DYING: A MEMOIR BY CORY TAYLOR // This powerful little book
was written in a few short weeks as author Cory Taylor lay dying
of cancer. Sounds depressing, but Dying: A Memoir is reflective,
poignant, and at times even uplifting, in that rough-situations-bring-
out-our-inner-chutzpah kind of way. It’s truth-telling served neat,
as Cory chronicles her childhood and life with her husband, Shin,
as well as her own experiences with losing folks she loved. Full of
smart observations and incredibly sharp, accessible writing, Obama
chose this as one of his favourite books of 2017 for good reason –
take a deep breath and sink into it on a rainy afternoon.
FAHRENHEIT 451 BY RAY BRADBURY // Imagine a world without
books. (Fair enough if you don’t want to – neither, really.) That’s the
premise of sci-fi classic Fahrenheit 451, a dystopian novel set in a
world where tomes of any size, shape and subject are banned. Like
Nineteen Eighty-Four or The Handmaid’s Tale, this yarn is fictional,
but there are parts that ring terrifyingly true, and may well make
your page-turning fingers a bit clammy. Pick it up if you’re keen
to disappear into a dismal, totalitarian world for a little while (and
give your bookshelf a big hug when you’re done, because, thank
goodness, we’re not quite there yet).
THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY BY DOUGLAS ADAMS //
If you’re after a lighthearted, silly romp through outer space, look
no further. Reading this pint-sized book feels like a long overdue
catch- up with your weird best friend from high school: it’s fun; it’s
wacky; it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense; but it’s got a lot of heart(plus, you’ll finally understand the meaning of the universe). Pop it
in your bag to devour over a lunch break or two. If it hits the spot,
there’s good news: it’s the first in a series featuring five more tales
of interplanetary exploits.
THE YELLOW WALLPAPER AND OTHER STORIES BY CHARLOTTE
PERKINS GILMAN // Want to know how much – or how little – things
have changed for lady types in the past 100-odd years? Get your
mitts on this collection of short stories by feminist writer Charlotte
Perkins Gilman. The title story is her most famous: it follows a
woman’s descent into madness (and hallucinations) as she’s kept
in solitary confinement to treat her “slight hysterical tendency”.
It’s gripping stuff, and makes a great read for the commute to and
from work, when you can dip in and out and spend plenty of time
pondering our understanding of mental health.
THE LITTLE PRINCE BY ANTOINE DE SAINT-EXUPÉRY // This 1943
novella is one of the most translated books in the world, selling more
than two million copies a year. It tells the story of a pilot stranded
in the desert who meets a prince from another planet, and the
friendship that grows from the encounter – as well as the lessons
the pilot learns about our planet, loneliness and existence in general.
Far from being bleak, it’s a bit of a philosophical pick-me-up (with
cute-as-heck pictures by the author himself. Over-achiever). Share
it with the little people in your life, because this book resonates with
big’uns and littl’uns alike.
HEARTBURN BY NORA EPHRON // The space where memoir meets
fiction is occupied by Heartburn, the 1983 autobiographical novel by
the late, great Nora Ephron (i.e. the brains behind movies like You’ve
Got Mail,When Harry Met Sally, and the film version of this book).
It’s inspired by the breakdown of Nora’s marriage to journalist Carl
Bernstein, and his infidelity – but don’t worry, it’ll make you chuckle
between tears, and there are even delicious recipes peppered
throughout its pages. A word of warning: you’ll probably fall deeply
in love with Nora and her blunt wisdom, and want to devour every
other creative project she’s turned to gold.skinny books
PINT-SIZED LITERARY HITS WITH
GISELLE AU-NHIEN NGUYEN.
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