FIG. LIBRARY: BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUMMER
There’s no such thing as a trip made worse by the company of a good book. Whether you’ve chosen the beach, the mountains, the countryside, or the city for your annual break, make sure to allocate space in your luggage for reading material. We prefer paperbacks as they can fit into tight corners, withstand more wear and tear, and can be passed on to a fellow traveler after you're done with them.
Appreciating reading recommendations from some of the lovely people we’ve engaged with over time, it seemed appropriate to share a summer reading list. Let us know if there’s anything else we should be reading!
‘An Everlasting Meal’ by Tamar Adler
read and recommended by Kathe Kaczmarzyk (Amiralsgatans Speceributik)
By now I’m unsure how many times I’ve read this book, but once again it found its way onto my summer reading list. Part memoir, part narrative, part cookbook (very M.F.K Fisher), I truly believe everyone should own a copy of this book, which you’ll revisit time and time again. When you’re feeling uninspired and don’t know what to cook, simply bring water to a boil and you’ll discover what to cook in it. You’ll fall in love with beans, be reminded of the beauty of salt, the wonders in your leftovers, and realize that all mistakes can turn into something delicious. Cooking shouldn’t be about the “have to dos” or “need to dos” — it should be about intuition and joy. And what better time than summer to find inspiration? Go to the market and cook with this book in mind. Pay attention to your senses, and remember that food can be pure bliss.
‘Dream Work’ by Mary Oliver
read & recommended by Marta Orlikowska (Celestina Mode)
“Don’t bother me.
I’ve just
been born.”
Sometimes I think no one knew the sea or the forest better than Mary Oliver did. I remember when I first came upon her writing: poetry became joy, not mourning.
‘Real Estate’ by Deborah Levy
read & recommended by Jaimie Fitzgerald
This book both tore me up a bit (mostly in parts where Levy talked about her mother and what it means to mother) and made me laugh out loud. But my favorite things about this autobiography are Levy’s lists and food moments. Does anyone else love to read about food? I highly suggest reading it with a pencil on the side and marking all your favorite parts. Here are some that I underlined:
"I unpacked three Russian glasses with silver handles for coffee (100% Arabica), two tangerines, a bottle of ruby port from Porto (left over from Christmas), two bottles of sparkling water, almond biscuits from Italy, three teaspoons, my laptop and two books."
"Yes to tamarind chutney, yes to chopped onion, coriander and tomato, yes to puffed rice and chilies and peanuts."
"My first glass of chai masala, fragrant with green cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves."
"I was happy to boil water in the only pot and to sip coffee from one of the two cups. I perched on the windowsill, looking out at the Gothic spire of Notre-Dame in the far distance."
"What would it be like to meet our identical human double buying a pint of milk on a Sunday morning?"
"We’re not after clarity, it’s the tahini sauce we like."
"The waiter brought us bowls of yogurt, topped with a kind of carrot jam that smelt like geraniums."
"So far, I had found a pair of wooden slatted blinds, two linen tablecloths, a copper frying pan, six small coffee cups and a watering can made from tin with a long spout."
‘One thing I know’ by Pati Hill
read & recommended by Joke Leonare (fig.)
“One thing I know, I will never be in love again.”
Pati Hill on teenage love and the importance of independence, first published in 1962.
To read in one go.
‘Humankind: A Hopeful History’ by Rutger Bregman
read and recommended by Vera Roggli (Wiesi Will)
I read this book last summer, and I'm going to say at the outset that I don't agree with everything written. However, it has given me a new perspective on how we view humanity and its nature. And how this view — negative or positive — has great influence on how we’ll behave towards our fellow human beings. The book provides new insights into little and big facts about how we have developed over the years as inhabitants of this planet. A book that gives hope: it also leaves many questions unanswered. Ideal to reflect on and talk about with friends or family over summer.
‘Memoirs of a beatnik’ by Diane Di Prima
read & recommended by Marijke Boesmans (Wilder)
Diane di Prima takes you to New York bohemianism in the fifties. The book is straightforward, written in an uncomplicated style.
'Summer Cooking' by Elizabeth David
(partly) read & recommended by Sadaf Malyar (Noshi jon)
The idea of not having to read a book in its intended order is comforting at times, especially for the scattered minds. When the summer scenes distract you from reading cover to cover, or simply when an alien bug climbs your arm and begs for your attention.
Maybe its title is enough inspiration: 'Summer Cooking'. Or perhaps it’s the author's name that reminds me of summer hats, hair ribbons, eating outdoors, and komorebi. Holding a cookbook is, at times, enough to feel inspired, even if a single ingredient is read. It can prompt a trip to the garden of Eden your local market can be, to see what’s on offer and how your appetite negotiates the product range: fresh heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, ripe peaches, basil leaves, Meyer lemons, pickled red onions, apple vinegar, raw honey, olive oil, and some Maldon salt with fresh cracked black pepper. That should make a good salad!
For Dutch and Italian readers:
‘Hoe wegen wandelaars vinden’ by Franco Michieli
‘La vocazione di perdersi’ by Franco Michieli
read & recommended by Paule Josephe
A book about the joy of getting lost. Michieli writes: “Those who dare to get lost learn to look at things differently, and will no longer be afraid of the unknown.”