By Giulia Piceni. Cover photo by Eugene Golovesov from Unsplash.
Last summer, I set out with one goal: to read as much as possible. You know that ever-growing stack of books we collect throughout the year, always saying, “I’ll get to it when I have time”? Well, this year, I decided that the time had finally come. With my undergraduate degree completed and no upcoming exams, I had the freedom to dive into all those pleasurable reads that often get sidelined during the school year.
While focusing on essays and subject-specific texts can sharpen your academic skills, it’s the books we choose for pure enjoyment that shape us on a deeper, more human level. However, I believe these two realms aren’t completely separate; instead, they complement each other. After a year immersed in art-related subjects, it was refreshing to lose myself in the novels I had set aside. Here are my thoughts on those 5 must read books. I hope that the lasting impressions they have left on me can also inspire you.
5 Must-Read Books That’ll Make You Forget About Your Phone
To Walk the Night by William Sloane (1937)
Probably my favourite book of the summer; the story was so captivating that I finished it in just three days. The writing style and constant suspense made me want to keep reading whenever I had a free moment.
To Walk the Night defies genre classification, blending elements of science fiction, horror, and detective fiction. The plot unfolds in a relatively static manner, retracing a series of inexplicable events in search of a solution to a mystery, with the narrative shifting between the past and the present.
It all begins with a last-minute meeting with a former university professor, which drags the young Jerry and his friend Bark into a fatal vortex of misfortune despite Jerry’s seemingly happy marriage to the cold and mysterious Selena.
To Walk the Night is deeply intertwined with the scientific and psychoanalytic theories that were popular at the time it was written, reflecting Sloane’s fascination with the cultural trends he was exposed to as a university professor.
A further plus: the recently released Italian edition from Adelphi has one of the nicest covers ever.
Recommended for those who love being kept on the edge of their seats, dislike clichéd science fiction, and enjoyed watching Interstellar (2014)
Must read books Slowness by Milan Kundera (1995)
The magic of an 18th-century castle haunted by ghosts blurs two different timelines during a midsummer night. Two opposite love stories, originating from different centuries but united by their connection to the castle, intertwine to showcase how the concepts of love and time have evolved
The omniscient narrator, who is actually the author himself, quietly observes the mystical night that begins when he arrives at the castle with his wife. It is during their drive that the narrator reflects on the profound truth at the core of the entire story: speed leads humanity to oblivion, preventing us from noticing the world and the people around us. In this fast-paced postmodern era, the only way to preserve our values and essence is by embracing slowness. Kundera skillfully combines philosophical insights with humour, creating a story that is both thought-provoking and entertaining.
Recommended for those who love philosophical tales, enjoy sarcasm and irony, and seek the antidote to our insensibly fast world
Milestone out of 5 must read books: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcìa Marquez (1967)
This novel, a staple of classic literature, has been on my reading list for a long time. When I discovered an old edition that once belonged to my mother on a forgotten shelf, I immediately started reading it.
The story spans from 1830 to 1930, chronicling the lives of the Buendía family in the small Colombian village of Macondo. The novel captures the cyclical nature of the lives of the people described its pages, featuring recurring first names and character traits throughout the narrative.
Set against a backdrop of significant historical events like the Thousand Days War, the tumultuous period of La Violencia, and the economic depression following the collapse of the banana trade, the novel intertwines these elements into the personal and emotional lives of its characters. Influenced by the Colombian political and historical landscape, the narrative exemplifies the best of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism, hinting at a mythical past that seems to survive only in Macondo.
Just a quick disclaimer: it is highly recommended to keep a genealogical tree of the Buendìa family members nearby while reading, or you might get lost.
It’s a perfect read for those who love prose investigations of human nature, are passionate about magic realism and have watched the Amazon Prime series Undone.
What Happens at Night by Peter Cameron (2020)
A faceless and nameless couple, caught in the throes of a marital crisis, wanders through the dark, frigid Russian winter in search of a child to adopt, a cure for uterine cancer, or a way to mend their fractured bond as both partners and individuals. What Happens at Night is a haunting exploration of a marriage on the verge of collapse, where the lack of communication widens the gap between them, and the emotional scars that have accumulated over time put their relationship in jeopardy.
One particularly striking authorial choice is the omission of punctuation for direct dialogue. This deliberate decision blurs the lines between the protagonists’ perspectives, creating a disorienting reading experience that mirrors the sense of alienation and estrangement they feel toward each other. The novel weaves a tapestry of isolation, where every word and gesture feels laden with unspoken pain and unresolved tension. The ending, enigmatic and rich in symbolism, lingered in my mind long after, its inexplicable power haunting my dreams throughout the night.
Recommended for those captivated by Michelangelo Antonioni’s Trilogy of Incommunicability and the tense, psychological suspense of Anatomy of a Fall (2024)
Unusual out of 5 must read books The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgarkov (1928 and 1940)
The first time I heard about this book was through a video featuring the renowned Italian historian Alessandro Barbero. While dissecting its chapters, he was moved to tears, which instantly intrigued me. I began reading it some time ago, but due to my busy schedule, I had to take long breaks between sessions. It wasn’t because of the story’s pace but simply because my time was scarce. Finishing it was a true pleasure, allowing me to fully appreciate its ironic and grotesque style.
The story is extremely unusual, and summarising such an engaging plot would hardly do it justice. In short, the characters are all remarkably eccentric and sinister, set against the backdrop of the Soviet era in the 1930s. Amid references to Goethe’s Faust and absurd demonic rituals, the city of Moscow is turned upside down by a mysterious trio: a magician, his sinister accomplice, and a human-sized black cat. At the heart of this chaotic whirlwind is the impossible love story between the Master, who is confined to a psychiatric hospital for writing a forbidden book about Pontius Pilate, and the young Margarita, both victims of those tumultuous times.
Recommended for those who delight in absurd and unexpected tales, enjoy uncovering hidden literary references, and are ready to be captivated by a narrative unlike any other.
