Hello from quarantine in Notting Hill. The United Kingdom is now in its fourth week of staying indoors. Easter festivities and springtime passed by fleetingly, marked by gloriously warm afternoons which we all managed to relish in, despite all.
I’m treasuring these days in our London home. Every morning has its own routine: a wonderfully frothy cappuccino, tidying up the flat with a podcast, letting the terrace doors stand wide open until noon, spring air swirling through our home, stirring up excitement for a new day (even if spent indoors). I’ve spent this historical time primarily paying attention to this time. Humanity is emotionally churning with awareness for priorities, purposes and gratitude in a way we haven’t since the last world war. These events sweep through history seemingly to turn the tide on our ways of living. I’ve personally learned the importance of beelining directly to the nectar of joys. How sensible life is when we live only to the music of our own desires; the sound is so clear once we turn everything else off.
I don’t recall a time ever more suited to be an avid reader. As cherry blossoms now abandon their short-lived glory to summer winds, fluttering down to earth with the promise of returning next spring, it’s time to stock up (well) on the reads we’ll be packing in our weekender bags for seaside escapes, countryside stays and European adventures once this chapter is over.
Like most every aspect of my life and DNA, it’s turning toward Englishness in every sense, so this list is brimming with both fiction and non-fiction that will be a reflection of our very first summer here: grounded in English soil yet indulging in European rendezvous from time to time. For lovers (or dreamers) of a quintessentially English summer, I think you’ll quite like the list indeed.
Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard // There isn’t anything more fitting to read when one starts a life in England. This series follows the an English family before and during wartime, and like the Cazalet family tree itself the lives of characters stem and bloom in an unpredictably poignant nature. I’m nearly finished with the first novel – The Light Years – and every inspiration-nerve-ending of my writer heart is already dripping in nostalgia and traditional Britishness. Thank you, dearest Robyn, for recommending.
An Economic History of the English Garden by Roderick Floud // I adore history. The most effective way for me to soak up a historical timeline of a country is to tell a story alongside it. Gardens are a defining socioeconomic compass in British culture, and this book follows the English garden from its birth to the present day symbol of affluence it is today.
The Ratline by Philippe Sands // A true story of a senior Nazi who fled with his wife during World War II to avoid persecution. With hideaways in both the Austrian Alps and Rome, and plans to escape via the “ratline” to Argentina, this is historical account is right up the alley of my interests and novel research.
The Language of Flowers by Mandy Kirkby // There isn’t a molecule of Englishness inside of you if you don’t thoroughly know your flowers. By “know your flowers” there is of course the instinctual ability to identify any upon sight, but I also mean a Shakespearian understanding of their meanings, symbolism and history.
The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante // A richly, brilliant series that weaves together the story of Italy as a nation and the lives of two childhood friend in Naples. Ferrante is one of my favourite storytellers of all time, and her novels are an excellent holiday companion (especially for escapes in Italy). The first to indulge in: My Brilliant Friend.
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth van Arnim // Before Instagram and Pinterest inspired holiday in the Italian Riviera, it was novels. Published in 1922, this charming story tells the tale of four quite different English characters who rent an Italian castle as advertised in The Times. A positively joyous summer read.
The Cartiers by Francesca Cartier Brickell // The untold family story of the affairs, tragedies and secrets behind the world’s most luxury jewelry empire, as told by the founder’s granddaughter through family letters and interviews collected on her travels.
To War with Whitaker by Hermione Ranfurly, Countess of Ranfurly // A riveting memoir chronicling the wartime years Hermione spent with her husband and the family butler, Whitaker. From being imprisoned by the Germans to memories of Cairo, Cape Town and Middle East, this account is a vivid reminder that the most fascinating lives lived aren’t fiction at all.
My 25 Years in Provence by Peter Mayle // An Englishman and his family cross the channel for a new life in the charming villages of Provence. This book is largely a love letter to France and his chosen home. I plan on starting this one on the ferry ride to Calais this summer.
Emma by Jane Austen // I recently watched the film (twice) and ardently adored it. I haven’t read Emma for at least five years and aim to read Austen every summer…the perfect time to restudy the original story structure of Emma.
The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow // A warm, nostalgic ode to Jane Austen which explores the hypothetical life of one of the more underrated Bennet sisters, Mary, as she finds her own road paved with love in regency England.
Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner // Royalist book alert: a jaw-dropping, scandalous, deliciously indulgent memoir centered around life and experiences of Princess Margaret’s lady-in-waiting.
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NG // While I wait on the other side of the pond patiently for the Reese Witherspoon mini-series adaptation, I ought to be a proper human and read the novel first. While American suburbia usually cues an anxiety attack and I historically save thrillers for autumn reading, the hype around this one successfully influenced my interests
The Other Side of the Coin by Angela Kelly // Authored by Her Majesty’s senior dresser for over twenty-five years in Buckingham Palace, this memoir is brimming with gems of Windsor treasures and insights into Kelly’s personal relationship with Queen Elizabeth.
