In this memoir, Rebanks recounts his stay on Fjærøy, a tiny island just south of the Arctic Circle, where he lived with Anna and her friend Ingrid, learning the ancient practice of collecting eiderdown from wild ducks 

The book explores themes of solitude, human connection to nature, and the rhythms of life dictated by the tides. Rebanks’ narrative intertwines his personal journey of self-discovery with Anna’s extraordinary life, emphasizing her independence, resilience, and dedication to traditional ways

Transcription is a spy novel by British novelist Kate Atkinson, which focuses on the activities of British orphan Juliet Armstrong throughout World War II and afterwards. She begins a career as a low-level transcriptionist for MI5, before rising through the ranks. After the war she moves to the BBC. where she became a producer of Children's programmes.

Raising Hare chronicles Chloe Dalton’s experience rescuing and raising a wild leveret during the COVID-19 lockdown in the English countryside. Dalton, a political adviser and speechwriter, relocates from London to her childhood home, where she discovers an abandoned newborn hare. Through trial, error, and research, she learns to care for the leveret, providing it with oats and pears, and adapts her home to accommodate its nocturnal habits while striving to maintain its freedom

Helm centers on the eponymous wind, a powerful and mischievous force in Northern England, particularly the Eden Valley. The novel spans centuries, exploring how humans have interacted with Helm—from Neolithic tribes attempting to placate it, to Victorian engineers trying to harness it, to modern scientists like Dr. Selima Sutar, who fears human pollution is threatening its existence 

Helm is depicted as both elemental and sentient, observing humanity with curiosity, humour, and occasional mischief 

A Year of Marvellous Ways is a beautifully written, poetic novel blending magical realism with intimate human stories of grief, recovery and connection.

Set in Cornwall in 1947, the novel follows Marvellous Ways, a ninety-year-old woman who has lived alone by a creek for most of her life, and Francis Drake, a young soldier traumatized by the Second World War 

James Baldwin’s 1956 novel Giovanni’s Room stands as a landmark in literary fiction, a daring exploration of sexuality, identity, and self-deception written at a time when LGBTQ narratives were not only uncommon but often actively suppressed. Set against the backdrop of post-war Paris, the novel follows David, a young American expatriate caught in a crisis of identity as he navigates relationships with both his fiancée Hella and an Italian bartender named Giovanni. What unfolds is a devastating examination of a man at war with himself, unable to reconcile his desires with conventional expectations of masculinity and morality.

1. A haunting, existential dystopian novel exploring isolation, identity, and the human condition through the eyes of a young woman who has never known life outside captivity. I Who Have Never Known Men is a post-apocalyptic, philosophical novel that follows an unnamed young narrator, the youngest of forty women imprisoned in a mysterious underground cage, guarded by silent men  Unlike the other women, she has no memory of life before captivity, making her perspective uniquely isolated and introspective 

Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady is Florence King's classic memoir of her upbringing in an eccentric Southern family, told with all the uproarious wit and gusto that has made her one of the most admired writers in the country. Florence may have been a disappointment to her Granny, whose dream of rearing a Perfect Southern Lady would never be quite fulfilled. But after all, as Florence reminds us, "no matter which sex I went to bed with, I never smoked on the street."

From the bestselling historical novelist, a rich, transporting story that follows a family of glassmakers from the height of Renaissance-era Italy to the present day.

It is 1486 and Venice is a wealthy, opulent center for trade. Orsola Rosso is the eldest daughter in a family of glassblowers on Murano, the island revered for the craft. Skipping like a stone through the centuries, in a Venice where time moves as slowly as molten glass, we follow Orsola and her family as they live through creative triumph and heartbreaking loss, from a plague devastating Venice to Continental soldiers stripping its palazzos bare, from the domination of Murano and its maestros to the transformation of the city of trade into a city of tourists. In every era, the Rosso women ensure that their work, and their bonds, endure.

Chevalier is a master of her own craft, and The Glassmaker is as inventive as it is spellbinding: a mesmerizing portrait of a woman, a family, and a city as everlasting as their glass.

Sept 11th

It is here that ten-year-old Daniel Sempere pulls a single book—The Shadow of the Wind—off of the dusty shelves to adopt as his own. With one fateful turn of a page, he begins an adventure that will unravel another man's tragedy and solve a mystery that has already taken many lives and will shape his entire future.

Oct 9th

What the Silent Say by Emerson Ford is an historical novel inspired by the author's own family history, centering on two brothers, Raymond and Jimmie, during World War II. It explores the profound impact of the war on the brothers and their family, particularly Raymond's wife Evelyn, highlighting themes of family bonds, sacrifice, and the lingering effects of war. The story is told through a blend of perspectives, spanning from South Carolina battlefields to the Pacific Theater, and is brought to life through a collection of letters discovered later in the novel. 

Nov 13th

"The Fraud" is a historical novel by Zadie Smith set in Victorian England and Jamaica, centering on the real-life Tichborne Case, where a butcher from Australia claimed to be the lost heir to a baronetcy. The story follows Eliza Touchet, a housekeeper and abolitionist who becomes entangled with the case and the lives of the writer William Harrison Ainsworth and former slave Andrew Bogle. The novel explores themes of truth versus fiction, identity, hypocrisy, and the abolition of slavery, using the dramatic courtroom trial as a lens to examine broader societal and personal fictions.

Dec 11th

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes retells the Trojan War from the perspective of the women involved, including goddesses, Trojan women, and Greek wives. The fragmented narrative shifts between various female characters—like the grieving queen Hecuba, the abandoned nymph Oenone, and the waiting Penelope—to highlight the war's devastating impact, the often-overlooked suffering of women, and the gods' indirect role in the conflict.

Jan 8th

The Bookbinder of Jericho is a historical fiction novel by Pip Williams set in Oxford during World War I, following twin sisters Peggy and Maud who work in the Oxford University Press bindery. Peggy dreams of attending university, but her class and gender are barriers, while Maud is content with the work. The war changes everything, bringing new opportunities for women but also forcing Peggy to balance her ambitions with care for her sister and a new love, exploring themes of knowledge, class, gender, and finding one's voice amidst societal restrictions.

Our report and comment on this book can be accessed here.

Feb 12th

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell is a historical novel about Lucrezia de' Medici, a young girl who is forced into an arranged marriage with Alfonso II d'Este, the Duke of Ferrara, in 16th-century Italy. The story follows Lucrezia's journey from her sheltered life as a privileged child to her eventual marriage and the realization that her husband intends to murder her after she fails to produce an heir. The narrative shifts between Lucrezia's childhood and her final days as Duchess, exploring themes of female agency, patriarchy, and survival within a politically charged world.

Mar 12th

The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante follows 12-year-old Giovanna as she navigates adolescence and her parents' divorce in 1990s Naples. After overhearing her father compare her to his estranged, vulgar sister, Vittoria, Giovanna embarks on a journey to find her aunt, discovering the secrets and lies within her family and moving between the refined and "low" worlds of Naples. The story explores themes of identity, family secrets, class, and the complexities of growing up in a world of adult hypocrisy and betrayal.

Apr 9th

Butter by Asako Yuzuki follows journalist Rika Machida as she investigates convicted serial killer Manako Kajii, who allegedly lures and murders lonely businessmen with her exquisite cooking, a case inspired by Japan's real-life "Konkatsu Killer". When Kajii initially refuses to speak to the press, Rika writes her a letter asking for a beef stew recipe, sparking a series of gastronomic dialogues that become a masterclass in food and an intimate exploration of the two women's lives. The novel uses food to explore themes of misogyny, obsession, and the complex relationships between women in contemporary Japan, as Rika undergoes a physical and emotional transformation through her interactions with Kajii.

May 14th

Part bildungsroman and part espionage novel, The Second Sight of Zachary Cloudesley is the story of a family, focused on the title character, but looking beyond. It begins with his birth and ends with him reaching his majority, begins with a death and ends with a wedding. It is the story of a changing generation. 

June 11th

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett follows Lara Nelson, whose three adult daughters return to their Michigan cherry farm during the 2020 pandemic, where they urge her to share the story of her whirlwind romance with a young, famous actor, Peter Duke, during a summer at a theatre named Tom Lake decades earlier. As Lara recounts her past, the novel explores themes of love, memory, and the impact of past choices on life's trajectory, as the daughters reflect on their own lives and their relationship with their mother.

July 9th

A Bike Ride by Anne Mustoe summarizes her 12,000-mile solo bicycle journey around the world. The book details her experiences cycling through Europe, India, the Far East, and the United States, highlighting the encounters with diverse cultures, the physical challenges of the journey, and the kindness she received from strangers. The book is characterized by its wry humor, understated British perspective, and focus on the historical and cultural aspects of the places she visited, rather than on personal suffering. 

September 12th

Dolly Maunder was born at the end of the nineteenth century, when society’s long-locked doors were starting to creak ajar for women. Growing up in a poor farming family in country New South Wales but clever, energetic and determined, Dolly spent her restless life pushing at those doors.

In this compelling new novel, Kate Grenville uses family memories to imagine her way into the life of her grandmother. This is the story of a woman, working her way through a world of limits and obstacles, who was able—if at a cost—to make a life she could call her own. Her battles and triumphs helped to open doors for the women who came after.

October 10th

The disaster at Aberfan on the 21st of October 1966 left a mark on many in the UK and resonates with those born long after the event. One aspect I hadn’t really considered before was what happened to the bodies after they were pulled from the wreckage but before the funerals took place. This novel tells the story of one of the embalmers involved in that part of the events and how his life was impacted in the years that followed.

November 14th

An astonishingly incisive and suspenseful novel about a scandal amongst Britain's privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake.

This scandal – which forces Sophie to appraise her marriage and Kate her demons – will have far-reaching consequences for them all. Part courtroom thriller, part portrait of a marriage, part exploration of the extent to which our memories still haunt us, is a disarming and provocative psychological drama.

December 12th

Set just after World War II, this is a fictionalized account of the transport of hundreds of wartime brides from England to Australia aboard an aircraft carrier filled with Marines. Many of the women have spent very little time with their husbands and almost all are leaving behind the only life they’ve ever known. The six-week journey of fear, excitement, irritation, and boredom will end in disaster for some and a lifetime of happiness for others, but it’s the getting there that this novel plays on.

January 9th

When God Was a Rabbit follows the life of a young girl – Eleanor Maud (Elly for short) – as she grows up first in Essex, then Cornwall and the various characters she meets and befriends along the way. The book is named after God, a pet rabbit given to Elly by her brother, who is a constant companion during her childhood. Overall it is a story about love in all its forms, surrounding the central characters, Elly, her brother and their extended circle of family and friends.

February 13th

There Is Nothing Here for You : Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century is the 2021 political memoir by British American Political advisor Fiona Hill. It details her early life in England, eventually entering US politics and continues through the first presidency of Donald Trump.

Born in Bishop Auckland where she attended Bishop Barrington School, she graduated from Edinburgh University and then gained a PhD from Harvard. She is the current Chancellor of Durham University.

March 13th

Long Island is about longings unfulfilled, even unrecognized. The silences in Eilis' life are thunderous and dangerous, and there's no one more deft than Tóibín at giving them language. This is a gorgeous story of a woman alone in a marriage and the deepest bonds she rekindles on her return to the place and people she left behind, to ways of living and loving she thought she'd lost.

April 10th

Single White Female meets The Perfect Nanny in this taut, psychological suspense novel about a perfect couple and their seemingly perfect roommate—that is until she threatens to destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to create.

May 8th

A sweeping, heart-stopping epic of a young woman's journey to becoming, set against the harsh beauty of mid-century Colorado

June 12th

English Pastoral is the story of an inheritance: one that affects us all. It tells of how rural landscapes around the world were brought close to collapse, and the age-old rhythms of work, weather, community and wild things were lost. And yet this elegy from the northern fells is also a song of hope: of how, guided by the past, one farmer began to salvage a tiny corner of England that was now his, doing his best to restore the life that had vanished and to leave a legacy for the future.

July 10th

Flo is sick of Tokyo. Suffering from a crisis in confidence, she is stuck in a rut, her translation work has dried up and she's in a relationship that's run its course. That's until she stumbles upon a mysterious book left by a fellow passenger on the Tokyo Subway. From the very first page, Flo is transformed and immediately feels compelled to translate this forgotten novel, a decision which sets her on a path that will change her life. . .