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Read your way around the world
Wherever you're going on holiday this Summer, we have a book recommendation to match your destination.
1
France
Compiled by Kat Wales
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Be transported to the boulevards and bars of 1920 Jazz Age Paris with this intense story of ambition and betrayal. Following a whirlwind romance, novelist Ernest Hemingway and Hadley Richardson embark on a love affair which soon sees them becoming the golden couple of a lively and volatile group of friends. But they face the ultimate crisis of their marriage; a deception that will hugely impact on everything they’ve fought so hard for…
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Be transported to the boulevards and bars of 1920 Jazz Age Paris with this intense story of ambition and betrayal. Following a whirlwind romance, novelist Ernest Hemingway and Hadley Richardson embark on a love affair which soon sees them becoming the golden couple of a lively and volatile group of friends. But they face the ultimate crisis of their marriage; a deception that will hugely impact on everything they’ve fought so hard for…
2
Greece
The House on Paradise Street by Sofka Zinovieff
After her husband is killed in a car crash in Athens, Maud decides to track down his estranged mother, Antigone, who left the family when he was only three years old. Antigone reveals her heart-breaking story of being caught up in the political tides of the Greek Civil War and the consequences it had on her son. The House on Paradise Street is an epic tale of love, loss and the brutal toll of the past.
After her husband is killed in a car crash in Athens, Maud decides to track down his estranged mother, Antigone, who left the family when he was only three years old. Antigone reveals her heart-breaking story of being caught up in the political tides of the Greek Civil War and the consequences it had on her son. The House on Paradise Street is an epic tale of love, loss and the brutal toll of the past.
3
Germany
Munich Airport by Greg Baxter
When an American expat in London takes a phone call from a German policewoman, it’s devastating news. His sister Miriam has been found dead in her Berlin flat, supposedly from starvation. He finds himself stuck in fogbound Munich with his father and American consular official, sifting through his sister’s belongings, and trying to figure out what could have led to her awful and untimely death. A gripping read that will have you hooked right until the last page.
When an American expat in London takes a phone call from a German policewoman, it’s devastating news. His sister Miriam has been found dead in her Berlin flat, supposedly from starvation. He finds himself stuck in fogbound Munich with his father and American consular official, sifting through his sister’s belongings, and trying to figure out what could have led to her awful and untimely death. A gripping read that will have you hooked right until the last page.
4
Spain
The Seamstress by Maria Duenas
A tale of frustrated dreams, danger and romance set in 1930s Spain, as the country prepares for civil war. A young, poor seamstress is swept up in a tumultuous romance, fleeing from Madrid to Morocco with her lover. But love disguises his real persona and she is soon abandoned and left penniless. Using the skill she still possesses, she’s soon the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers but everything she has built is threatened when she becomes embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy. The Seamstress is a WW2 tale like no other, a wonderful novel with intrigue, love and mystery that transports you to the heart of the story.
A tale of frustrated dreams, danger and romance set in 1930s Spain, as the country prepares for civil war. A young, poor seamstress is swept up in a tumultuous romance, fleeing from Madrid to Morocco with her lover. But love disguises his real persona and she is soon abandoned and left penniless. Using the skill she still possesses, she’s soon the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers but everything she has built is threatened when she becomes embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy. The Seamstress is a WW2 tale like no other, a wonderful novel with intrigue, love and mystery that transports you to the heart of the story.
5
Italy
The Treasure Hunt by Andrea Camilleri
If you haven’t come across the charming Inspector Montalbano crime series set on the picture postcard-perfect island of Sicily, you’re in for a treat. When two ageing recluses are spotted firing at passers-by from their balcony, Montalbano is called in to assist. On the surface, it seems a straight-forward case – then the first mysterious letters containing a riddle arrives for him…
If you haven’t come across the charming Inspector Montalbano crime series set on the picture postcard-perfect island of Sicily, you’re in for a treat. When two ageing recluses are spotted firing at passers-by from their balcony, Montalbano is called in to assist. On the surface, it seems a straight-forward case – then the first mysterious letters containing a riddle arrives for him…
6
Turkey
Honour by Elif Shafak
Honour is told through the eyes of Esma, a young Kurdish woman, who is coming to terms with her mother death. Pembe, her husband Adem and their three children abandon Turkey for a new life in London, but the life they dream of is shattered when Adem leaves the family for another woman. As Pembre embarks on a chaste affair, Esma’s older brother Iskender, murders his mother for bringing shame upon the family’s honour. This tale captures a culture where a man can abandon his family for a mistress with no repercussions, but where a woman who absconds will be presented with a rope. A powerful book that explores the darkest aspects of faith and love and an ideal holiday read.
14 books perfect for a Summer getaway
The longlist for the 2014 Man Booker Prize has been announced – but where are all the women?
Ahoy! Timothy and Shane Spall's big adventure
Honour is told through the eyes of Esma, a young Kurdish woman, who is coming to terms with her mother death. Pembe, her husband Adem and their three children abandon Turkey for a new life in London, but the life they dream of is shattered when Adem leaves the family for another woman. As Pembre embarks on a chaste affair, Esma’s older brother Iskender, murders his mother for bringing shame upon the family’s honour. This tale captures a culture where a man can abandon his family for a mistress with no repercussions, but where a woman who absconds will be presented with a rope. A powerful book that explores the darkest aspects of faith and love and an ideal holiday read.
14 books perfect for a Summer getaway
The longlist for the 2014 Man Booker Prize has been announced – but where are all the women?
Ahoy! Timothy and Shane Spall's big adventure
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