The great thing about a December break is that you finally get to read all those books on your must-read list, whether you are lying on the beach or lazing beside the pool. Here is what some of the Grazia girls will be reading this December.
Kerri-Lee Candolini, marketing assistant
Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
“Who wouldn’t want to know what Miranda Priestly has been up to?”
Karen Wentzel, art director
The Unbearable Lightness Of Being by Milan Kundera
“I’ve always wanted to read this novel about fleeting, haphazard love and sex. These themes are attached to the idea we only have one life and that our experiences within this life happen once and never again, explaining the ‘lightness’ of life. This is in direct contrast to Friedrich Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence, which ultimately ‘gives weight’ to our decisions in life – as we’ve already made them and will continue to do so. It’s not your average holiday read, but when and where else do we find the time to give these books the right focus, but on a beach?”
How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran
“I’m going to need a good laugh after the abovementioned book, and I’ve recently seen this book being described as ‘engaging, brave, and consistently, cleverly, naughtily funny’, as well as ‘anarchic, bonkers 21st-century women’s lib with laughs’. Caitlin Moran, a columnist for The Times in the UK, tackles some of the most pressing issues facing women in today’s society, including abortion, ageing, sexism and high heels – and has been described as a rock-star feminist. I can’t wait!”
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
“Stephen King describes this as one of the best thrillers he’s ever read – that’s saying something! I need to balance out all the heaviness of Kundera and the cynical LOLs of Moran with some nail-biting suspense. I’m all about balance!”
Robyn Bloch, copy editor
Contact by Carl Sagan
“Remember that Jodie Foster flick where she goes up in a giant weird spaceship and when she reaches the stars/alien planet she begins to cry and says, “So beautiful. Should have sent a poet”? (Okay, it’s not Silence Of The Lambs, but her sharp nose and flashy eyes make her performance tolerable. Plus, aliens!) It’s a book. I will read the book, then rewatch the film. Which I love doing.”
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
“Pretty much as above. Aliens, spaceships, though no poetry as far as I know. I haven’t yet watched the movie, so as soon as I’m done I’ll rent it. (I’m going through a real sci-fi phase.)”
Joseph Anton by Salman Rushdie
“It’s a memoir about Salman Rushdie’s time in hiding after the fatwa against him pronounced on Valentine’s Day 1989. For three years, he never stayed in one place longer than three days. His pseudonym – Joseph Anton – is taken from two authors who inspired him: Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov. I’ve had it for a while, but haven’t got round to reading it…”
Araffa Mpungwe, beauty assistant
The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes
“An easy, fun read, perfect for my tropical getaway this December. I love the way Marian Keyes writes – it’s relatable, and she is terribly funny.”
I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
“My dad just bought me this one and I am very excited to read it. She’s a hero, so young, and extremely brave. We have a lot to learn from Malala.”
Mathilda van Graan, publishing manager
Sense And Sensibility by Joanna Trollope
“As a great fan of Jane Austen (dare I say, one of her biggest), I am always intrigued by the mere mention of one of her titles. Even though modern retellings of classics often disappoint, I am excited to enter the world of Elinor and Marianne Dashwood again, albeit via another author and in another century.”
