By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, Elizabeth Smart

Unlike anything else I have read, poetic, heart-wrenching and pathetic all together. 

Anaïs Nin, A Spy in the House of Love

In A Spy in the House of Love Nin looks at the idea that different (romantic) relationships bring out or satisfy different parts of our personalities. It's not clear if this woman is adapting herself to the men, or looking for different things in each of them, maybe a little of both. It's a look at roles, dynamics and ideals or hopes in relationships. It is relatable and seems years ahead of its time. 

Raynor Winn, The Salt Path

The Salt Path is the true story of a husband and wife who become homeless almost simultaneously as the husband receives a terminal illness diagnosis. Without a better plan, they decide to walk the 630 mile South West Coast Path, wild camping on the way. 

It is a gripping read, the emotional and physical difficulty apparent in the writing, which is shot through with beautiful observations and musings. There are small kindnesses and some thoughtless unkindnesses, coupled with the fact that the two protagonists are not, and not portrayed as, 'perfect' but struggling and human. Threading through the book is the incredibly strong and loving bond between Winn and her husband, and the fear that they will lose each other. 

Mario Vargas Llosa, The Way to Paradise

I really was not a fan of this book, it dramatises the life of Paul Gauguin and his grandmother, Flora Tristan. They both had interesting lives, but the interweaving of the stories and the way it is written means the book is often confusing and convoluted or over-detailed. Added to the fact that often neither Gauguin nor Tristan are people I could empathise with, the novel is tedious.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris

Harrowing, remarkable story which seems faithfully and sensitively told. Reads like a Hollywood movie but not to the detriment of the story. Some sentences which read like little flourishes, too clunky and unnecessary, especially given the subject matter.

Death and the Penguin, Andrey Kurkov

Bleak, atmospheric and quietly funny. Viktor has a pet penguin, which he got from the zoo when they were giving away animals they couldn't feed. He also has a job writing obituaries for people who are not yet dead. It's an intriguing story, a 'mafia' story far removed from fast paced US films. It seems like a much more 'realistic' portrayal of the someone's life if they got caught up in professional criminal plots. Viktor is intriguing too, seemingly frozen and unfeeling, but still he makes an intriguing character, and one we want to  succeed.

Confabulations, John Berger

I was expecting this to be a academic or heavy going, in actual fact it is a complete delight. A collection of thoughts and musings where Berger chats his way through experiences and ideas. Universal themes and somehow mystical, makes you think of the connectedness of things and people/s.