Summer holiday season is well and truly upon us. With school holidays in full swing, families, teachers and teenagers are jetting off to sunnier, more exotic locations.
For those who have exciting trips lined up, we know the best way to enjoy a relaxing week away is to catch up on some reading. For those who aren’t heading off to sunnier climates, there might just be an interesting new read for your daily commute or a Sunday afternoon in the park.
Whether you’re looking for something foodie (you know us, food is always on our mind!), something wellness-focused, or just a fun fictional read; here’s our full list of Summer holiday reads:
Foodie finds:
‘Is butter a carb?’ – Rosie Saunt & Helen West
Learn from the founders of The Rooted Project. Registered dietitians and qualified nutritionists Rosie Saunt and Helen West teach us about the truths and inaccuracies regarding nutritional wellbeing in today’s society. They debunk the myths that dominate the food and wellness industry and focus on offering up the right tools and knowledge to allow readers to take control of their own health.
Ruby Tandoh lives by the motto ‘eat whatever the f*** you want’. Her book reminds us to celebrate the fun and pleasure of food, and warns us against the perils of fad diets and listening to what others think about your diet.
They say your gut is as important as your brain or your heart, but how much do you actually know about this seemingly important organ? Giulia Enders highlights just how important the gut really is, and why we should be more conscious about how we treat our gut and how we can look after it.
This Kitchen is for Dancing – Karlene Karst
For foodies like us, this is the perfect book to remind you about the reasons you fell in love with food in the first place. Karlene Karst uses her own personal experiences to share her cooking tips and tricks and how you can use food to bring love, comfort and nourishment into your home.
Wellness:
Goodbye, Things – Fumio Sasaki
Explore the beauty in minimalism as Fumio Sasaki offers a set of basic rules: discard it if you haven’t used it in a year; be a borrower; find your uniform; keep photos of the things you love. This motto can help you lead a simpler, happier, and more fulfilled life.
How To Do Nothing – Jenny Odell
In today’s society, it’s very hard to take a step back and stop. After the 2016 presidential election, Jenny Odell was so disorientated, confused and overstimulated by misinformation, she found reality was slipping away. This book provides an insightful argument for refusal and taking a step back – protecting ourselves from becoming an instrument which needs to be optimised.
Reasons to Stay Alive – Matt Haig
Read Matt Haig’s true story as he enlightens his readers about his honest reasons for enjoying life. “I wrote this book because the oldest clichés remain the truest. Time heals. The bottom of the valley never provides the clearest view. The tunnel does have light at the end of it, even if we haven’t been able to see it . . . Words, just sometimes, really can set you free.” – This is a raw, eye-opening read, reminding readers to live life to its fullest and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.
In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us how we can begin to understand and see our real selves. His book educates us to become more awakened, relaxed and self-aware as you learn about yourself and the world around you.
Fiction:
Be transported into the lives of two young Irish characters, Connell and Marriane. Sally Rooney doesn’t write a typical love story but tells us the story of a boy and a girl who experience the day-to-day pressures and problems of a young person in today’s society. Read how their complicated lives continue to cause these two characters to gravitate towards each other regardless of their changing situations.
Dear Evan Hanson – Val Emmich Justin Paul Steven Levenson & Benj Pasek
With a London musical being released later this year, Dear Evan Hanson is a great book to add to the list. This coming of age story tackles some poignant topics such as grief, anxiety and teenage peer pressure.
When All is Said – Anne Griffin
Over the course of an evening, 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan gives five toasts to five of his most important friends. Anne Griffen allows her readers to become a part of the audience as these toasts reveal stories of love, tragedy and regret, while the life of one man will be powerfully exposed.
An American Marriage – Tayari Jone
After a fateful turn of events, newlyweds Celestial and Roy are cruelly forced to begin their marriage apart. Read about their tragic story as years go by causing their marriage to take rocky turns due to unfortunate circumstances.
