MISERY BY STEPHEN KING // Every decade has been good to King,
but the ’80s were really his time to shine. After all, his visions of horror
and psychological torture fit so perfectly with the coked-out decadence
of the age. In Misery, we meet Paul Sheldon, a romance writer
rescued from a car crash by a fan named Annie Wilkes. If you thought
Taylor Swift fans were intense, think again – Annie is so upset when
she learns what Paul has in store for her favourite character, Misery
Chastain, that she holds him hostage, forcing him to rewrite the tale.
The climax is a litany of violent acts, schlock, psychological horrors,
and all the terror you need for a month’s worth of sleepless nights.
THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES BY TOM WOLFE // The ’80s were
a time of extremes – extreme hair, fashion, money. Wolfe captures
it all from the comfort, and later discomfort, of Sherman McCoy’s
multimillion-dollar Park Avenue apartment. The novel centres on the
Wall Street executive’s misadventures – specifically, the way his life
is turned upside down when he and his mistress are involved in the
hit-and-run of a young black man. Wolfe cleverly captures the racism,
egoism and sexism of the age in this tale of a man fallen from grace.
THE WITCHES BY ROALD DAHL // Surely, surely you’ve read this
book already? If not, then you should definitely stop reading the review
and get to the library. On your way, keep an eye out for women in
long gloves, wigs, and with spit the colour of ink. (Really, you should
probably be wary of anyone like that anyway.) The Witches is a classic
good-versus-evil tale, but I’d never considered an alternative evil...
is this a misogynistic tirade? Apparently, the sexist undertones of the
novel have led to it being banned from some schools. Nevertheless,
it’s worth a gander, as most Roald Dahl tales are.
THE ALCHEMIST BY PAUL COELHO // The Alchemist is one of
those books that sits for so long on so many bookshelves that most
people are convinced they’ve read it. That was me, anyway. Turns
out I hadn’t. I’d never met the little shepherd boy Santiago; read
about his dream; followed him to Egypt; learnt of the “Personal
Legend”; or, let’s be honest, discovered my true self. The Alchemist
isn’t for everyone, even though we all have a copy. If you loved
Siddhartha, The Little Prince or The Prophet, maybe give it a whirl.
THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER // Be warned: this is not
a hedonistic ’80s romp. In fact, it takes place during the 1930s
in America’s Deep South. It’s the brutal story of the treatment of
several generations of African-American women at the hands of men
and a grossly unjust society. Sexual, emotional and physical abuse
are rife. Strong characters seeking salvation where they can, and
fighting back when they cannot. Amongst the violence and trauma,
Walker has crafted a magnificent story. Be prepared.
THE VAMPIRE LESTAT BY ANNE RICE // What’s better than a
schlocky vampire book? A vampire book where the narrator takes
the stage as the lead singer in an ’80s rock band, of course! I bet
he could even walk on stage in the same billowing shirts from his
18th-century vampire days. Fashion really does come around again.
The Vampire Lestat tells Lestat’s story, from his humble beginnings
in the mortal realm to his transformation into a fanged creature of
the night, with a whole lot of violin playing in between. Lestat’s a
jerk, but which ’80s frontman wasn’t? If this didn’t grab you at ‘1980s
frontman’ and ‘vampire’, it probably isn’t for you.non-stop ’80s hits
CHUCK YOUR HAIR IN A SCRUNCHIE
AND CRACK OPEN THESE ’80s BOOKS
THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORTH READING.
Wor d s Caro Cooper
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