Stories have been at the heart of my Covid year. Stories have kept me sane and cheerful in a world that has changed, maybe forever. When choosing my top reading picks for 2020 I have chosen memorable books that have challenged my thinking and put me in my happy reading place. Enjoy!
- Kassabova, Kapka (2020) To The Lake: A Balkan Journey of War and Peace. A truly magical and lyrical journey into the turbulent South Balkans landscape with its imprint of unforgettable human narratives. September 2020 Picks.
- Strout, Elizabeth (2019) Olive, Again. Meticulously observed and uncompromisingly linked stories that witness the finer nuances of grief, loneliness and ageing. January 2020 Picks.
- Broom, Sarah M (2019) The Yellow House. This stunning memoir of a multigenerational large black family, a beloved house, and Hurricane Katrina, is a work of great cadence. April 2020 Picks.
- Farrow, Ronan (2019) Catch and Kill: Lies, spies and a conspiracy to protect predators. This scrupulously documented piece of investigative journalism on harassment and other sexual transgressions, has the pace of a thriller, but is handled with great empathy. June 2020 Picks.
- O’Farrell, Maggie (2020) Hamnet. A profoundly moving reimagined portrait of the life of the son, the wife, and the family of an unnamed, but largely absent, famous English playwright. November 2020 Picks.
- Dalrymple, William (2019) The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company. A compelling history of the militarised conquest of India by a ruthless corporation who looted resources, destroyed dynasties, ruled 100 million people and upended the trading world. May 2020 Picks.
- Marshall, Owen (2019) Pearly Gates. A dryly observed tale of a flawed small provincial town mayor who becomes increasingly aware that not everything is ‘peachy’ in his life. June 2020 Picks.
- French, Tana (2020) The Searcher. This slowly paced character-driven mystery, where an outsider seeks to build a new life amongst morally ambiguous townspeople, has plenty of depth and pathos. October 2020 Picks.
- Galbraith, Robert (2020) Troubled Blood. This brutally twisted epic page-turner, featuring Cormoran Strike, Robin Ellacott and a complex cold care, is beautifully invented in the best JK Rowling storytelling tradition. December 2020 Picks.
- Schaitkin, Alexis (2020) Saint X. A brilliantly haunting and original “true crime” story of grief and obsession that is much more than a mystery. March 2020 Picks.
7:30 Bookclub 