Monthly Book Stack Review October

This transitional month has been full of ups, downs, stresses, and excitement, and very very little time for the indulgence of reading.

The problem is I need to read to lose myself, calm my mind and retreat to some other place even if just for a while.

The solution… short stories and poetry.

I hope you get the chance to sample some of my favourites from October.

The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn

When a jacket reads… ‘The is an Edgar award-winning short story from the author of Gone Girl’ it’s impossible to not pick it up and you won’t be disappointed.  

A good short story is a micro novel, it still has all the elements, keeps you gripped, and leaves you satisfied.

The Grown Up combines elements of classic mystery and tales of the supernatural to keep you guessing until the end and maybe past that! 

The Deal of a Lifetime by Fredrik Backman

A short story and a modern folk tale with a hint of ‘A Christmas Carol’, this is a beautiful tale of the choices we make and the moments we all have at this time of year of reflection and introspection.

It is quiet and thoughtful, words carefully chosen so that in its brevity it can still make you question and ponder who and what you are and what you want to leave behind. 

The perfect adult bedtime story for a cold winter night with Christmas around the corner.

Cause of Death by Jeffrey Deaver

This short story is longer than the other two but still only a couple of hours, and in any form, Deaver never disappoints me. His skill with twists and turns and never revealing too much makes reading him an escapist’s dream.

For this one, we jump into the life of a history professor who is trying to make sense of the sudden death of his wife through the layers of secrets he discovers.

Home Body by Rupi Kaur

If you know Rupi Kaur you’ll know what to expect from this collection, if you don’t know her, you should.

The collection is raw and visceral, at times I had to put it down and move away from her unflinching gaze. She creates words to experience not just passively read. Most pieces are complimented with simple but powerful line drawings also created by Rupi which illustrate the emotions of her words perfectly.

If you’re not a fan of poetry, I would urge you to try this and attempt a different kind of connection.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

October is Black History Month so my stack was always going to have one of black histories literary giants, and James Baldwin is nothing if not that.

Born from the tensions of the 60’s, it is a small but transformative book that contains two personal and intimate letters as he talks of the situation through his own experience.

Baldwin doesn’t pull his punches, but his eloquence allows the hits of truth to slide inside rather than send you flying.

'We, the black and the white, deeply need each other here if we are really to become a nation'

Read It.

The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey

Who wouldn’t have wanted to be sat in Oprah’s green room over the years? Her list of interviewees is a roll call of legends, anyone of whom I’d love to listen to wax lyrical on the human condition.

Well Oprah has collected the advice, thoughts and musings of dozens of her most influential guests, from celebrities, to spiritual teachers and artists, all to provide the reader with a guide of inspiration to ‘activate your deepest vision of yourself’.

It was moving, motivating and thought provoking. A perfect gift book for the holiday season.