Holiday reads: 7 top books to read this summer

Nothing beats sitting by a pool or lying on the beach in summer and losing yourself in a good book.

Whether you love a rip-roaring thriller or a fascinating biography, we’ve got a reading recommendation to help make your holiday in Western Australia’s South-West this summer a very relaxing and memorable one.

Here are our seven recommended books (including a couple of local favourites).

Journeys to the Other Side of the World,
David Attenborough

The world’s favourite naturalist, Sir David Attenborough, has led an adventurous life, filled with incredible experiences. His latest memoir will delight those who love travel and nature.

In the 1950s, in the early days of television, Attenborough made programs that took him to exotic locations like Madagascar, New Guinea, the Pacific Islands and Australia’s Northern Territory, where he recorded not just the wildlife but also the local people and their traditions.

This book covers a journey like no other and is told with Attenborough’s usual charm and passion. Available through Angus & Robertson.

Fervor, Paul Iskov

Let renowned native food chef Paul Iskov take you on a culinary journey from the ocean to the forest and the desert. Fervor is more than a recipe book. It’s also filled with beautiful photographs and short stories about the amazing native ingredients and techniques Paul uses in his dishes.

Paul and his team have been running his Fervor pop-up restaurants for several years and in this book he shares his ethos, experience and training in approachable, honest and insightful language. He talks candidly about the challenges and opportunities of working with native foods and shares his connection to the landscape and the relationships he has with Indigenous communities.

If you’re enjoying the delights of the South-West this summer holiday, Fervor is the ideal companion. Available through Margaret River Press.

A Spark of Light, Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is famous for telling heart-wrenching stories about family and relationships, including 2004’s My Sister’s Keeper. This new book is every bit as gripping and provocative and debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list.

A gunman bursts into Mississippi’s last reproductive services clinic and takes the patients and staff hostage, including a woman waiting for her cancer screening results, a pro-life protestor, and the daughter of the police negotiator sent to handle the situation.

Picoult is a courageous writer who loves tackling challenging issues and this is both a very timely and masterfully told story. Available through Angus & Robertson.

The Reckoning, John Grisham

The king of thriller and suspense novels, John Grisham, has released his fortieth book, The Reckoning, and it’s something a little different. It is a Southern American Gothic tale – a murder mystery, a courtroom drama and a family saga.

Pete Banning is a decorated American World War II hero and an upstanding member of his community. But one morning he woke early, drove into town, and committed a horrific crime. What’s more, he refuses to explain why.

This is a novel that takes you from the war-torn jungle of the Philippines to an insane asylum in America’s south. You’ll be gripped the whole time.
Available through Angus & Robertson.

Sea Prayer, Khaled Hosseini

The author of The Kite Runner is back with another deeply moving story. Sea Prayer is a short tale suitable for people of all ages, brought to life by the stunning illustrations of Dan Williams.

A father sits on a moonlit beach, waiting for a boat to arrive. As his young son sleeps, he speaks to him of his childhood, his grandfather’s house in Syria, the bustling city of Homs, the mosque, the grand souk, and life before the bombs started falling from the sky. When the sun rises, father and son will begin a perilous journey to a new home far away.

This illustrated short story will tug at the heartstrings of every reader.
Available through Angus & Robertson.

Lost Perth, Richard Offen

The former director of Heritage Perth, Richard Offen, has turned historian and his second book, Lost Perth, is a trip down memory lane for anyone who has grown up or lived in Perth for a long time.

This is his second book, following the success of Perth, Then and Now, which was released in 2016. It focuses on the wonderful buildings and streetscapes WA’s capital city has lost over the past century – including beloved institutions that have been swept away in the name of progress.

Not only does this book contain fantastic, nostalgia-inducing photography of old Perth, it tells the stories of the city and its people in a captivating way.
Available through Harper Collins.

Arcadia, Di Morrissey

Australian novelist Di Morrissey has set much of her latest novel in an isolated and wild part of 1930s Tasmania. It’s a modern mystery set in a timeless forest, involving several generations of the same family.

Stella, a young bride and artist, joins her husband on his secluded property, Arcadia. When an unknown predator strikes, she is saved by an unusual protector. Years later, her granddaughter and her best friend stumble over Stella’s secret life in the forest and, in turn, find themselves threatened.

What starts as an adventurous road trip becomes a hunt for the story of the past, which the women must solve to save themselves. Available through Angus & Robertson.

Next time you feel like escaping to the South-West with a good book, take a look at the stunning homes available through Private Properties. Whether you want to curl up on the couch with a romance or lie by the pool with a thriller, we have a luxury holiday home to suit.
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