Last year I did a list of books I was going to read on holiday, and I thought I’d do another. Incidentally, I published the To Kill a Mockingbird fan fiction just last week (this has been a great year for getting stuff done, huh). So, this year I’m reading:
- We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
It’s my ‘heavy and disturbing’ holiday read – last year’s was Trainspotting – and I’m excited/nervous to read it. Nervous because I’ve seen the film, which is, to use technical language, fucking creepy. I also loved Ezra as Patrick in Wallflower, and although he’s a good enough actor that when I was watching him as Kevin I wasn’t thinking of him as Patrick, I’m not sure what my imagination will do. But I’m kind of excited because on the last day of term, my English teacher was talking to us about books we could read over the summer for our American literature coursework, and she actually suggested this. I’d already been planning on reading and maybe studying it, because I got the impression from the film that it’s more about the American Dream and/or family life than it is about grisly murder. I’ll let you know what the nightmares are like.
- The Candy Machine: How Cocaine Took Over the World by Tom Feiling
I started this about four years ago, and it was pretty intense because it’s a factual account of the cocaine industry. I now know where Columbia is, though, so I’ll give it a bash…
- The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
I actually have to read this for English. It might not be Gatsby but as long as it’s not a textbook, I’m good with it.
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Jay and I agreed to read one another’s book recommendations – I told him to give Wallflower another go – and I started this. Again.
I will finish it.
- The last couple of issues of Private Eye
Because of this:
I’m not actually taking anything else because I want to do some writing over the holiday. Some meditative consideration of the universe and whatnot. Plus, someone’ll have shitty magazines to read and I want to buy the Financial Times at the airport.
Francesca's Thoughts 