I’m not going to a Top Ten Tuesday post today, as I would really struggle to think which were the longest books I’ve read… So, instead, I’ve gone for a post which is long overdue: my autumn reading list.

The first six of those books I’ve actually started reading and have yet to finish…

 

1. Dune Song Anissa M. Bouziane This is the first book that I got from a publisher who contacted me via the blog! It follows the story of Jeehan Nathaar a French-Moroccan Ph.D. student who used to live in New York till the Two Towers collapsed, and is now trying to start a career as a journalist by writing about human trafficking in the Moroccan desert.

 

2. Into the Woods John Yorke

Written by one of the UK’s most famous screenwriters, Into the Woods is a book that analyzes the craft of storytelling. It’s a fascinating insight for all aspiring writers.

 

3. The Habsburg Empire: A Very Short Introduction Martin Rady

I bought this book after my trip to Vienna in September, as I was keen to learn more about the Habsburgs. I haven’t finished it yet.

 

4. The Histories Herodotus

This one I’m really going to struggle with. At a chunky 700 pages, Herodotus Histories are not the easiest of reads – in fact, I’ve already given up on reading them once. But they are an absolute classic, and in between the complex genealogies and invented geographies there are some real gems. I’m 250 pages in. I can totally go this.

 

5. Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India Shashi Tharoor

I’ve learned a lot about the British 18th century, but weirdly enough the colonies were hardly ever a crucial matter in my university reading. So I reached for this book. I read 100 pages on the train, and then put it down again… not because it wasn’t engaging, but rather because it was simply too depressing. I really need to finish it though.

 

6. Crazy Rich Asians Kevin Kwan

A rare case in which I’ve actually watched the movie before I read the book. I picked the movie cover copy (ugh, I know) at a super reasonable price at a discount shop. I’ve flicked through the first chapters, which I really liked. I’m just looking for a plane/train journey during which I can devour this.

 

7. Lincoln in the Bardo George Saunders

The Booker Prize Winner for 2018 is about to be announced, and I still haven’t read last year’s winner, even though I’ve owned a copy since February. This is just embarrassing.

 

8. On the Road Jack Kerouac

This book just keeps popping up on my various TBR lists. But this autumn I’m actually heading to the US, so I have a perfect excuse to reach for it.

 

9. Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston

I love the covers of the new Virago Modern Classics – and as I’m heading to Florida and Georgia this year, so I thought there was a perfect excuse to buy a copy of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Now I just need to get around to reading it.

 

10. What Maisie Knew Henry James

This is one of the classics I really want to read. And I grabbed a copy from a bookshop recently, so I have no excuses left.