My Quarantine Reading List

These are all the books I’m going to be reading while in Quarantine, some for Uni but many others for the sheer pleasure of reading seeing as I have much more time to do both.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 (82년생 김지영) by Cho Nam-joo

Kim Jiyoung, born 1982 became a sensation in Korea when published with it becoming the first million-selling Korean novel since 2009’s Please Look After Mom. It follows Kim Jiyoung as she navigates the trials and tribulations of being a female in a mostly misogynistic world. The book also recently got a film adaptation starring Train to Busan’s Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi, which I’m looking forward to watching if and when we get it in the UK.

The Complete Cosmicomics by Italo Calvino

A Uni book, but the book I have been looking forward to the most this year as I have already read Invisible Cities by Calvino which I loved. The Complete Cosmicomics collects all of the Cosmicomic short stories together in one volume; they are bonkers, comically absurd and totally wacky tales of science, family and politics set in space.

Dune by Frank Herbert

A Sci-fi classic that influenced many that wrote after him, Herbert’s Dune has been on my bookshelf for ages, but I will finally get into it while I’m stuck at home for the foreseeable future as I really need to escape reality and be transported to a far off land right now (like most of you too). Also, Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation starring Timothée Chalamet is coming out later this year, so that’s another reason to read it.

Pride and Prejudice & Persuasion by Jane Austen

Two more Uni reads, but everyone loves Austen, and I can’t wait to delve into her world, I’ve seen many a film adaptation of her works such as Autumn De Wilde’s recent lavish and stylish Emma. but I am yet to read her novels! Yes, I am fully aware that it is a literary crime to have got to 26 as a self-proclaimed book worm and to have never read a single Jane Austen novel. Thankfully Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion will put an end to that, and then I really want to read Emma (as I loved the aforementioned movie), and then I’ll probably end up reading the rest of her books.

The Uncanny & Other Essays by Sigmund Freud

I’ve always been fascinated by Freud and his theories, and in my Modern Lit course for Uni he is kind of required reading if you want to get a look into the socio-historical context of modern and post-modern lit. I also read Civilization and Its Discontents recently, and I found that rather interesting and helpful for an essay on Ford Maddox Ford’s The Good Soldier. The Uncanny can also be applied to many other periods and genres of literature, especially the Gothic, which is a genre I absolutely love.

Seasons of Migration to the North by Tayeb Salih

Another uni read, although this one didn’t manage to find itself in the stack of books for the post picture as I have misplaced it in the frightful mess that is my bedroom. But I am really excited to read this book as it’s another piece of translated fiction, and it will be the first translated from Arabic that I will read. Seasons of Migration to the North is the story of how colonialism and orientalism can be extremely destructive to a society as a whole and to the individual’s within it. Being set in Sudan also means that the novel explores the interconnectedness of African and Arabic cultures within the country.

The Three-Body Problem (三体) by Liu Cixin

Liu is China’s master of Hard Science Fiction, I’ve read most of his short story collection The Wandering Earth (the title story is also a Netflix movie!), so I want to get started on his critically acclaimed Remembrance of Earth’s Past (地球往事) Trilogy ASAP. I also have a signed copy of The Supernova Era that I got at Forbidden Planet right after it came out in October last year with all intentions of reading it immediately. Alas, it is still waiting on my bookshelf, perhaps I’ll read that one too…it really depends on how long this Quarantine thing is going to go on for!

Oranges are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

Another Uni book, but again it’s one I’m interested in as I read Weight (a retelling of the myth of Atlas) when I was a kid and enjoyed it, so I’m intrigued to read something else by Wintersonson. Also, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is a semi-autobiographical Bildungsroman (anyone else just love this word?) aka a coming-of-age novel about a young lesbian growing up in a Pentecostal Community.

The City of Words by Alberto Manguel

Uni required reading. There is a quote somewhere in this work that will be the subject of an essay I have to write so I feel like I should read the whole (or most of) this book to get the gist of the subject and maybe find more parts to quote from. The City of Words was originally a lecture that was turned into a book.

Orlando by Virginia Woolf

I recently read Between the Acts for Uni, and I am rather intrigued by Woolf’s writing style, which is famously challenging due to her use of stream of consciousness. Also while studying another text, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu’s The Turkish Embassy Letters it was claimed that Montagu was part of the inspiration of the main character in Orlando, which is cool and the other part being Woolf’s female lover Vita Sackville-West. Orlando has also been described as ‘the longest and most charming love letter in literature’ by Sackville-West’s son Nigel Nicholson, which sounds absolutely romantic.

I clearly have a lot of reading ahead of me, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this eclectic mix of books, reading may just be the only thing to keep me sane in these coming weeks of Quarantine.

Let me know in the comments what books you’ll be reading during Quarantine and whether you have read any of these books.

February Books

I read quite a bit more this month and I also have a couple of unfinished books that will roll over into march or beyond as I have a lot of books to read in part or whole for uni right now. But here are all the books I read this month!

Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud

Freud is a must-read for any student of English lit, so naturally, I gravitated towards this collection of essays to accompany my unit on modern lit. I have been fascinated by psychology for many years and even considered studying it instead of Eng Lit. This was an interesting read but some points regarding women vexed me slightly but that’s to be expected from a 20th-century text.

The Radleys by Matt Haig

A light-hearted, fun and quick read. The story was a little predictable but I don’t really care about that as it was rather funny and a nice way to pass an evening or two.

Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde

I thought this was going to be a short story but it was actually just a collection of Wilde’s witticisms, Funny as they are I was a little disappointed.

Colour and Light & Concord 34 by Sally Rooney

I read a couple of Sally Rooney’s short stories to try and get on backtrack with my (totally impossible) 75 books in a year challenge, which I didn’t but I like reading a good short story nonetheless. I like Rooney’s writing and I like how she navigates heavy topics in a sensitive but real way.

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

I like the David Fincher movie so I thought I would check out the source material. I think its a case of the film is better than the book, in the respect of dealing with the whole Tyler Durden revelation and the iconic ending scene has much more power than the cop-out ending of the book.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

I cried. And I can’t believe I only have 2 more books to go before I’ve finished Harry Potter, I only started listening to the audiobooks last year and I’m already nearly finished! Once again I have to commend Stephen Fry on bringing these stories to life with his exceptional narration and I feel like he adds a lot of magic to the stories.

January Books

I only read three books this month which is not great but not too bad either. I have had a severe case of the January blues this past month so I have struggled to motivate myself to function let alone read books. But luckily the days are getting longer day by day and spring is on the horizon so maybe February will be a much better month overall and in terms of reading.

The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide

A little bit of Japanese short fiction to get my year started, it was an easy and cute read but I would say that it was nothing particularly special. The Guest Cat tells the story of a Japanese couple who are bought closer together by the frequent visits of a neighbours cat.

The Power of Nunchi by Euny Hong

I picked up this book as I felt like I needed some wisdom to start off the new year and the new decade. I don’t think I received said wisdom I was looking for if anything this book felt like a bit of a cash in on the rising global popularity of Korean media. I think Nunchi is probably far more complicated than Hong makes it seem and as I am not Korean I probably don’t even understand 1% of what it actually is.

The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford

I have mixed feelings about this book. I hated it but I also kinda liked it. It’s a complicated relationship and we are working on it as I write an essay on it this coming week. Modernist and impressionistic, The Good Soldier is one of the most meandering books I have ever read. But that’s the point. The narrator is struggling to get his story out so that’s why the plot is a bit like a Jackson Pollock painting, which is infuriating but utterly mysterious at the same time. It’s a modern classic so you should feel compelled to pick it up, so go do that!

December Books

In a desperate bid to finish my Goodreads Reading Challenge of 50 books, I managed to finish 5 books in December.

Act 1, Scene 1 by Lee Mu-young

Another of LTI Korea’s free short stories that are available on Buk. I decided to read this short story as it is of the pastoral genre and I myself had in the middle of November moved with my family to the countryside so it just felt fitting to read something of this ilk. The story followed a man named Sutaek who gave up his job as a writer in the city to relocate to the countryside of his youth to become a farmer. In the process, he reconnects with his father and becomes inspired by his new way of life.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I’m still working my way through the series on audiobook read by the wonderful Stephen Fry. I am rather excited by the conclusion of this book as it is a turning point in the series, Voldermort has returned!!! So it’s probably going to be a crazy ride from here on out! Love the writing, as usual, it’s just a fun and easy listen that makes my day a little nicer

Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki

The irony of buying a physical book on minimalism is not lost on me. I really enjoyed this little read which I read on Christmas day and boxing day (it was a present). And it has reaffirmed my desire to declutter and minimalise my life.

Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim

Buddhist monk Haemin Sunim’s follow up to his bestselling book The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down is another essential read if you are looking to become a little wiser and kinder to yourself and those around you this new year. This book is like a little ray of sunshine and so unbelievably soothing to read.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This little novel was the perfect conclusion to the year (and the decade) as it deals with the past, and how our actions shape our future. In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Timetravel is possible. But there are rules and regulations that deter most people from partaking, one major rule is that you can’t change the present by going back. But four different characters still go back and by joining them on this journey you are forced to consider your own life and decisions and how you could be at any moment making decisions that affect your future. It’s a heartwarming and emotional read which I didn’t expect when I picked it up at my local Waterstones.

November Books

Just So Happens by Fumio Obata

This Graphic Novel tells the story of Yumiko a Japanese woman who has made London her home, she however has to return home as her father has passed away. The story follows Yumiko on her journey home and how the call of your past and people can be so strong. It’s a simple story but the artwork elevates the simplicity and makes it a quick and enjoyable read.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

Often referred to as Shakespeare’s Masterpiece Hamlet is a enigma of a play, and as I am studying it for an upcoming essay I find it all the more intriguing as analysis always makes me appreciate literature more and more.

The Fruit of my Woman by Han Kang

This short story was first written by Kang in 1997 and upon reading it you immediately can see that it is somewhat of a precursor to her most famous novel The Vegetarian. While Kang’s writing style is more lyrical here than it is in The Vegetarian, both tell a similar story of a woman in peril.

Read for free on Granta.com

The Earthquake Bird by Susanna Jones

I watched the Netflix movie with Alicia Vikander in the title role of Lucy Fly and while I wasn’t blown away by the story I was intrigued to read its source material which is indeed better than the movie adaptation and leaves the ending a little more uncertain in terms of who dunnit. And the book also make Lucy’s obsession with Teiji far more creepy.

I Have the Right to Destroy Myself by Kim Young-ha

This is a re-read and I am just as enamoured by Kim’s prose and imaginative weirdness as I was when I first read it. It’s a dark little book but a fascinating one. Slightly reminiscent of Murakami but definitely is Kim’s own thing.

The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s Children’s story The Happy Prince is a short read but an enjoyable one nonetheless and it has its heart in the right place…or does it??? One reading of this story could tell you that its about encouraging children to be generous and helpful but on the other hand when you consider what transpires in the short story it could be a treatise encouraging the exact opposite!

Read for free on buk.io