Top Authors Reveal Their Ideal Vacation Reads: Insights from Evaristo, Nicholls, Smith & More

Zadie Smith
Summer reads for me are all about deep engagement with the text. Recently, three novels captivated me completely. David Szalay’s Flesh is an intelligent, stylishly written tale about the upper echelons of society, seen through the eyes of a Hungarian bodyguard. Cécé by Emmelie Prophète, due to be released on September 23, offers a poignant glimpse into the slums of modern Haiti through the experiences of a young sex worker who portrays a glamorous façade online. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Dream Count delves into the lives of memorable women exploring the essence of love. I’m also eagerly looking forward to diving into Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata, a truly unique story.

David Nicholls
If you’re packing books for a vacation, I’d suggest a couple of options depending on your load. Helen Garner’s How to End a Story compiles her candid diaries that span family life, marriage, and her literary career. On the other hand, Anthony Shapland’s debut, A Room Above a Shop, is a compact, delicate love tale, almost poetic in its expression.

Bernardine Evaristo
No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald, a remarkable debut novel, explores the lives of three generations of women burdened with unspoken traumas that poison their relationships and societal functionality. It’s a powerful, visceral narrative. Stag Dance by Torrey Peters, her next work after the acclaimed Detransition, Baby, presents a collection of three short stories and a novella, exploring unique perspectives on gender and sexuality.

Yael van der Wouden
The Pretender by Jo Harkin reimagines the story of Lambert Simnel, the Tudor Pretender, in a narrative that is both humorous and heartrending. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

Katherine Rundell
So far, my top pick this year is James by Percival Everett. It retains the satirical edge of Everett’s previous works, but introduces a vibrant generosity. It reimagines Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn by suggesting the language of the enslaved was a façade to appease white enslavers. I recommend reading Huckleberry Finn and then immediately James for a profound literary experience.

Olivia Laing
I reserved Gliff by Ali Smith for a special day—the day Keir Starmer delivered his ‘island of strangers’ speech. In these tumultuous times, Smith’s dystopian novel about resisting fascism and embracing the unknown is both a remedy and an inspiration.

Although not a typical beach read, Disclosure by Kate Wilson is an engrossing account of an environmental activist who discovers her past boyfriend was a police spy. This narrative isn’t just disturbing; it’s empowering, showing how the women involved used their resilience to achieve a form of justice.

Jonathan Coe
Heading to a British seaside this summer? Bring along Birding by Rose Ruane. Set in a bleak seaside town, this novel follows Lydia, a former pop star, as she attempts to rebuild her life amidst personal traumas. Ruane’s prose is packed with sharp wit and striking metaphors, making this book a must-read wherever you holiday.

Anne Enright
Summer is perfect for diving into literary biographies. I devoured Frances Wilson’s insightful Electric Spark: The Enigma of Muriel Spark and am now engrossed in Francesca Wade’s An Afterlife, a thoughtful exploration of Gertrude Stein’s life and legacy. On the fiction front, I’ve discovered Samanta Schweblin, whose forthcoming collection Good and Evil and Other Stories is simply brilliant. I’m excited to explore her earlier works too.

Samantha Harvey
Abdulrazak Gurnah’s Theft is a complex narrative rich in themes of class and entitlement but is also a compelling story to immerse yourself in. Katie Kitamura’s Audition is another standout, with its crisp, intriguing prose that captures the nuances of interpersonal dynamics.

Michael Rosen
I recommend Kiku: The Japanese Art of Good Listening by Dr Haru Yamada, which explores the often overlooked art of listening in conversations. For a critical look at representation in literature, Beyond the Secret Garden: Racially Minoritised People in British Children’s Books by Darren Chetty and Karen Sands-O’Connor is an enlightening read.

Colm Tóibín
Years ago, I saw novelists Helen Garner and Murray Bail in Sydney, never imagining I’d become engrossed in their works through Garner’s compelling diaries in How to End a Story. These diaries offer a profound view into her daily life and relationships, interwoven with her literary pursuits. Alongside, I’m exploring Murray Bail’s works, including his intriguing semi-novel He.

Ali Smith
This summer, I’m delving into the works of Muriel Spark, starting with the newly published first volume of her letters, edited by Dan Gunn. Frances Wilson’s biography Electric Spark provides a thrilling insight into Spark’s life and work. I’m also drawn to Nell Stevens’s novel The Original, a clever narrative filled with intrigue and literary charm.

Mick Herron
If poetry alongside the seaside sounds appealing, Michael Longley’s Ash Keys is a wonderful choice, offering fresh perspectives on his later poetry. Abigail Dean’s The Death of Us is a poignant love story marked by unexpected violence, showcasing her skill in exploring post-traumatic experiences.

Curtis Sittenfeld
For a mix of pandemic themes and personal discovery, Amy Shearn’s Animal Instinct follows Rachel Bloomstein’s adventures in dating and technology post-divorce. It’s a heartfelt, humorous look at personal growth and romantic entanglements.

Rutger Bregman
For historical insights into human rights, Adam Hochschild’s Bury the Chains and Ellen Carol DuBois’s Suffrage are compelling reads that explore the profound struggles and perseverance required to effect social change, from the abolition of slavery to women’s suffrage.

William Dalrymple
Fara Dabhoiwala’s What Is Free Speech? offers a witty and erudite exploration of the concept’s origins and implications. Josephine Quinn’s How the World Made the West provides a broad, insightful view into the interconnectedness of the ancient world. Pankaj Mishra’s The World After Gaza is a deeply thought-provoking analysis of contemporary global issues.

Sarah Perry
Sarah Hall’s upcoming novel Helm is an extraordinary exploration of historical and meteorological phenomena, filled with vibrant characters and masterful prose. I’m also anticipating Mic Wright’s Breaking: How the Media Works, When it Doesn’t and Why it Matters, expected to be as incisive as it is entertaining.

Nussaibah Younis
Jen Beagin’s Big Swiss is a wildly entertaining novel about Greta, who becomes entangled with her therapist’s clients in unexpected ways. Torrey Peters’s Stag Dance offers a bold, inventive take on gender and societal norms through a series of engaging stories.

Florence Knapp
In Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami, three sisters revisit their childhood home in Japan, weaving a narrative rich in cultural and linguistic insights. Itami’s portrayal of overthinking is particularly striking, likening it to a relentless operatic note.

Peter Frankopan
Oliver Moody’s Baltic: The Future of Europe offers an enlightening look at a pivotal region in European geopolitics. Patrick McGee’s Apple in China examines how Apple’s strategies have influenced China’s technological and economic landscape. Bijan Omrani’s God is an Englishman delves into the religious and cultural foundations of England with eloquence and insight.