savourites #13: books special

what I’ve loved reading, what you might too

My old arts desk brain tells me this is an illogical time to send out a books recommendation list: in the dog days of summer, cutting it fine on summer holidays; too early for the publishing rush of autumn. But part of the reason why I set savour up was to do things more instinctively, and this week, I felt like rounding up the books I think you should consider reading.

Reading recommendations has become - quite literally - my day job, working at Penguin as the features editor of the website there. Yes, we do sit around and talk about books all day! Yes, we do get paid to read! I interview authors and ask other writers I admire to interview authors. No, we never get to the bottom of our to-read piles, but chances are I’ve got something to say about at least one of the books on yours.

So, without further ado, 10 books that have made me think, weep (rare but all the better for it), laugh and linger - nearly all I’ve read or re-read this year. I can see this being the first of several instalments, what do you think? Do let me know, as well as what I should be sticking in the unread bookcase (we have one, it glowers/grins at us from the bottom of the stairs) in the comments.