We asked the team from our Library and Cultural Services section (including the Library Services, Lakeside Theatre, ESCALA, Art Exchange and Special Collections) to recommend their favourite books this World Book Day, and they did not disappoint!
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Our favourite books
Why do you love it?
Memories, read it many a time when younger.
Who else would love this book?
Everyone, how could anyone possibly not.
Why do you love it?
This is a novel that follows two strands - one of a woman in the present who finds the belongings, including a diary, of a young Japanese girl, washed up on the shore near her home, and another strand of this girl in the past, told through her diary. The woman in the present works to translate the diaries, and discovers a tragic life past and the mystery that the girl might have been lost during the 2011 Tohuku earthquake and tsunami. I love the way we discover more with the woman in the present, following along as she translates, and how Ozeki writes the story within the novel unfolding.
The woman in the present discovers things about herself and finds herself so invested in the life of the girl in the diary in a way that is lifechanging - which I felt too as I read this. I felt a connection to the characters, and I still think about the girl in Japan even though I read this a few years ago and she is fictional, if only because there were people like this lost in the tsunami. It feels like Ozeki is giving a voice to those victims, but also showing a sad reality of teenage-hood for some that can be related to worldwide.
Who else would love this book?
For anyone interested in interpretation, mystery, and contemporary works which deal with lives all of us could have lived. This is a bittersweet novel that stays with you, so I recommend it for anyone ready to go on a journey through past and present, with heartbreak, joy and sadness all in one book.
Why do you love it?
It's a great story, great characters with some mystery and of course involves library and books!
Who else would love this book?
Anyone
Why do you love it?
The third book in Gibson's "Bridge" trilogy, bringing characters together that you've already met. This gives you a new understanding of each! Dystopian (possibly?) near-fi, anticipating a lot of what's happened since it's publication.
Who else would love this book?
If you've already read Idoru and Virtual Light, you'll already have read this. If you haven't, and like your future gritty, sexy, virus-filled and AI controlled, pick up Virtual Light and get on the Gibson Express! If you don't like your future like that, well...I have news for you...
Why do you love it?
A murder mystery set in the early 14th century in a monastery that references Jorge Luis Borges. The sheer intellectual curiosity that drives Eco's polymathic brilliance. Humour! What's not to love? Obviously it is not without its flaws and it was a hard choice between this and Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. Or Conrad's Heart of Darkness, or Mantel's The Mirror and the Light, or Mathias Enard's Zone. And don't get me started on art history books!
Who else would love this book?
Anyone that likes a good murder, or that the Cadfael mysteries had potential.
Jacqui recommends The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
Why do you love it?
It's witty, well observed and deals with serious themes (control, identity, choice and power) in a very intelligent way.
Who else would love this book?
Anyone who has ever wondered about the wisdom of convention, and who questions stereotypes. It's also Margaret Atwood's first novel, so an interesting read on that basis too, particularly if you're a fan.
Joe recommends Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Why do you love it?
It's a dark, brutal, but also epic and intriguing anti-western, set in the late 19th century. It contains some of the most fascinating and mysterious characters I've ever come across in a novel - often morally depraved and almost nihilistic in their actions. This certainly isn't a light read, but the book reflects on some really big themes, such as the destructive nature of mankind and manifest destiny. The ending is also particularly haunting in a way that's characteristically sinister, yet illusive.
Who else would love this book?
Someone who wants a book that challenges them, both stylistically and in terms of content. Perhaps also someone who, like me, tends to find 'happily ever after' a bit too tidy and unfulfilling.
Jess recommends Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Why do you love it?
I read this book when I was sixteen and it opened a whole new world to me. Growing up in on the rural Norfolk/Suffolk border, my experiences had been limited.
‘Invisible Man’ was published in the 1950s and is about an American black man who lives underground and reflects back on his college years, when he moved from the American south to New York in search of freedom from the segregation and racism of the south. In Harlem, he joined a civil rights group hoping to raise awareness and make a difference, but finds the groups' usage of him makes him feel more invisible than ever.
'Invisible Man' made me think about identity, race and who holds the reins of power in society, in a way that I hadn’t questioned before.
I'll never forget the Battle Royale of the first chapter, or the protagonist’s time working in paint factory, which explodes covering him in white paint. Towards the end of the book is a vivid description of how he finally accepts himself for who he is while eating a yam out on the streets of New York, “I am what I yam”. But his last mouthful was bitter, as the yam was frost bitten. Life is complex and this book continues to reminds us of this in the most beautiful, heartfelt ways.
Who else would love this book?
Anyone and everyone would enjoy this book - it is a classic.
Why do you love it?
Not only a captivating story but filled to the brim with incredible art.
Who else would love this book?
Those who want an easy read, an engaging mystery, and beautiful artwork.
Lucy recommends Middlemarch by George Eliot
Why do you love it?
Because the author creates a picture of a whole community facing social change, and portrays her characters with humanity and sympathy, even if her readers may not like them. The characters spring from the page as fully formed humans. Even though the novel was written in the 19th century, the themes of ambition, love, betrayal and political infighting are still relevant and the characters still speak to us.
Who else would love this book?
Readers who have tried and liked Jane Austen, or other novels by George Eliot, or who are interested in 19th century British society and history.
Sean recommends The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Why do you love it?
It reads like a prose poem and is subtle, beautiful, profound, and tragic.
Who else would love this book?
Everyone!
Adam recommends Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Why do you love it?
Uzumaki (Roughly translated as spiral or whirlpool) explores the concept of the spiral and what it means psychologically and physically. Ito's art style really captures what body horror can be, mixing the macabre and even jump scares (the delightful dread of knowing that when you turn that page something horrible is going to greet you on the next). The story follows two teens as their town descends into a whirlpool of obsession and human nature. Horror at its finest.
Who else would love this book?
People who love horror and want to explore how scary a book can be.
Why do you love it?
It is beautifully and imaginatively written with characters that are real and lovable. My Dad read it to me when I was a child and it was a very special time of my life, so when I read it now it brings back that time. Its message - of good triumphing over evil - is powerful and eternal.
Who else would love this book?
Everyone!
Why do you love it?
Eleanor Oliphant is such a wholesome, heart-warming book that made me laugh and cry. Eleanor is ridiculously relatable and made me feel like everything is OK. I don't need to worry about where I am in my life and can enjoy the small things.
Who else would love this book?
I think anyone who is feeling lost or needs some encouragement that they don't need to be at a certain point in their life would enjoy Eleanor Oliphant.
Cara ALSO recommends (it’s a good choice so we let her have two!) One Day by David Nicholls
Why do you love it?
One Day is my favourite romance novel. It ripped my heart out but was so well-written and again, the characters felt so relatable. Emma and Dex are a mess but that what's makes them so real. This novel made me appreciate life right now and tell people how I feel, because I may not get the chance again.
Who else would love this book?
One Day is perfect for soppy romantics who love to cry about fictional couples and love the slow-burn friends to lovers!
Why do you love it?
The author does a great job of delving into complex issues that can hinder one's journey of self-acceptance. I think people of all ages, but especially those in their 20s, go through difficult waves of understanding yet misunderstanding themselves. These waves make us question the roots of the issues that we face, and we often wonder why certain issues bother us so much. The book is an easy read, and the author has done a great job of giving solid advice on understanding oneself whilst wording the text in a way that readers can interpret the text in the way that suits them best. I find this book very insightful and calming to read - feels like a gentle therapy session :)
Who else would love this book?
Anyone on the path of self-discovery, self-discipline, and especially self-acceptance would love this book.
Jos recommends Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Why do you love it?
The writing is a masterclass in how to subtly convey humanity. Gilead explores the meaning of relationships, faith, and our own mortality, through the eyes of 1950's Iowan Pastor, writing to his young son. Although the book tackles spirituality from the point of view of American Christianity, it's a book that conveys much bigger truths about love, friendship, and family.
Who else would love this book?
Readers who love something slow-paced and thoughtful, regardless of background.
Why do you love it?
A beautifully written book which tells the grand narrative of the birth of two nations alongside a domestic narrative of families. I first read this book when I was 16 and I was captivated. Midnight's Children introduced me to the genre of magical realism and I never looked back! It’s not the first book I fell in love with, but it is the first book that changed how I responded to fiction.
Who else would love this book?
Anyone who loves drama, magic and historical fiction.
Luke recommends Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Why do you love it?
It positively portrays LGBTQ+ romance and platonic relationships as well as tackling darker topics such as homophobia, eating disorders, etc.
Who else would love this book?
LGBTQ+ individuals, people with a soft spot for fluff and romance.
Ioana recommends The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
Why do you love it?
I've read this book for the first time during the first few months of the pandemic, and it really left a strong impression on me. The story follows an elderly couple, Beatrice and Axl, who leave their little Briton village to search for their long-lost son. The land, however, has been plagued by a strange mist that makes people forget. Beatrice and Axl then are not quite sure where their son is or how to find him. The question the reader has at the back of their mind all along though is: do they even have a son? If this is not enough to make you want to read this book, then be advised that the plot contains a dragon, a knight and his brave horse Horace, monks who hide a terrible secret, and many other interesting elements. The theme of memory and how our lives and identities are constructed by what we can and want to remember is what made this a favourite book of mine (so much so that I ended up doing my BA dissertation about it).
Who else would love this book?
If you like a good adventure story with psychological and philosophical undertones, then you'd probably love this book. Let's not mention Kazuo Ishiguro's writing style is a joy in itself. No wonder he's won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017.
Happy World Book Day 2024!
