece of kitchen roll. But we all need TV like this now again, especially when all your days are spent reading critical theory, there’s really nothing like good, sh*t TV.
Film
While we’re young | ★★★
I watched this at the beginning of the month, not solely because Adam Driver stars in it, but mostly that. It was a relaxed, funny watch and I really enjoyed it but it obviously hasn’t made that much of an impact on me because I can barely remember the plot. From what I can remember, it’s about a middle aged couple who become friends with a younger couple, sparking a mid-life crisis of sorts in which they try and re-live their youth.
parasite | ★★★★★
I’ve wanted to see Parasite for a while but, to be totally honest, I was put off a little bit because it’s a foreign language film and there’s subtitles. I thought this would make it a tiring watch requiring a lot of mental energy, especially in the cinema, but after the first 10 minutes, I didn’t even notice that I was reading subtitles rather than listening to words. The plot of this film was phenomenal, the humour mirrored my own down to a tee and the twists and turns it took consistently shocked me but made total sense. The social commentary running throughout it was also so affecting, without it being in-your-face, and completely universal, transcending language and countries. One of the best films I’ve watched in a long time.
booksmart | ★★★★
This is the perfect easy-to-watch, feel-good and hilarious film. I love that more films about female friendship are being made and I love that Beanie Feldstein is being cast in them because she is simply great.
fighting with my family | ★★★
When I suggested to Sam that we should watch a film about wrestling he was very confused. “Florence Pugh’s in it,” I explained. he was still confused. “She was in Little Wome-”, “Oh okay, I get it.”
I actually really enjoyed this film. Again, like Booksmart, it was easy to watch, funny and, at times, heartwarming. But I wasn’t always convinced by the script which was sometimes cliched and cringeworthy.
honourable mentions
particular podcast episodes, articles or any other bits of culture that don’t fit into any of the above cateogories
The Best Books I Read in 2019
2019 has been a weird year in terms of reading for me personally. As my degree has become more intense and I’ve been reading more than ever for university purposes, I haven’t been able to read as much for pleasure. This has been really difficult as reading is my favourite way- and possibly my only way- to relax. But reading around 200 pages a day, often more, for university means I am usually too mentally exhausted to read for pleasure in the evenings, and not only this, but I feel as though it could hinder my degree, as I don’t have the best capacity for retaining information and so I do think, in this case, it’s very much possible for me to read too much.
Because of the intensity of my degree during 2019, I’ve read more than ever, although less novels than usual, and certainly less for pleasure. Despite this, I’ve also craved reading more than ever, and one of the reasons I’m so excited to graduate is so I can read more. Yes, I have really just said that I’m excited to finish my English Literature degree so I can read more books- I hate myself too.
Anyway, according to GoodReads, I’ve read 44 books this year and I’ve managed to narrow them down to 9 favourites, as well as an honourable mention. 5 of these books were read for uni, proving that my degree does have some value and 5 of them were books I was re-reading, so I’m not really sure whether or not it’s fair to include them but I am doing so anyway. Interestingly, a lot of the books I’ve read this year are fairly short (probably all around the 300 page mark or shorter) and I think this is because I am generally impressed by books that can do a lot in a short space of time.
If your New Years Resolution is to read more, I can thoroughly recommend all of these books. And on that note, I’d love any book recommendations you might have, so please do leave me them in the comments! Anyway, on to the books…
Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman
I watched the film version of this in 2018 and was desperate to read the novel, which I finally got round to in August of this year. I read it poolside in Corfu which is the perfect location to read this dreamlike novel. I’ve doted on it ever since and it’s definitely my book of the year. It’s a beautiful story, beautifully written and is just so full of feeling. I don’t know if this will make sense to anyone else and it’s not something I’ve necessarily experienced very much before but I felt sick reading the prose in this novel because it was just so good. Sick in a good way: as in completely overwhelmed and transported, almost like an out of body experience, not to be dramatic or anything.
Unfortunately, I read the sequel - Find Me - in recent weeks and it was honestly appalling. There’s nothing I hate more than a pointless, pretentious book and that’s what this felt like. Plus, it had around 12 pages of Oliver & Elio content, which is obviously what everyone who read CMBYN was there for. Anyway, this doesn’t take away from how much I love Call Me By Your Name, but if you read it and are tempted to read the sequel too, I would advise you to not to if you want to keep your Aciman experience positive.
I promise I’ll move on soon but before I do, I want to include the last line of the novel, which just broke me (potential spoilers):
“If you remember everything, I wanted to say, and if you are really like me, then before you leave tomorrow, or when you’re just ready to shut the door of the taxi and have already said goodbye to everyone else and there’s not a thing left to say in this life, then, just this once, turn to me, even in jest, or as an afterthought, which would have meant everything to me when we were together, and, as you did back then, look me in the face, hold my gaze, and call me by your name.”
Lolita by Vladamir Nabokov
A controversial pick but one I firmly stand by. I re-read this for a university module and was impressed even more than I was the first time I read it by how truly clever this book is, because it manages to convince so many readers that its plot is about a romantic relationship, rather than about paedophilia, which, just to be clear, it is. I think it goes to show how powerful and important language is and how it can be used and is used (cough cough 2019 general election cough cough) as a form of manipulation.
I do also find it fascinating how people are so uncomfortable with this book to the point of refusing to read it. We don’t condemn plots that are centred around murder or torture, even those that romanticise it like American Psycho (although that comes with its own set of problems aka the author being a bit of a dick). Yet, we are almost scared of this book because of how it sets out to manipulate you into siding with its narrator. It’s one I think I could re-read and re-read and find interesting every time, because of its many forms of manipulation and so, who knows, maybe this will be on my 2020 list of books.
Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie
Another re-read! I was so excited to see this novel turn up on one of my module lists earlier this year as I read it a couple of years ago and loved it. It was published in recent years and it taught me a lot about islamophobia within our society. On top of this, it’s also a gripping and fast-paced read that I was on the edge of my seat throughout reading, even the second time.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Surprise, surprise: another book I re-read! This one is different though because I’ve read this novel countless amounts of times since I was a little girl. It’s a comfort read that I love to come back to around Christmas, and it was particularly exciting to read it this year before seeing Greta Gerwig’s film adaptation, which I loved so so much. The story encapsulates what it means to be a sister so well, the good, the bad and the ugly, and the story is timeless. Upon reading it for the umpteenth time (and after watching the film), I’ve come up with a new theory: if you’re an older sister, you love Jo and dislike Amy, if you’re a younger sister you like Amy and dislike Jo (or at least find her irritating). I am firmly in the first ballpark and am very proud to say that I am most similar to Jo, according to a very credible BuzzFeed quiz I did.
Focus by Arthur Miller
This is a book I read for university earlier in the year and is one of the few uni books I’ve read that I found truly addicting. It’s set in post-war America when the protagonist gets a new pair of glasses and is consistently mistaken as Jewish, and is discriminated against as a result of this. It unfortunately feels like a pressing and relevant story over 70 years after its publication and I think its concept is a clever one that encourages readers to be more empathetic and understanding of those around them.
White is For Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
I read this novel for my Gothic course and it’s book like these that make me really appreciate my degree as I’m sure I never would have picked up a book like this one (the form is weird, as is the subject matter) but it totally blew me away. It makes very little sense but, unlike many pretentious novels I’ve read that are nonsensical only to be pretentious, this is part of its genius. It’s a comment on how we think about race and immigration in the UK through the lens of a Gothic vampire novel and I hope that short summary at least intrigues you to read it. One of my reading resolutions of 2020 is definitely to read more Oyeyemi!
conversaTions with friends by sally rooney
After reading Normal People at the end of 2018, I was eager to read Rooney’s first novel, and I liked it even more than the first one. I read it at the beginning of 2019 so my memory when it comes to its plot is flagging, but I do remember how much I loved Rooney’s prose and the thought-provoking and honest ways she writes about relationships. I am eagerly anticipating more of her fiction!
the vegetarian by han kang
This was one of the last books I read in 2019 and I’m so glad I finally got round to it as I’ve wanted to read it for a while (thanks to my friend Devi for lending me it and giving me the push I needed to read it!) Much like White Is For Witching, this book made little sense. It’s also a thin little book but it manages to pack so much in! I loved how it considered vegetarianism and feminism at once as, even as someone who is both of these things, it presented many ideas concerning these the ideologies in a way I’d never considered before.
honourary mention: othello By william shakespeare
I was so excited to re-read my favourite Shakespeare play for uni this year: it honestly felt like what my entire degree had been leading up to. Typically, it fell on a week when my tutors were striking so we didn’t get to discuss it in very much detail, but I adored re-reading it. It’s so ahead of its time and provokes discussions that are as relevant today as when the play was published in Elizabethan times. It will forever hold a special place in my heart after studying it at A-Level and I was relieved that I still loved it as much as I did as a bright-eyed 16 year old now, 3 years into an English Literature degree.