{"id":200561,"date":"2025-06-20T18:42:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/200561\/"},"modified":"2025-06-20T18:42:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T18:42:12","slug":"19-books-the-nationals-staff-are-reading-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/200561\/","title":{"rendered":"19 books The National&#8217;s staff are reading this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-0-NX7UREI6HNG43FX3TQ7YYP2N34\">From award-winning reads and books set everywhere from a sleepy English village to imperial China, to sporting memoirs and business guides, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/arts-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/arts-culture\/\">The National<\/a>&#8216;s reading list this summer is rather varied.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-1-J7EJ6EMOPBCB5MGLHR36NXFF5Q\">Our staff share the literary treats they are savouring this season. Below are our favourite reads, arranged by year of release.<\/p>\n<p><b>1. The Last Bell: Life, Death and Boxing by Donald McRae (2025)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-5-WXIRVQNG25HLNIEAGWD6IQL52Y\">After 50 years of covering boxing, Donald McRae\u2019s long-awaited sequel to the revered 1996 Dark Trade is less a love letter than it is a confession.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-6-3B6SZL37KJHPJAX44QONZ5PMHU\">McRae never shies away from confronting the grim realities that endure from his first book, whether it be criminality, corrupt judging, doping or the extreme physical and mental toll on competitors. As before, he finds solace in the company of fighters, telling their remarkable stories and trying to understand the mentality of those who inflict and receive trauma for money. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-7-YK76I3UPHVCJ3DFM6XNJTYP7EI\">Back in 1996 it was James Toney, Mike Tyson, Naseem Hamed and Chris Eubank Sr. For the modern day, it is Tyson Fury, \u2018Canelo\u2019 Alvarez, Oleksandr Usyk and Katie Taylor. By contrasting the virtues of the fighters with the cruelty of their profession, McRae examines his own uneasy relationship with the sport, while also getting to the heart of what makes boxing simultaneously thrilling and appalling. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-9-OWMQNVOUEFHRPH6YAOCZWWILDM\">As the American broadcaster Larry Merchant once said: \u201cNothing will kill it, and nothing can save it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-10-H2WNJ27MTNDLLMOKONS34J77UA\">Andy Lewis, assistant sports editor<\/p>\n<p><b>2. The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong (2025)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-13-RDUWZXKCEZAF3CWDEKYYFIHUMI\">Much like his semi-autobiographical first novel, On Earth We\u2019re Briefly Gorgeous, The Emperor of Gladness is not an easy read, either in subject matter or in narrative style. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-14-Z33VJ4M7L5FHBBS7DHPDD2AYA4\">Vuong, a celebrated poet, plays with words and tone in such creatively satisfying ways, you\u2019re forced to pay attention and lose yourself in his broken yet enchanting world. Vuong tells the story, set in a fictional town called East Gladness in Connecticut, the US, of Hai, a 19-year-old who at the beginning decides to take his own life by jumping off a bridge. But he\u2019s distracted by an 82-year-old woman, Grazina, living near the river who convinces Hai, at least for the night, not to go through with his purpose.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-15-GDBCBY4CHJABPJWXSDHGP62OFY\">The two then form an unlikely friendship, both haunted by their shared troubled pasts \u2013 Grazina is a Lithuanian immigrant suffering from dementia, while Hai, the child of Vietnamese refugees, is an addict in remission. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-16-ROVIQN43Q5DC7IMEQECEBRCVIU\">Together they play the cards life has dealt them, even if it\u2019s pockmarked with loss and pain, in a story that is darkly comedic, and sad but ultimately hopeful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-17-7BR47W2I3JBUVIJ37Y7DEG44BI\">David Tusing, assistant features editor<\/p>\n<p><b>3. The Singularity by Balsam Karam (2024)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-20-UZJ5LVQISZCXROELUSB3OR6IFY\">The first novel published in English by Balsam Karam, a Swedish author of Kurdish descent, is built for the moment. It&#8217;s set in a fictional coastal city amid rapid development, divided into zones for the rich and poor, &#8220;half obscured by skyscrapers and half left to the desert&#8221;. On its corniche, two mothers meet \u2013 one who has lost her daughter. Blending themes of assimilation and modern parenthood with the plight of refugees, the book is full of twists, turns and lively, experimental prose. It may not be an ideal beach read, but this challenging but rewarding short work will stay with you long after you finish it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-21-IAC3IKLW5RH57MPOXP4TRJXTEI\">William Mullally, arts &amp; culture editor<\/p>\n<p><b>4. The Shortest History of Migration by Ian Goldin (2024)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-24-GIDAUE6LNNA5XNM6OXG277TTWQ\">How and why humans have shifted around the globe is the foundation of every nation, according to this concise yet surprisingly wide-reaching book by Ian Goldin.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-25-S6BZTKGKBNEZ3EPJV4XZJ22Q64\">At about 250 pages, The Shortest History of Migration races through history, yet outlines, clearly and simply, the ways humans and other now-extinct hominids have been on the move since the dawn of time, driven by a shared impulse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-26-4KQ6F5OBRJGWRHXWF4MJERBF6A\">From a shared common ancestor, Homo heidelbergensis, which roamed across several continents 700,000 years ago, to Homosapiens (us) venturing to Southern China up to 85,000 years ago, we have always been on the move. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-27-5WGLBBH6ZNF5LDRBH4MRAN3ZPY\">History is marked by mass migration, from the abhorrent slave trade that shipped more than 12 million people from African countries to the Americas, to the four million Europeans who emigrated to Brazil in the period between the two world wars. So, why is this relevant? We seem to delight in inflicting violence on one another, and at the time of writing there are wars and invasions raging across the planet, with the brutality framed around notions of difference and otherness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-28-6436Y66HAFC6DF7QHIFKXXORGQ\">What this book helps to underscore is that, despite an insistence that we are all different, science highlights how we are all intertwined, with even the long-vanished Neanderthals and Denisovans still lingering in our DNA. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-29-IL66LNNE6JCGVDS5UN7JGT332M\">It is a fascinating look at how we all follow similar patterns and share common ambitions, and as such is a message that feels vitally important right now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-30-QIYFJFCY6FAEXLZ35PHJXCU5ZA\">Sarah Maisey, deputy Luxury editor<\/p>\n<p><b>5. Stakeholder Whispering by Bill Shander (2024)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-33-JMOFQ35AZJA4RHHZVTNBL5LNPI\">There are plenty of books out there on client relations, but this one more than delivers. In Stakeholder Whispering, Bill Shander offers a compelling look at a simple truth \u2013 what people ask for is often not what they actually need.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-34-VAN6WHMXSRHVHPG3M6ZHH3WYTQ\">Through clear examples and structured insights, Shander shows how to shift from simply taking orders to uncovering the intent behind them. For anyone working with clients, colleagues or senior executives, the book provides smart communication tools to help you not only get better answers, but also learn how to ask the right questions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-35-R4ACQ6J45JENRIFDEYOED3RQ7M\">In a crowded field, Stakeholder Whispering stands out for being thoughtful, practical and refreshingly empathetic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-36-5SEALJWCBZH6RCVCCSFAELS73Y\">Laura Koot, managing editor<\/p>\n<p><b>6. Original Sin: President Biden&#8217;s Decline, its Cover-up, and his Disastrous Choice to Run Again, by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson (2024)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-39-VYEI4POOZ5FGVHCO7PXWXJCQBY\">Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson\u2019s book on the unravelling of Joe Biden\u2019s re-election campaign last year is meticulously researched and compelling. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-40-HWAAMV67JFHPLAMBFJENYWXYSQ\">The \u201coriginal sin\u201d of the book\u2019s title was, according to the authors, Mr Biden\u2019s decision to stand in 2024, one that was compounded by efforts to disguise what they term as his \u201ccognitive diminishment\u201d. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-41-ZHKIXYV5SRBMDMZIVRXEELXJDM\">The authors assembled a vast cast of sources and interviews \u2013 they estimate that about 200 people took part, including White House officials and others who had a ringside seat \u2013 to lay out their findings and support the book&#8217;s provocative title.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-42-2UNJQGU3IVHM3LRQBMWXJJJ6SU\">The body of evidence presented on Tapper and Thompson\u2019s pages is almost vertigo-inducing, but their conclusion is by turns unsettling and thought-provoking. The authors refer to the Watergate scandal as an example of a large-scale, presidential-level cover-up, before declaring that what happened in 2024 was entirely different to that. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-43-Y7HLD4WFJFFPXNCP4IADVQXRFI\">Chumming the waters in such a fashion may appear to sensationalise what happened last year, but it also forces the reader to reach their own judgment about what it all means for the future of US politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-44-LDG45SLYRRBA7BXBC5EZPWPZH4\">Nick March, assistant editor-in-chief<\/p>\n<p><b>7. Good Material by Dolly Alderton (2023)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-47-EDZZFRYMJFBQ7L6UY54BPLODP4\">Overwhelmed by the events unfolding around the world, I needed to pick up a title that provided an escape from the news. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-48-XPVTK254SBFDFLD6KFZQD44DVQ\">Dolly Alderton\u2019s Good Material, about an amateur comedian who is blind-sided after his long-term girlfriend breaks up with him, is a sweet romantic comedy that provides just that. Even though, personally, I preferred the female perspective on heartbreak \u2013 which only comes in much later \u2013 it also offers a very real look at how men process a breakup. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-49-PQ4UYRQZVJBWZK4YWPL2HGUBQE\">In a light-hearted and wholesome read, Alderton\u2019s ability to keep her characters real and relatable is refreshing, and even though this was the first book I read by this author, I look forward to checking out more of her works.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-50-CAZ73HSVRFBJ3EUBQKSEVE3QPM\">Aarti Jhurani, sub-editor, features<\/p>\n<p><b>8. How to End a Story: Collected Diaries, 1978\u20131998 by Helen Garner (2021)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-53-FYSEPW5TJZDT3FQGMFUYOLNIZ4\">While reading the Australian writer Helen Garner&#8217;s autobiographical works, I have copied out long paragraphs to myself in recent months from this and her other diary volumes (Yellow Notebook; One Day I&#8217;ll Remember This).<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-54-EA72NEHGQNGYDFVBCZ774SAVKA\">Garner seems to think she&#8217;s a so-so talent but her brilliance shines through. Hers is a rich inner life. Her observations on everything \u2013 domesticity, betrayal, humour, jealousy, Sydney life, Melbourne life \u2013 might make you want to look up the publisher to get her email address and send her a thank you note for putting this stuff down. Hers are the sort of journals you want to return to, to savour again some of the startling, piercing paras on self-examination, and also the zingers: &#8220;I wish I could have a clean heart. Mine&#8217;s like an ashtray.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-55-G3RPB2MFH5GJTKWVYYEXTHS2EI\">Nivriti Butalia, assistant comment editor<\/p>\n<p><b>9. The Appeal by Janice Hallett (2021)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-58-2O5UF3G25ZAMTFG5Q4ZYH3QUD4\">An untimely death sends shockwaves through a sleepy English village \u2013 and threatens to upend an eagerly awaited amateur dramatics production for good measure.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-59-UJ2PIPYO75FBPBMO4FW2NKFP7Q\">It might sound like the plot of a classic Miss Marple murder mystery, but Janice Hallett&#8217;s The Appeal offers an inventive twist on the beloved whodunit genre, or in this instance, more of a &#8220;did they do it?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-60-NN32H75GKVAUPJ64CDPIQCH65M\">Traditional prose takes a backseat as the reader is asked to piece together an intriguing puzzle by way of a collection of letters, emails and text messages being combed through by two young law students charged with solving a suspected miscarriage of justice. The digital dialogue helps to increase suspense as the list of potential killers mounts up, with no shortage of unreliable narrators to contend with.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-61-YFBRRESEXRCVLCIB2P7JAVP62I\">The novel storytelling device makes for an engrossing page-turner and has served as a template for the author\u2019s subsequent bestsellers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-62-LF4IXURSCBHLPH2N2ZOJUPTJCQ\">Chris Maxwell, deputy national editor<\/p>\n<p><b>10. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner (2021)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-65-LMOGS45CUNCPBF2GVXJBN5YIPQ\">Mother-daughter relationships aren\u2019t always perfect and they are most certainly full of complexities. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is a moving and beautifully written memoir that explores grief and identity as Zauner \u2013 best known as the lead singer of indie pop band Japanese Breakfast \u2013 shares her experience in dealing with the loss of her Korean mother while reconnecting with her cultural heritage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-66-YSSKD7WOX5CKBBU4J5LEPDXBVI\">The book resonates deeply with anyone who has faced loss or struggled to bridge cultural gaps in their family. Zauner\u2019s honest reflections are interwoven with rich descriptions of Korean food, highlighting how meals become a powerful thread linking her to memories, love and identity. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-67-O5PY5UA72VEIRJAKXT6N7BUY2E\">More than a story about mourning, it\u2019s also a celebration of family and resilience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-68-O2MPHVU6IBDCRPTSGE2XGCZMAM\">Evelyn Lau, assistant features editor<\/p>\n<p><b>11. The Ungrateful Refugee: What Immigrants Never Tell You, by Dina Nayeri (2019)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-71-OMSDEUTCLFHV5EPH325Q6IZZQA\">When this book was published in 2019, the global refugee crisis had reached unprecedented levels, with more than 70 million people forcibly displaced, according to the UN. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-72-HPSZH3MUDZER3KEOLA7GNVO6BA\">By April of this year, that figure had soared to 122 million, equal to the 12th most populous country in the world. The scale of the problem is staggering. Dina Nayeri does not offer policy solutions. Instead, the author\u2019s compelling message is that refugees deserve dignity and the freedom to tell their stories in full \u2013 not have them reshaped to meet western expectations of gratitude.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-73-UQZSZHFQWNHG5MLSAFMAGPCLYU\">Blending her personal memoir with investigative reporting, Nayeri recounts her own journey from Iran to the West while weaving in stories from other displaced people across Europe. She shines a light on the emotional toll of asylum interviews, the dehumanisation of refugee camps and the pressure to express thankfulness in exchange for sanctuary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-74-U7SG5Z5T5NAANKSGN6CLKC55WM\">With anti-immigration sentiment rising in many western nations, this book is especially relevant in 2025. It powerfully challenges the idea that survival must come at the cost of silence or submission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-75-DCSJP2QCYFA4VPROAVV5LWQMVQ\">Phil Johnson, chief features sub-editor<\/p>\n<p><b>12. The New Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan (2018)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-78-Z7P5SKQM2ZGVNNHZN23RZJE6ZM\">The sequel to the British historian\u2019s award-winning The Silk Roads picks up where its predecessor left off, on the premise that the history of civilisation is riddled with western bias. Frankopan\u2019s mission is to change perspectives, driving readers to look at Persepolis and Babylon, rather than Rome and Athens, as the focal points of antiquity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-79-WT6M42OR2JFVVOLCZ6MVVKTJPM\">He concludes that the Silk Roads, a network of trade routes connecting East to West, made up the beating heart of the ancient world. Much of humanity\u2019s intellectual, cultural, religious and military history is rooted in this unique central belt, he writes, with the Middle East at its core.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-80-4H4NLB73HJH4DIJDF4OUXX4MMI\">It&#8217;s a view of history that\u2019s particularly valuable in light of current geopolitics. Frankopan\u2019s point that the late 14th to 20th century, the age of European colonisation and industrialisation, is a pause in a story of the world where it is Central Asia and the Middle East that have left the most dominant, lasting mark on our planet, is incredibly prescient today.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-81-4UMEIQUQQJGGDAZG66RG2NUQUI\">In an era where US President Donald Trump boasts that the age of western \u201cnation builders\u201d is over, when China\u2019s economic might appears insurmountable even after tariff threats from the White House, and the innovation of the Gulf in embracing new technology appears leagues ahead of anything on show in Europe, Frankopan\u2019s conclusions are hard to argue with. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-82-YRJ26SYE4FDXJC7CKIU44TOZ2A\">The New Silk Roads goes further still, looking ahead rather than back, and on how the world is shifting ever more towards what Frankopan would describe as the status quo \u2013 not a new world order \u2013 with this region making its way back to being the beating heart of civilisation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-83-LKOSHYMRWBA6VGLDIGLHET44YQ\">Written in 2018, it (unfortunately) offers a more optimistic vision of the world we find ourselves in \u2013 before the horrors of wars threatened to cause death, misery and division for generations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-84-NR6A4NTUI5H7RAMEZQLAEVHVVY\">Yet it is precisely this optimism that makes it such a potent summer read, and one that should give you a bit of hope that the future really is bright, particularly here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-85-QLTSAKEUCZHJ3DPQUEPKSPKXEY\">Tom Evans, assistant news editor<\/p>\n<p><b>13. The Dictator by Robert Harris (2015)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-88-WCW3GLPWSNAUTKAGNHZXHPPL4U\">When I recommend The Dictator, I\u2019m really recommending the entire trilogy of historical fiction novels Robert Harris has written about the Greek philosopher and Roman legislator Cicero. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-89-PQIIJB2DRNELRCAVW7CZ3UVJPU\">This final volume brings the series to a powerful close, following the last years of Cicero\u2019s life as he confronts the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. The Dictator is perhaps the most politically charged of the three books, with Cicero drawn into the sweep of events that ultimately lead to his own downfall. While it can be read as a standalone, there\u2019s no reason to skip the earlier volumes \u2013 Imperium and Lustrum are both excellent in their own right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-90-AP2WFKQ725HY3OS4N7CC2EYROA\">What makes The Dictator such a resonant read isn\u2019t just the historical drama \u2013 it\u2019s the sharp examination of power and the limits of persuasion, themes that continue to echo in the present.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-91-NK4WFIBUFRGGZGL732RRMH22UY\">Saeed Saeed, features writer<\/p>\n<p><b>14. The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyuuga (2014)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-94-4YMWAKHSOREPPMOADPNWM4PFLA\">Set in a country inspired by Imperial China, The Apothecary Diaries follows 17-year-old Maomao, a sharp-witted herbalist who is kidnapped and sold into service as a maid in the emperor\u2019s rear palace. Her curiosity, medical knowledge and stubborn sense of justice soon draw her into the mystery surrounding the illnesses afflicting royal consorts and newborns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-95-OCH5DCJQ6FFAZMBHFAA7KEHNRU\">Her talent doesn\u2019t go unnoticed. Jinshi, a high-ranking court official with secrets of his own, takes an interest in Maomao, pulling her deeper into a world of court politics, hidden agendas and simmering tension. To say more would give too much away. If you\u2019re looking for a light yet layered read that blends drama, romance and political intrigue, this series is a rewarding escape.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-96-RB6CVZ4WLFAINNN5THBVKMWOMY\">Olive Obina, assistant photo editor<\/p>\n<p><b>15. The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan (2009)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-99-EKRQNF7YRNCCTOIDTRFPMRHPP4\">There are books that orbit us for years until something finally makes you reach for them. That was The Gray House by Mariam Petrosyan for me. The novel\u2019s premise intrigued me, and it was routinely recommended by a few close friends, but its tome-like thickness and tattered narrative long kept me at bay. It was also notoriously difficult to get a hold of.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-100-Y5V5QEEZXVERLIEQXL6KZJSLEU\">So when I stumbled on it by chance at a used bookstore a few weeks ago, I decided to lean into this moment of bibliophilic serendipity. I\u2019m glad I did. The novel is unlike anything I\u2019ve read in a long time. Set in a boarding school for children with disabilities, it builds an insular world with its own codes and logic. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-101-HNBMOKLCTVFWXJPB3LWMHT4JNA\">At first, the novel feels dense, impenetrable even. But stop trying to figure it out and just let it unfold \u2013 line by line, image by image \u2013 and it envelops you. The boundaries between reality and fantasy come undone and the novel\u2019s unique rhythm becomes hypnotic. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-102-QK5TVF72XBA5DNFDDKEWV26YKE\">Sure, The Gray House is strange and at times even unwieldy, but surrendering to it will prove to be a rewarding and unforgettable experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-103-Q43M32HDJBBE5JNFZC5LSGZR5E\">Razmig Bedirian, features writer<\/p>\n<p><b>16. A Land Without Jasmine by Wajdi Al-Ahdal (2008)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-106-SKR7JXJASZAKRPTLXAVIAOLTL4\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/arts-culture\/2025\/05\/01\/top-best-arabic-books-literature-fiction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/arts-culture\/2025\/05\/01\/top-best-arabic-books-literature-fiction\/\">A Land Without Jasmine<\/a> is a noir novella that offers a searing critique of Yemeni society through the lens of a mysterious disappearance. When a university student named Jasmine vanishes in Sanaa, the story unfolds Rashomon-style, starting with her perspective and shifting to the story\u2019s other characters. Through his narrative, Al-Ahdal masterfully deconstructs patriarchal structures and institutional decay, and offers a candid discussion of coming of age \u2013 revealing the tensions simmering beneath a conservative facade. At once a detective story and a social allegory, the novella\u2019s brevity belies its depth. The translation of A Land Without Jasmine won the 2013 Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-107-OMWACH7Q25COXHYX7HJZFXHG54\">Nasri Atallah, luxury editor<\/p>\n<p><b>17. Captain Corelli&#8217;s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres (1994)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-110-FNPE2HI26RADJEIGVXJMPUHRTM\">Having refused on principle to watch the 2001 movie adaptation of Captain Corelli&#8217;s Mandolin on account of Nicolas Cage\u2019s Super Mario Italian accent, it took some persuading for me to pick up Louis de Bernieres\u2019s love story set in Greece during the horrors of the Second World War. As it turned out, failing to see past Hollywood\u2019s treatment of the novel was my loss. Captain Corelli&#8217;s Mandolin is a nourishing tale, written with skill and precision. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-111-MYZKIOMA2BB3FLRG4NSGUWIERM\">It is easy to empathise with its collection of eminently believable characters, ordinary people thrown into the maelstrom of war and occupation. Although it is a romantic tale, it never veers into sentimentality and there are many sharp reminders of the appalling suffering inflicted upon the Greek people during these years. Even its moments of comedy are balanced by the reality of war: when we meet Bunny Warren, a British spy parachuted on to Cephalonia, we are amused by his attempts to communicate with the island\u2019s villagers by speaking ancient Greek. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-112-45F44PN4SZG5FLP6QVYYUFYRZQ\">His murder by communist rebels later in the book is a sombre moment. In our fraught times, Captain Corelli&#8217;s Mandolin is an important reminder of the price ordinary people pay during war.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-113-XPFYMHQVAZFCXAWTPJLDU6WOI4\">Declan McVeigh, leader writer<\/p>\n<p><b>18. King, Warrior, Magician, Lover by Robert L Moore and Douglas Gillette (1990)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-116-6UEFBJTZCVGQHAG56FUTRHA264\">Do you know what it takes to be a mature, well-rounded man? King, Warrior, Magician, Lover breaks down masculinity into four main archetypes \u2013 the King (the leader), the Warrior (the fighter), the Magician (the thinker), and the Lover (the feeler) \u2013 and shows how all men have these energies in them. <\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-117-W7EQKRMMMBBVZMUJZW234DIORM\">The idea is, when you&#8217;re balanced, you&#8217;re solid. But when you&#8217;re off, these archetypes show up in their &#8220;shadow&#8221; forms, like the tyrant King or the sadistic Warrior.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-118-2H3TVEOIYFEW3NMLP5CSWRZ32E\">It\u2019s rooted in Jungian psychology, so the writing is easier to absorb if you\u2019re open to a bit of myth and symbolism. This isn\u2019t a how-to guide, it\u2019s more like a mirror for self-reflection. If you&#8217;re into personal growth or just curious about the deeper layers of masculinity, this book offers a refreshing and insightful perspective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-119-4LSGAAMRHZG2ZEY25UXZLA5KAE\">Xavier Kashelle, head of product<\/p>\n<p><b>19. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (1985)<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-122-OSHNUMP5K5FFRJLQUFVWFEBNMA\">The concept of inherent evil is one that I\u2019ve often pondered. Is there such a thing? Or is it circumstantial?<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-123-BSS4BUOE25FAPNQBL5GRX7UIIE\">In attempting to delve deeper, I\u2019ve found lists of the most evil characters in film and literature. One that always stood out and featured frequently is that of Judge Holden from Cormac McCarthy\u2019s hazy western Blood Meridian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-124-YOYUUTTYD5FBJPL7SLOWTT7OSM\">The book follows a protagonist named \u201cthe kid\u201d, a teenager wandering through the American frontier. During his trek, he encounters Judge Holden, a sinister presence that seems to spread evil wherever he goes. I\u2019m only a third of the way into the book, but I\u2019m already seeing why the character is considered to be one of the most malevolent in all of literature.<\/p>\n<p class=\"defaultstyled__StyledText-sc-11u52t4-1 huqwQJ margin-lg-bottom\" id=\"el-125-UQTW5OB2CNCJNET6HFROWGKGW4\">Faisal Al Zaabi, gaming journalist<\/p>\n<p>COMPANY%20PROFILE<\/p>\n<p>%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEducatly%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohmmed%20El%20Sonbaty%2C%20Joan%20Manuel%20and%20Abdelrahman%20Ayman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEducation%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%242%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEnterprise%20Ireland%2C%20Egypt%20venture%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20HBAN%2C%20Falak%20Startups%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n<p>More from Neighbourhood WatchThe%20specs<\/p>\n<p>%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E77kWh%202%20motors%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E178bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E410Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh%2C150%2C000%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETBC%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n<p>Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sharrie Williams<\/strong><br \/>The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.<br \/><strong>Lin Rountree<\/strong><br \/>An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R\u2018n\u2019B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.<br \/><strong>Anita Williams<\/strong><br \/>Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.<\/p>\n<p>The specs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Engine:<\/strong> Four electric motors, one at each wheel<\/p>\n<p><strong>Power:<\/strong> 579hp<\/p>\n<p><strong>Torque:<\/strong> 859Nm<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transmission:<\/strong> Single-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p><strong>Price:<\/strong> From Dh825,900<\/p>\n<p><strong>On sale:<\/strong> Now<\/p>\n<p>Honeymoonish<\/p>\n<p>%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From award-winning reads and books set everywhere from a sleepy English village to imperial China, to sporting memoirs&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":200562,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3938],"tags":[81035,17976,3444,77,1715,1426,16,15,18323],"class_list":{"0":"post-200561","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-arts-culture-team","9":"tag-book-reviews","10":"tag-books","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-standard","13":"tag-story","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-weekend"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114717166824424654","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200561"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200561\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/200562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}