Student Blog Squad

Recommended Reading during Lockdown

Hi I’m Fern. I studied a masters in English Literature at Leeds Beckett and in this blog I’m going to list some of my favourite books for you to read during lockdown.

library shelves with eddison light bulbs hanging

One of the best ways to improve focus and concentration is to pick up a book and spend some time reading for pleasure. Below are ten books which I would recommend everyone reads. I couldn’t rank them though, that was too hard.

 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: A timeless story of love, family and friendship in times of trial. This story is still relevant in today’s uncertain times. My all-time favourite!

 

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens: I’ve never really been a Dickens fan, but this book could convert me! The first half is focused on the internal thoughts of the hero. It’s in the second half that we see Dickens at his best, in his self-confessed favourite production.

 

Atonement by Ian McEwan: With a misleadingly slow start, this book is an ambitious and complex metafiction highlighting the long-term effects of in-the-moment decision-making.

 

Brave by Rose McGowan: Brave is a shockingly candid, courageous and often heart-breaking autobiography from Rose McGowan, one of the instigators of the #MeToo movement.

 

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien: A classic of fantasy literature. This book is a highly accessible route into the more complex Lord of the Rings trilogy, but has proved highly successful in its own right.

 

Cheer Up Love, Adventures in Depression with the Crab of Hate by Susan Calman: A mighty dose of painful honesty and candour from a much-loved comedian on one of the biggest issues facing students today.

 

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: Widely considered the great American novel, sadly it goes unread by the youth of today.

 

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler: Chandler is widely regarded as one of the best crime fiction writers of all time. This book is often voted into various ‘Top 100 Books of All Time’ lists.

 

The Book Thief by Markus Zuzak: A superb fictionalisation of the life in Second World War Germany. Despite its grim narration by Death himself, this book is a poignant reminder of the ability of words to provide sustenance to the soul, even in the darkest of times.

 

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: One of the most poignant and significant accounts of life under Nazi rule during the Second World War. This book was published by Otto Frank, Anne’s father, and only remaining member of her family.

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