Our Summer Reads, Vol. 10 – Rory Mara
Summer is finally here, and with it, the best time of year to curl up with a book, free – at least in our heads – of all obligations to read anything out of obligation. Long-anticipated leisure reads, lakeside picnics, and much-needed sunshine. This June, the Attic on Eighth writers share what it is that they’re looking forward to reading this summer season.
Summer doesn’t always lead to actual holidays for a PhD student, although it probably should. Warm beaches and sunbathing aren’t always accessible and time is even less so. Still, it is so very important to take a break and take care of yourself in whatever way you can. Personally, I’ve learned this the hard way and know now that I need to find my own way to enjoy my free time.
As such, going back to reading is a priority for me this summer. One thing I’ve struggled with throughout my studies has been to find a way to read for pleasure – just for me, just for fun – and to keep doing it regularly. After a whole day in front of a screen or on a text, it feels like all I ever want to do when I get home is to lie in bed with a good television series. It often feels like the only thing that can me decompress and shut off my brain for a couple of hours. This summer, however, I’m concentrating on creating a more balanced lifestyle for myself, and I’m hoping to read for myself during my time off, picking books driven by sheer joy.
In order to find that balance, another aspect of reading that I really want to explore is going back to reading in my native tongue: Italian. The more time I spend away from Italy, the more I feel like I am losing touch with my roots, my culture, and even who I am. I was in Florence recently and I realised that I hadn’t had a formal conversation in Italian in a very long time and, sometimes, I found myself at a loss – once familiar words eluding me. That is why this list this summer features some books in Italian, along with also light books, historical romps, and romantic novels. This summer is going to be one of lightness and joy and unapologetic pleasure.
Without further ado, here is what I am reading over the summer :
Io, Caterina by Francesca Riario Sforza
Doctor Who: The Good Doctor by Juno Dawson
A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield
A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
Bookworm: A Memoir of Childood Reading by Lucy Mangan
Il Pendolo di Foucault by Umberto Eco (English)
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guilleroy
Rory Mara is Beauty Editor at The Attic of Eighth. She loves the ballet, books, beheadings, and alliteration.
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Having just finished her degree, Jessica Armstrong approaches the topic of summer reading while considering what it means to read for herself at a transitional time, as graduate, young professional, and student at heart.