lou's library

Favourite books, eh? Quite a personal topic, if you ask me. I think there’s a lot you can tell about a person based on their book shelf, so someone’s favourites are like a deep long look into their soul to me. Okay, might be a tad dramatic. What I’m saying is I take this very seriously. Feel free to judge my selection, but know I didn’t choose these books, they chose me. Alright, enough with the faff, let’s get stuck in, shall we?

All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

This book. Where do I even begin? It broke me. It continues to break me. I try to reread this annually because this is one of these books that keeps on giving every time you pick it up again.

It’s set during the First World War and follows Paul Bäumer and his friends on the front. Honestly, I think it’s best to go into this book not knowing much else about it, but be prepared to go on an emotional journey.

When I first read this book for a seminar in my undergrad, it took me about three pages to know this was going to be my new favourite book. I just knew. The writing is so damn devastating it makes me wanna curl up in a corner and cry. Paul Bäumer is one of my favourite book characters, and I do genuinely believe if this was assigned reading everywhere, there would be less war. Hot take, but I stand by it. Read this book, please. And then tell your friends about it. Also, don’t just watch the Netflix movie, it’s got ISSUES.

disclaimer: I’ve only ever read this book in its original German. It’s been translated into dozens of languages, just please make sure you get a good translation, because the beauty of this book lies in its immaculate writing more than anything else!

The Offing by Benjamin Myers

I noticed this book in a bookshop because of the beautiful cover of its German edition. When I read the summary on the back, I knew I had to read it. It sounded like it was written for me, a combination of my favourite things and interests. And boy, was I right.

It’s one of those books with not an awful lot of plot, so if you want lots of actions, this might not be for you. If, however, you like beautiful writing about the English countryside, contemplations on life and figuring out what it is you want to do, the growing of friendships despite differences, then I strongly suggest you give this one a go! The characters stayed with me long after I finished reading it and I think about this a lot (might be my Roman Empire, now I come to think of it).

friend. poems by young people edited by Kate Clanchy

I used to think poetry wasn’t for me because I struggled to connect with any of it. Well, turns out I was reading the wrong stuff (read: centuries old stuff by long dead white dudes that I was assigned in school and uni) and should have been reading this all along.

I found this in Edinburgh on a trip during which I’d already bought more books than I could carry, but I read one of the poems and instantly knew this was coming home with me. The poems are written by young British people from the same school and the talent is astounding!

I hardly ever cry when reading but this collection had me in tears. It’s all about growing up, falling in love, coming to terms with your own body, prejudices and stigmas, the fleetingness of childhood. It’s accessible and beautifully written and uplifting. This felt so personal, and like just what I needed at that time. I pick this back up often and am just as blown away as I was the first time.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

I went into this not knowing anything about it and read it in two days (while on holiday, which meant I could just devour this as quickly as possible. Pure bliss.). It follows the life of one Irishman born to an unmarried mother, which is how you know his life ain’t going to be easy.

We witness him grow up and struggle and flourish, make mistakes and fuck up, make up and learn and it’s all written in a way I found incredibly addictive. Above all, it’s funny, even though the story is also intense and tragic. Basically, it didn’t feel like fiction at all, but so humane and real and I was genuinely sad when I was done because I knew my time with these characters was over.

If you like historical novels that aren’t too historical (am I making sense? who knows.), then give this a go! I dare you to read this and not fall in love with the main character.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

I bet you’ve never seen this on a basic white girl’s favourite’s list before, eh? What can I say, it’s not my fault this is a goddamn masterpiece. Do I need to give you the summary of what it’s is about? Just to be on the safe side: A boy and a girl in rural Ireland start secretly hooking up in school and later reunite in uni. It goes from there and it breaks your heart.

It’s very much in the no plot, just vibes category, so if you don’t like that, this book is probably going to infuriate you. But I’m almost tempted to suggest you read it anyway, because some of the lines in this are just so damn good. Sally Rooney somehow manages to put in writing what growing up feels like and that’s quite something, if you ask me.

The TV series they made out of this is the best book to screen adaptation I’ve ever seen, I swear to God the casting is perfection. Paul Mescal, my sweet boy. However, I would very much appreciate it if Sally Rooney would write a little faster, for goodness sake. I’m sure it’s not that hard to write a million copy bestseller. HURRY UP, SALLY!

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Never growing up, fighting pirates, flying over London at night, living on a beautiful island, what’s not to love?

I have a real soft spot for Peter, that boy just gets to me unlike anyone else. He’s so boyish and innocent and yet so brutal and self-absorbed. And in between it all is a banging plot and so much fun to be had. The only character I’ve always disliked in this book is Wendy, but I do think that might be on purpose.

I wish I had read this as a kid, but I only ever watched the real life movie from around 2007 and let me tell you, I had a massive crush on the boy that played Peter. Maybe that’s why I have a Wendy complex. Anyway, this is one of those children’s classics you never grow too old for. Which is kind of fitting, I dare say.

So there you have it, these are my all time favourite books! I love the feeling of finding a new read that becomes incredibly special to me and am excited to see how this list will keep changing with time!