I’ve been participating in Cathy’s annual 20 Books of Summer reading challenge since 2017, so here I am again, albeit a few days late, putting up my hand to say I’m giving it another shot.
This three-month-long event (1 June-31 August) is a great way to tackle books on the TBR, and while I’ve had mixed results over the years (I don’t always read the full 20 books), it’s fun to delve into the shelves to unearth gems that have been hanging around for a long time.
This year is a bit more exciting than usual because I have recently been reacquainted with my “London TBR” — that is, all the books that went into storage when I repatriated in June 2019 — so that means I have loads and loads to choose from! (A global pandemic got in the way of fully packing up our lives in the UK, hence the delay in getting things shipped.)
In fact, I have so many books to choose from I’m finding it difficult to decide on which 20 to read. In fact, I’ve chosen 30 physical books and nine digital ones, and while there’s no way I will read 39 in three months, I will choose my 20 from this pile as and when the mood strikes rather than deciding now which ones to read.
Cathy’s pretty relaxed with the rules, so I also reserve the right to ignore these ones and substitute them for others on my shelves!
As you can see, these two piles are a good reflection of my reading interests. I’ve got Australian literature, Irish literature (including William Trevor), a couple of Brits and a bunch of First Nations writing in there. There are some non-fiction reads, a couple of Patrick Modianos and a handful of Italian books to capitalise on my new-found interest in Italian literature, especially those set in and around the Second World War.
The books on my Kindle include more of the same, with a couple of Japanese modern classics thrown into the mix:









My list in full
- ‘Locust Summer’ by David Allan-Petale (Australian)
- ‘The Children’s Train’ by Viola Ardone (Italian)
- ‘Cold Enough for Snow’ by Jessica Au (Australian)
- ‘Forbidden Notebook’ by Alba de Cespedes (Italian)
- ‘Day’s End’ by Garry Disher (Australian)
- ‘The Happy Couple’ by Naoise Dolan (Irish)
- ‘The House of Doors’ by Tan Twang Eng (Malaysian)
- ‘Happening’ by Annie Ernaux (French)
- ‘All Our Yesterdays’ by Natalia Ginzburg (Italian)
- ‘Billa Yarrudhanggalangdhuray / River of Dreams’ by Anita Heiss (Australian/First Nations)
- ‘Madukka, The River Serpent’ by Julie Janson (Australian/First Nations)
- ‘Walk the Blue Fields’ by Claire Keegan (Irish)
- ‘Soldier, Soldier’ by Claire Kilroy (Irish)
- ‘The Pea Pickers’ by Eve Langley (Australian)
- ‘Christ Stopped at Eboli’ by Carlo Levi (Italian)
- ‘Grace Notes’ by Bernard MacLaverty (Irish)
- ‘Tokyo Express’ by Seicho Matsumoto (Japanese)
- ‘The Sun Walks Down’ by Fiona McFarlane (Australian)
- ‘The Pornographer’ by John McGahern (Irish)
- ‘The Search Warrant’ by Patrick Modiano (French)
- ‘In the Cafe of Lost Youth’ by Patrick Modiano (French)
- ‘The Satsuma Complex’ by Bob Mortimer (British)
- ‘My Father’s House’ by Joseph O’Connor (Irish)
- ‘Miss Emily’ by Nuala O’Connor (Irish)
- ‘A Chill in the Air’ by Iris Origo (Italian)
- ‘War in Val D’Orcia’ by Iris Origo (Italian)
- ‘Spies in Canaan’ by David Park (Irish)
- ‘I Refuse’ by Per Petterson (Norwegian)
- ‘The Moon and the Bonfires’ by Cesare Pevase (Italian)
- ‘The Thing About September’ by Donal Ryan (Irish)
- ‘The Adversary’ by Ronnie Scott (Australian)
- ‘The Magicians’ by Colm Toibin (Irish)
- ‘The Silence in the Garden’ by William Trevor (Irish)
- ‘Fool’s Fortune’ by William Trevor (Irish)
- ‘Other People’s Worlds’ by William Trevor (Irish)
- ‘Territory of Light’ by Yuko Tsushima (Japanese)
- ‘Personal Score’ by Ellen Van Neerven (Australian/First Nations)
- ‘The Gardener’ by Salley Vickers (British)
- ‘Another Day in the Colony’ by Chelsea Watego (Australian/First Nations)
You can find out more about 20 Books of Summer at Cathy’s blog and see who else is participating on this add your links page.
Have you read any of the books I’ve chosen? Any suggestions on which one to start with first? Are you participating in this challenge?