In news that has me clutching The Oxford Book of English Verse to my chest in horror, it turns out the number of students picking humanities degrees has fallen off a cliff, with numbers down 40,000 in the last decade.
As a certified book nerd and English Literature grad, I find this quite depressing, even though I can acknowledge that a degree in story studies doesn’t have the obvious career potential of business or law.
English Lit was an extremely popular and cool degree of choice when I studied it (honestly). And, while there were some aspects of the course that I didn’t enjoy - Middle English and the fucking Faerie Queene being particular low points - my inner dweeb loved learning about how the literature from each period was shaped by events, whether that was witch trials or world wars, the French Revolution or the suffragette movement. Essentially, it felt like a fascinating version of a history degree, without all the boring documents.
I did, however, have to read A LOT of books/plays/poems, and after university I had about three years where I basically couldn’t read a novel. I found it impossible to disconnect reading from work, immediately flicking to the end to find out how many pages there were and furiously charging through each book rather than slowing down to savour the experience.
I’m happy to say that has changed now, and I’m firmly back in the reading camp. In fact, before I had a kid I was whizzing through books like nobody’s business. I also downloaded Goodreads, a sort of social network for bookworms, where you can record a rating for each book you read. It’s great if you’re the type of person who often gets asked for book recommendations but can never remember the name of any of them.
Another thing I like about Goodreads is that you can set yourself reading challenges. My results have been a good way to record the impact of motherhood: the year pre-giving birth I read 60 books, the year after I read 20, which succinctly demonstrates the fact I could barely concentrate on anything other than sterilising bottles and checking if the baby was still breathing. I remember seriously wondering if I would ever have a functioning brain again, let alone the time to read. And things have changed since becoming a mum - I no longer spend hours on sun loungers shielding my eyes with airport paperbacks, and I’m so knackered by bedtime I can read about two pages before nodding off and losing my place. However, my commute has turned into sacred reading time (the silver lining of barely working from home?). Plus when I’m on-the-go I’ve started to experiment with Audible, which I particularly like for non-fiction.
Anyway, this is a ridiculously waffly way of saying I’ve read quite a lot of old and new books in 2022, and have given loads of them five-star reviews. If you fancy settling down with a book in that weird bit between Christmas and New Year, here are just a few of my top recommendations…
You Had Me At Hello - Mhairi McFarlane
I feel like an idiot to have only just discovered Mhairi’s novels - although I’m also pleased because now I have all that joy ahead of me. Rom-coms often get looked down on, but Mhairi is great at showing just how smart, relevant and piercingly funny the genre can be. Astoundingly astute and witty - this is a book I wish I could’ve written myself!
The School for Good Mothers - Jessamine Chan
Gaaaah I loved this. It follows the story of Frida, a frazzled single mum who gets into huge trouble after leaving her toddler alone at home. It’s troubling and clever, and absolutely skewers the impossible parenting standards we hold mothers up to these days (in case you’re worried, I don’t mean the child abandonment bit).
One Day I Shall Astonish the World - Nina Stibbe
I’ve realised over the years that Nina Stibbe is a love or hate type of writer (I lent one of her books, Man at the Helm, to my mum and told her it was the funniest thing I’d ever read. Pam couldn’t even finish it). I for one am firmly in the love camp, and this book was a hoot. The section about suburban dogging made me laugh out loud on the tube.
American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld’s books are always very long but worth it, in my experience. This one charts the life story of Alice Blackwell, from bookish teen who finds herself embroiled in a terrible accident, to First Lady of the USA. If you like it read Prep too!
Back Trouble - Clare Chambers
I love it when you find an author whose every word you adore. Clare Chambers is on that list for me, along with Maggie O’Farrell and Kate Atkinson (I named my actual child after one of Kate’s characters, for goodness sake). Recently the smash hit Small Pleasures won Clare Chambers the attention she deserves, but do delve into her other books too - this one about forty-something, newly-single Phillip is a joy. Oh and try In a Good Light and Learning to Swim too (can you tell I’m obsessed?)
You Be Mother - Meg Mason
My favourite book of the year! I loved this novel even more than Sorrow and Bliss, and I really, really loved Sorrow and Bliss. The characters are so brilliantly drawn and nuanced, including our two main players: Abi, a young single mum who loves from London to Sydney, and Phyllida, her charming but imperious older neighbour.
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way - Rebecca Wait
Simultaneously warm and unflinching, this novel follows a dysfunctional family, focusing largely on two sisters: the sensible goodie two-shoes and her reckless sister. The backstories give you sympathy with even the most unlikeable characters; there are no simple heroes and villains. I hoovered up Rebecca Wait’s other novel The Followers after this - totally different (it’s about a cult!) but also fab.
Malibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins Reid
I know I’m late to the party, but 2022 is the year I finally discovered Taylor Jenkins Reid, and immediately read every single one of her novels - what a treat! Amongst tough competition, Malibu Rising was my favourite, delving into the uber-glamorous lives of gorgeous models and surfers on the California coast. Plus there’s The OC levels of drama!
Hare House - Sally Hinchcliffe
A creepy one! I read this last January, which was perfect because it’s set in a wintry, remote Scottish house where a newcomer discovers all kinds of weird goings on. A scary story done very well.
The Girl with the Louding Voice - Abi Dare
Great books can transport you into an entirely different life, and in that respect this novel is exceptional. Its heroine, Adunni, is a teenage servant in Nigeria who experiences poverty and shocking abuse. Despite this, she never lets go of her dream - and I’ve never rooted so hard for a character to achieve their dream either.
Shiver - Allie Reynolds
I will always remember this book as my companion when dining alone in Thailand. I’ve generally been a complete wimp about doing stuff like that, but this thriller made it such a joy I was hanging round long after I finished my food! A whodunnit set in a snowy mountain resort, with endless cliffhangers and a twisty pay-off. What more could you want?
And one to listen to…
The Palace Papers - Tina Brown
There were two reasons I didn’t really fancy this initially. First, I found Tina Brown’s Vanity Fair Diaries absolutely impenetrable. Secondly - do I really need to hear more about the royals? But when my brilliant friend (and author) Stacey Halls said she was hooked on the audiobook, I decided to give it a whirl. I then spent the next two weeks hassling everyone I knew to do the same, because it’s fascinating. Well-researched, insightful and with impressive narrative flow, this is very much worth listening to read by Tina herself.
Would love to hear your recommendations in the comments!
Assume you’ve read these (/could check your goodreads but obviously can’t be bothered):
Small things like these
A little life
The constant gardener
The quiet American
The end of the affair