Trust me, I'm a super successful glamorous novelist but was also a nerdy teenager with a fear of enjoying herself who spent summers indoors with the curtains drawn reading. Like I say. Trust me.
Thanks for these, I just loved the Cazalet chronicles. May have to re read them. I implore anyone who hasn't already read Still Life by Sarah Winman to do so. A sweeping saga with a wide range of characters including a parrot. What more could you ask for?!
What a tremendous list. I also love My Cousin Rachel enormously and more than Rebecca. It is so cleverly written — the way we always see a bit more and know a bit more than Phillip even though everything is in his voice and seen only through his eyes. The thing that gets me every time though is that the last line of the book is the first line of the book repeated but you now read it completely differently— it’s genius (and what a great line). Also Commonwealth — just beautiful. Read it on a plane and thought maybe it was the altitude that made me so emotional about it (I always cry more at films on a plane for some reason), but read it again straight away at sea level and confirmed its brilliance! People always praise A Visit from the Goon Squad for how it plays with time and memory (and quite rightly, I think it’s marvellously done) but Commonwealth does similar things and should get way more praise for being formally innovative (imho anyway)
Thanks - I’ll be working my way through a lot of these as they sound great. However, I did not like All Fours! I found it infuriating, I didn’t relate at all to the protagonist (we’re all different, but she’s at the same stage of life as me and I’m a writer and I found it really annoying that some
women have to present their true selves as unhinged and dissatisfied. I don’t think it does middle aged women any favours and it made me angry!)
Aw thank you for this. That's such a good point about constantly making out every woman 40-60 is insane with perimenopausal rage, hard agree, but I just was really there for it and it hung together well and said so many wild and interesting things but is also funny and weird. I liked being in her presence and I loved its freedom. Loved it all basically. OMG so many people don't though you're in good company.
I must say it was really hilarious in places and I did laugh out loud. I felt quite conflicted for a lot of the time I was reading it - wasn't sure whether I wanted to read on or not - but perhaps it's a measure of success that it made me feel so strongly. I think in truth she lost me at the tampon scene 😂
Still Life is wonderful and I loved The Cazalet Chronicles. Haven't read Commonwealth, but love Ann Patchett. A great summer read Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. I love all of her books, but Delia Grinstead, the main protagonist in L of Y is my hero 💞
I love Anne Tyler but that book in particular really stayed with me. I’m a mother of three and read it when ill with covid - it definitely spoke to me!
Thank you Harriet! You always have the best recommendations. I’m no longer using Twitter since it became a bin fire but you were one of my favourite follows on there. Just bought my grandma a copy of The Treasures (we both adore big family sagas) and can’t wait to read it myself soon!
Aw thank you so much Rachel, that's so kind of you. Yes twitter is a bin fire and thanks for following me here. Hope you enjoy some / all of these and that your grandma enjoys the Treasures xxx
This post is exactly what I’ve been looking for - what great recommendations. I took a stack of books on holiday and started with the Homemade God - after that nothing could measure up - I wanted to read something exactly like it next. The combination of the mystery, characters, place, art… perfection. I didn’t get as far through the women’s list as I wanted to but read both of those on this list - very powerful and memorable in their different ways. I’ve been saving the last Cazalet chronicle for a while… hoping not to be disappointed!
To add a couple of favourites (you’re right people love to recommend) last year I really enjoyed The Garnett Girls and The Husbands - perfect for a sun lounger
A v solid list - homemade god and consider yourself kissed are two of my favourite books this year- Cazalets collection is a classic- I just wish I fancied safekeep and All Fours - however I did rate The Names which poss belongs on this list - thank you
I’m a bit of an outlier. I have read all of Ann Pachett’s fiction books, and Commonwealth and State of Wonder are my least favorite. So please read all of them. So rich and beautiful. I loved the Cazalet mini-series (was disappointed it was cancelled mid-stream) but have never read although its been on my list for years. Will restack so I have your recommendations at hand. Thank you. Plus, I will read start reading your novels starting with Treasure!
Thank you so much! I have just torn through The Homemade God and it is, as you say, properly unputdownable. Intensely absorbing. Between the heat and this book, I have barely slept. (Particularly interesting for me as one of four siblings myself. I’m now going to recommend it to my sisters.)
Thank you for this list! Happily ever after was one of my obsessive summer reads during exams in my last year at university and it made me decide to find a job in publishing, and I’m still here 10 years later. Thanks!
A fascinating list, I adore the Cazalet Novels, and Atonement, and Commonwealth which I listened to as an audiobook and they always live on in my head for much longer. And as you are spot on with those, I will have to try some of the others!
Thank you SO much Harriet (ps I actually recently bought the shell seekers because of your interview with Natasha!!) the treasures sounds right up my alley I can’t wait
Thanks for these, I just loved the Cazalet chronicles. May have to re read them. I implore anyone who hasn't already read Still Life by Sarah Winman to do so. A sweeping saga with a wide range of characters including a parrot. What more could you ask for?!
I have NOT read Still Life, I keep meaning to and forgetting, and thank you so so much for the reminder!! x
Going to Florence next year because of this book! 🦜
Hope to dothe same!
My favorites! I read them over again during Covid lockdown.
What a tremendous list. I also love My Cousin Rachel enormously and more than Rebecca. It is so cleverly written — the way we always see a bit more and know a bit more than Phillip even though everything is in his voice and seen only through his eyes. The thing that gets me every time though is that the last line of the book is the first line of the book repeated but you now read it completely differently— it’s genius (and what a great line). Also Commonwealth — just beautiful. Read it on a plane and thought maybe it was the altitude that made me so emotional about it (I always cry more at films on a plane for some reason), but read it again straight away at sea level and confirmed its brilliance! People always praise A Visit from the Goon Squad for how it plays with time and memory (and quite rightly, I think it’s marvellously done) but Commonwealth does similar things and should get way more praise for being formally innovative (imho anyway)
Thanks - I’ll be working my way through a lot of these as they sound great. However, I did not like All Fours! I found it infuriating, I didn’t relate at all to the protagonist (we’re all different, but she’s at the same stage of life as me and I’m a writer and I found it really annoying that some
women have to present their true selves as unhinged and dissatisfied. I don’t think it does middle aged women any favours and it made me angry!)
Aw thank you for this. That's such a good point about constantly making out every woman 40-60 is insane with perimenopausal rage, hard agree, but I just was really there for it and it hung together well and said so many wild and interesting things but is also funny and weird. I liked being in her presence and I loved its freedom. Loved it all basically. OMG so many people don't though you're in good company.
I must say it was really hilarious in places and I did laugh out loud. I felt quite conflicted for a lot of the time I was reading it - wasn't sure whether I wanted to read on or not - but perhaps it's a measure of success that it made me feel so strongly. I think in truth she lost me at the tampon scene 😂
Still Life is wonderful and I loved The Cazalet Chronicles. Haven't read Commonwealth, but love Ann Patchett. A great summer read Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. I love all of her books, but Delia Grinstead, the main protagonist in L of Y is my hero 💞
I love Anne Tyler but that book in particular really stayed with me. I’m a mother of three and read it when ill with covid - it definitely spoke to me!
And if I could only keep one book for the rest of my life, it would be: Atonement …
Thanks for using Bookshop.org! Thanks for this list.
Thank you Harriet! You always have the best recommendations. I’m no longer using Twitter since it became a bin fire but you were one of my favourite follows on there. Just bought my grandma a copy of The Treasures (we both adore big family sagas) and can’t wait to read it myself soon!
Aw thank you so much Rachel, that's so kind of you. Yes twitter is a bin fire and thanks for following me here. Hope you enjoy some / all of these and that your grandma enjoys the Treasures xxx
This post is exactly what I’ve been looking for - what great recommendations. I took a stack of books on holiday and started with the Homemade God - after that nothing could measure up - I wanted to read something exactly like it next. The combination of the mystery, characters, place, art… perfection. I didn’t get as far through the women’s list as I wanted to but read both of those on this list - very powerful and memorable in their different ways. I’ve been saving the last Cazalet chronicle for a while… hoping not to be disappointed!
To add a couple of favourites (you’re right people love to recommend) last year I really enjoyed The Garnett Girls and The Husbands - perfect for a sun lounger
A v solid list - homemade god and consider yourself kissed are two of my favourite books this year- Cazalets collection is a classic- I just wish I fancied safekeep and All Fours - however I did rate The Names which poss belongs on this list - thank you
I loved the Cazalet Chronicles & the Far Pavilions so I think I will try the rest of your list as well seem to be in tune. Thanks 🙏
I’m a bit of an outlier. I have read all of Ann Pachett’s fiction books, and Commonwealth and State of Wonder are my least favorite. So please read all of them. So rich and beautiful. I loved the Cazalet mini-series (was disappointed it was cancelled mid-stream) but have never read although its been on my list for years. Will restack so I have your recommendations at hand. Thank you. Plus, I will read start reading your novels starting with Treasure!
Thank you so much! I have just torn through The Homemade God and it is, as you say, properly unputdownable. Intensely absorbing. Between the heat and this book, I have barely slept. (Particularly interesting for me as one of four siblings myself. I’m now going to recommend it to my sisters.)
Thank you for this list! Happily ever after was one of my obsessive summer reads during exams in my last year at university and it made me decide to find a job in publishing, and I’m still here 10 years later. Thanks!
thank you so much, Harriet! <3 I have added some of your reccomendations to my reading list, it has been very helpful:)
A fascinating list, I adore the Cazalet Novels, and Atonement, and Commonwealth which I listened to as an audiobook and they always live on in my head for much longer. And as you are spot on with those, I will have to try some of the others!
Thank you SO much Harriet (ps I actually recently bought the shell seekers because of your interview with Natasha!!) the treasures sounds right up my alley I can’t wait