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WORDS by Angus Forrester
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Is there anything more blissful than laying out by the pool under the sun, with nothing more to do than nurse a cold drink and get lost within the pages of a fine book?
With summer on the approach, this hazy daydream will soon enough be within reach. In preparation for this moment, we’ve detailed six choice poolside reads that will transform even the most casual readers into voracious page turners.
Live and Let Die
Ian Fleming
When it comes to spy thrillers, nobody does it better than Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die was the second Bond novel to be released and for many, one of the best (although the movie may not lay the same claim). With plenty of tropical scenes to invigorate your vacation sensibility, the story follows Bond through the Unites States and the Caribbean on the trail of the mysterious and occult, Mr Big. Note–some of the language and attitudes portrayed haven’t aged particularly gracefully from when it was first written–it would do well to bear this in mind.
The Stranger
Albert Camus
A classic for good reason, if you’ve yet to read this book then perhaps now is finally the time. Indifferent to the death of his mother, Meursault alarms mourners at the funeral with his marked lack of emotion. He continues on with life with marked detachment, swimming with his new girlfriend and befriending a particularly unsavoury character, before committing a senseless act of violence. The dramatic escalation of events, carried out with such detachment explores Camus’ philosophy of ‘The absurd’–something which you’re unfamiliar with, will become much clearer after reading this astonishingly brief novel.
The Beach
Alex Garland
When a young British backpacker finds himself in possession of a map revealing the location of a legendary island paradise, what seems at first to be an idyllic escape quickly spirals into something very different. This book is hard to put down once you get started, the short format chapters and a building crescendo of suspense will draw you in for more, again and again. A perfect poolside read especially suited for reading in the sizzling sun, you can almost picture yourself on the island…
The Art of Travel
Alain de Botton
“Few things are as exciting as the idea of travelling somewhere else. But the reality of travel seldom matches our daydreams.” Alain de Boton explores the lesser discussed reasons behind why and how we should travel in this masterfully written and consistently amusing book, pieced together from personal musings and insights drawn from prolific historical travellers.
Heat
Bill Buford
A must-read for enthusiastic home-cooks. The full title ‘Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-maker and Apprentice to a Butcher in Tuscany’ lays out exactly what you can expect from this book. Follow Buford’s incredibly entertaining and inspiring journey from New York Times journalist through the kitchens of Mario Batali and beyond, as he carves a new career driven by sheer determination and passion.
Elastic: The Power of Flexible Thinking
Leonard Mlodinow
If you want to keep your brain ticking over whilst lazing by the pool, this latest instalment from the author of Subliminal and The Drunkard’s Walk once more provides a fascinating insight into the hidden power of our brains. Rooted in groundbreaking research, Mlodinow decodes his theories pertaining to the power of flexible thinking–that is, the natural abilities all humans possess so we can thrive in dynamic and troubled times, as shown by some of the greatest minds and innovators throughout history.
