Good Reads - Spring Edition

If I had to pinpoint one aspect of winter that I love, it's that maximum warmth is gained by staying in bed as long as possible. This means I had plenty of time to catch up on reading. I'll admit that I had a few books on the go over winter and didn't finish them all! Nevertheless, there were a few good 'uns for me to share with you now - add them to your list for reading in the springtime sunshine.


The Wife Drought - Annabel Crabb

It feels as though I've already reviewed this book, but I'm just getting confused by how much I quote / recommend this book to others. I am a long time fan of Annabel Crabb - she is a fantastic journalist (also hilarious). Published earlier this year, I was pretty keen to get my nose into it and absorb every word. If ever there was a concise argument that women are fucking warriors, then this is it - with facts and statistics to back it up. But before anyone gets too hot-headed, this isn't a run-of-the-mill men vs. women argument. It's actually useful for explaining how both men and women are let down by the system - there are a lot of factors that restrict men in acting outside of stereotypes. But I'll let Annabel convince you herself, give The Wife Drought a go.

Notable fact: Women in executive positions (CEOs etc) are likely to do MORE housework than a woman in a lower position, because they feel guilty that they aren't home enough and overcompensate.

Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

After listening to a few interviews with Adichie and reviews of her other works, I was unsure where to begin because I wanted to read everything immediately. This novel is an excellent start. Adichie has a very passionate view of storytelling, which is so crucial in her ability to connect people to stories and past events with humanity. Half a Yellow Sun is one such story, set in Nigeria during the civil war and the formation of Biafra in the late 1960s/ early 1970s. To be honest, I'm having trouble finding words to express how moved I was by this novel - Adichie has drawn so much into the story that I could chat about it for days. To sum up, I laughed and I definitely cried.

Notable fact: The Nigerian Civil War or Biafran War created a significant humanitarian crisis and widespread famine. It is believed that at least two million people died in what in what is now referred to as a genocide. It also led to the formation of of aid organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières.  

So You've Been Publicly Shamed - Jon Ronson

Twitter is a cultural phenomenon, but has the capacity to be completely evil. Just ask Jon Ronson. Twitter the thing itself may not be the issue, but the power people assume through social media is astonishing. Ronson explores the role of shame, both throughout history and in modern times with fascinating interviews with people who experienced public shame in recent times (if you remember 'girl who made the Africa/ AIDS joke' on twitter then you are already familiar). Mostly, as a sociological study, Ronson is able to explain why public shaming is so effective in achieving it's purpose - and so contagious. Why do people jump on a hate bandwagon? Is online anonymity the only factor? Do we truly understand the impact of a few typed words on the person it's aimed at? READ THIS BOOK. You will be hooked (also, it's reasonably short at about 300 pages).

Notable fact: just... all of it. Humiliation is a bitch.

What can you recommend? Leave us a comment below or on our facebook page!

Happy reading!

E x