Though we are not in the thick of it yet, I bet you are — just as I am — dreading that point in the semester where we lose our will to read because it feels as though we are drowning in coursework and required readings. As someone who enjoys reading but studies English, I struggle to find that balance between my module reading lists and reading for myself.
If you feel the same, this article is here to help — no matter what you study. I am typically assigned centuries-old novels and collections to study, so I will be recommending modern (21st-century) books to make it easier to separate leisure from responsibility.
1. Just Kids by Patti Smith
If you are looking for some escapism, this is a beautiful and nostalgic story to get lost in, even though it is non-fiction. A memoir, retelling of a wild romance with Robert Mapplethorpe, and love letter to 1960s/70s New York City all at once: Just Kids was my favourite read of 2024, for it brought me to a place that I have never truly known but always heard so much about.
I found myself underlining sentences on damn near every page just because they painted such vivid images of love, music, the city, the scene, and the legends that made it what it was. Though this runs the risk of allowing people like me romanticise a not-so-great lifestyle, I find that worth it for the sake of escapism and immersing in an unforgettable story.
Credit: Waterstones.
The prose is simple but so moving, due to how personal it is, and I wish I could write like that. I do not usually care for memoirs, but this is a fantastic read whether or not you know who Patti Smith is or listen to her music. That said, her album ‘Horses’ is a good soundtrack to read along to.
2. Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory by Raphael Bob-Waksberg
If you have a shorter attention span or are a hopeless romantic like me, this collection of short stories is for you. The highlight of these stories is how real they are. They examine the human condition through the lens of love. The narrators are different for every story, but you hardly have to know any of them because all we are here to understand is the love they experience(d).
There is something for every hopeless perspective one might have of love, and I say ‘hopeless’ because none of these have a particularly happy or fairytale ending. There are also many different uses of perspectives, structure, and typography which both bring the romances to life and make beautiful their deaths.
Credit: Waterstones.
Someone Who Will Love You in All Your Damaged Glory is an ode to love, especially the ones that do not last or the ones we do not think about every day. As a hopeless romantic, I appreciate the use of the force of love as the main character, as opposed to the one or two people experiencing it. The variety of stories focused on the damage and glory, found and harboured in all types of romances, and thus allowed me to dream about the type that would last despite it all.
Written in very modern and colloquial English, this collection will easily separate itself from your studies.
3. Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
For those with a longer attention span and preference for fiction, this novel has the same entertainment value as a 90s sitcom. The story centres on the namesake characters, 24-year-old Cleo and her much older husband Frank, and the results of their impulsive choice to get married.
I find the supporting characters just as — if not more — complex, and their sub-plots to be more interesting than that of Cleo and Frank. While my other two recommendations shine in their storytelling and prose, this book is much more engaging in that the characters are easy to attach to and root for. My personal favourite character is Zoe, whom I believe many young women can relate to, as she goes through the ups and downs of finding herself throughout the novel.
Credit: Waterstones.
Most importantly, the plot is completely realistic, and the cast of characters is masterfully crafted, so there is little to no analysis to be done while reading — not the case with coursework assignments.
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