Summer Holiday Reading List

It’s officially holiday season! For me, this means one of the most fun parts of holiday prep – other than choosing my outfits of course…Choosing the holiday reading list. Being armed with a good book and a cheeky drink by the pool equals instant happiness to me!

Now, there is a time and a place for a few different genres on holiday and sometimes it depends what kind of break away you have planned that will inform your reading choice. Personally, I have a holiday in Portugal with a group of friends coming up that I want to have some easy reads for, as will no doubt be constantly getting distracted by the pull of another bbq getting going or serving up the next jug of Pimms.

But I will also be heading to Turkey in October too with family and the boyfriend so will maybe want slightly deeper reads for this trip, giving you great chat over the dinner tables at night – biographies are fantastic for this or also a book that shows you a different culture or learning some new facts, such as pretty much anything by Bill Bryson.

Here’s a list of some great reads I would recommend. Enjoy!

Danny Wallace, Charlotte Street:

Lovely story about a guy called Jason who falls for a girl he see’s on the street after a fleeting encounter – but all of a sudden she’s gone and he’s somehow left with her disposable camera, choked full of photos. Should he develop them and try and find her?

Jessica Ruston, The Darker Side of Love:

Story of a group of friends who all seemingly have great lives from the outset, but are all lying to eachother and themselves in some way. It’s a more depressing Friends-episode…but great and characters are hugely relatable.

Lauren Weisberger, Revenge Wears Prada:

The new installment and much anticipated sequel to the Devil Wears Prada – Andy is now 10 years on and no longer working for Runway Magazine. Everything is fine until she gets married and begins to run into Miranda Priestly once again…

Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises:

Fantastic and evocative short read about Paris in the 1920’s – the book that put Hemingway on the literary map.

Caitlin Moran, Moranthology:

An excruciatingly funny collection of Caitlin’s columns she has written for The Times, discussing everything from her obsession with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock to getting drunk in a sex club with Lady Gaga in Paris. Hysterical and a great sunlounger read.

Tasmina Perry:

I would recommend any of her books for the ultimate chick lit guilty pleasure!

Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything:

Bill takes us through the creation of the world through the eyes of an interested traveller. He has the incredible knack of making the subjects of chemistry, physics and geometry fascinating and allows us to discover how the world around us actually works in a way that we would never have seen before – I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It’s something everyone should read once in their life.

F Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night:

Following on from this year’s Gatsby mania, I would also recommend this lyrical tale from Fitzgerald set in the fabulous world of the French Riveria post-WW1.  Fitzgerald has poured much of the essence of his own life into this work, whilst also depicting the age of materialism, shattered idealism and broken dreams.

Rachel Joyce, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry:

Just a fabulous read. The story of Harold who receives a letter one day from a long-lost colleague who informs him she is sadly dying of cancer. Bored with life and so moved by her letter, Harold decides to walk all the way to her from his home in Devon to Berwick-Upon-Tweed near Scotland – with just his yacht shoes and a rucksack. A story of hopes, dreams and life regrets, it’s a tear jerker but you will fall utterly in love with it.

Lottie Moggach, Kiss Me First:

This novel is making the waves this summer as ‘This year’s Gone Girl’ – I am intrigued…

Grace Coddington, Grace – A Memoir:

Taking a look at the incredible Grace Coddington, the Creative Director of US Vogue magazine and Anna Wintour’s colleague, charting her career across herexemplary spreads for the world’s greatest fashion magazine. As expected from the mind who has created some of the most memorable fashion stories in history, the book is just as beautiful – told through words, images and memoirs from her friends in the fashion industry. A must-read for anyone interested in fashion.

LMNH x