It’s June, which means that here in Australia the first chill of what seems to be a mild Winter has dropped into our homes. I helped my 93-year-old neighbour with her bins this morning, she glanced at my Las Vegas tee, ‘I would like to go somewhere warm like that' she cooed, pointing at my T-shirt as she wrapped her velvet nightgown tighter around her waist. Of course, in the northern hemisphere the earth has flipped to summer. I’m imagining a warm rock in the sun, a still cerulean sea, and a great book—the ultimate companion.
Whether you’re wintering or summering, here are the books that are currently my ultimate companions.
1. Currently reading. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. Four stars.
My acid test for whether I recommend a book is whether it was easy to enter. I dropped into this story with ease, entered Joan’s world that commences with the sudden passing of her husband John Gregory Dunne.
I've wanted to read Joan Didion for years, and The Year of Magical Thinking felt like the right place to begin. It is both a memoir of grief and an exploration of the ways we try to make sense of the incomprehensible.
2. Storm and Grace by Kathryn Heyman. Recently read. Four stars.
This dark romantic tale is set in the world of freediving, a sport that pushes the limits of physical endurance and mental resilience. The prose is compelling, sometimes the story is explained slightly more than necessary however it is for the most part gripping and suspenseful.
I've always been fascinated by people who willingly test the boundaries of what seems humanly possible, and freediving feels both beautiful and terrifying in equal measure. Combined with a compelling love story, it promises the sort of immersive read that is perfect for a long afternoon by the sea.
The book echoes the documentary The Deepest Breath which I also highly recommend:
3. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton. On my to read pile.
This book has been repeatedly recommended to me.
Set in New Zealand, Birnam Wood follows a collective of guerrilla gardeners whose ideals are tested when they become entangled with wealth, power and competing visions of what is morally acceptable. I've heard it described as both a literary thriller and a sharp exploration of contemporary politics, a combination I find difficult to resist.
What appeals to me most is the promise of moral complexity. I enjoy novels that refuse easy answers and ask readers to sit with uncomfortable questions.
4. On Beauty by Zadie Smith. On my to read pile.
I recently finished Swing Time by Zadie Smith. I admire Smith's prose and her ability to capture the nuances of human relationships, though at times I felt that novel meandered and lost sight of its central narrative.
On Beauty is widely regarded as Smith's masterpiece, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with her writing. The novel explores the entanglement of two families, examining questions of race, class, beauty, identity and the tension between private failings and public ideals.
I'm particularly drawn to stories that explore the gap between who we believe ourselves to be and how we actually behave. The collision of low morals and high ideals promises an entertaining and thought-provoking read.
5. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan. On my to read pile.
Richard Flanagan's Booker Prize-winning novel tells the story of Australian prisoners of war forced to work on the Burma Railway during the Second World War.
A friend recently sent me this interview with Richard Flanagan about his writing journey of this book. His story and his voice have stayed with me. His realisation that life is sometimes far more poetic than we might write it resonated deeply. Sometimes the synchronicities of real life can leave us with all the answers we need.
The book was recently adapted for television and stars the magical Jacob Elordi.
6. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. On my to read pile.
This is the book of the moment, and I couldn't resist finding out what all the fuss is about.
Yesteryear invites us to imagine life in another era with a fresh perspective that has clearly resonated with readers. I love books that use the past to illuminate questions about the present, and I'm curious to discover whether this one lives up to the hype.
If you've read any of these titles—or have recommendations of your own—I'd love to hear what's currently on your bedside table.
