Three unique books to read this Autumn
Sophie Lombardi
Down here in Cornwall, we have been brutally plunged into a premature winter. The mornings are chilly and it seems extraordinary that a couple of weeks ago we were all wafting around in flip flops, drinking ice coffee in the sunshine However one major benefit of damp and dingy weather is that it gives you a carte blanche to go to bed on a Saturday afternoon, with a cup of tea and a good book : no FOMO whatsoever. Here are some great books to kick off your hibernation. Each of these amazing stories has something so uniquely special at their core and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
‘James’ by Percival Everett is a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Everett brilliantly flips the original story on it’s head making James (the slave) the narrator and protagonist with his friend Huck as an accomplice. James is self -educated : full of wit and enterprise, stealing books from Judge Thatcher to advance his knowledge.
James and his family speak better English and have more ingenuity than their enslavers. However, he has spent his entire life masking his skills around the white community to keep himself safe : an accomplished and educated slave would pose great threat to hierarchy and segregation in 1830’s Mississippi. This is beautifully demonstrated by the way James alternates his language from Pidgin to standard English according to his company. There is also a wonderful scene where James steals and hides a pencil to write his stories.
‘James’ is a quick read and the author takes you speedily down the Mississippi with the boys on their makeshift raft. The plot isn’t particularly complex and the joy of the book lies in the creation of wonderful characters. Due to the horrific brutality and treatment of slaves, this isn’t a particularly easy read however the richness of the language and the comraderie of James and Huck make ‘James’ a wonderful novel.
This beautiful and heartbreaking book tells the story of Cora, her abusive husband Gordon and their two children. When Cora goes to register the birth of her newborn baby, the story splits into three alternating narratives that span over the course of thirty years. Each of the three versions of the story differ depending on the name that Cora ultimately chooses at the Registry Office.
I found this novel so compelling because it raises the question of how much of our lives are inevitable and how much we can actually control. In each of these duelling stories the outcome is fundamentally defined by the the horrific and pervasive impact of domestic abuse. There is no real escape.
This stunning and tragic book highlights the strength of mothers and the lengths that they will go to protect their children. Keep the tissues handy!
‘Albion’ by Anna Hope
This book is set on a glorious family estate in the Sussex countryside. Following the death of the family patriarch Philip, a ‘Succession-style’ squabble ensues between the siblings regarding the families inheritance. However, an unexpected guest shows up at the funeral to announce that the families generational wealth has been built off the backs of exploitation and empire, thus reparations are due.
Throughout the story, the author throws out the question ‘Who does the land actually belongs to in the first place?’. Daughter Frannie is a passionate environmentalist committed to rewilding the estate and has just reached a pivotal stage where species of plant and animal are starting to return. Frannie believes that her project is intergenerational justice but not everyone agrees.
This is an interesting and thought provoking story set amongst beavers and woodlands in beautiful Sussex.