Writer John Steinbeck famously said, “I guess there are never enough books” and boy, do we agree. This month, we’d thoroughly encourage switching off the TV in favour of an enthralling page-turner.
Allow us to act as your literary BFF, with the insider knowledge on all the must-reads of the moment. Every gem below is available in store at Book Bodega, and online.
Go on; make your TBR pile a few books taller!
Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagen
You may recognise some of the nights of debauchery in this touching coming-of-age novel, charting an epic night in 1980s Manchester and its aftermath thirty years later.
Everyone has that friend who defines your life, and for James it’s Tully. It’s summer 1986, and in a small Scottish town, their friendship has been formed on a love of music, film and
the rebel spirit. Fresh out of school, they long to escape their surroundings — Manchester’s festival of the Tenth Summer beacons. To the iconic tunes of The Fall, New Order and The Smiths, a vow is made: to go at life differently. Thirty years on, the phone rings. Tully has news, and a particular favour to ask his old friend.
Shortlisted for 2022’s Portico Prize, Mayflies is heart-warming and heart-breaking; funny and affecting. It’s a novel that takes a frank look at life, death, and friendship — musing on both youth and middle age with skillful accuracy.
When you’ve relished in the book and want more — your luck is in — you can now binge the series adaptation on BBC iPlayer.
The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer
Sometimes you need to inject some joy into your life, and for us that joy is…Bob Mortimer. In the beloved comedian’s debut, you’ll find Mortimer’s quirky brand of surrealist humour taking on the crime genre. In our eyes, that’s a winning combo! This page-turner brings out-loud laughs to the otherwise non-descript and cold, (read: often boring) month of March.
We follow Gary Thorn, a 30 year old, shy legal assistant who, after going for a pint with work acquaintance Brendan, meets a girl in the pub. He doesn’t catch her name, but falls for her sharp fringe, Doc Marten’s and air of mystery. When she suddenly disappears without saying goodbye, all Gary has to remember her by is the book she was reading: The Satsuma Complex. When Brendan goes missing, Gary needs to track down the girl he now calls Satsuma to get some answers.
This easy to read yet engaging novel includes a corn-on-the-cob shaped USB stick, dogs called Lengthy Parsnips and conversations with a squirrel…because, of course it does! You’ll love following Gary’s escapades as he seeks out his mysterious girl through the estates and pie shops of South London. One thing’s for sure — being embroiled in a serious criminal case means there is finally some variation to our protagonist’s otherwise unremarkable life.
If you enjoy Bob’s hilarious story telling on Would I Lie to You, you’ll love this.
The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levy
If you haven’t yet delved into the world of twice-Man Booker-shortlisted author Deborah Levy, allow The Man Who Saw Everything to be your gateway. An unmissable, captivating read that beautifully roams through time, memory and experience, it’s perfect for lovers of twisty-plots and non-linear storytelling. Levy takes your hand as you spiral and swirl through the life of Saul Adler, from the beautiful young historian’s time on the Abbey Road to his stint in communist East Berlin.
It’s 1989 on the Abbey Road, when Saul Adler is hit by a car. He is seemingly ok, continuing to meet his girlfriend Jennifer, who photographs him on the street famously associated with The Fab Four. Saul later leaves London to study in communist East Berlin, two months before the Wall comes down. There, relationships with his translator, his translator’s sister and a possible Stasi agent change the trajectory of his life forever.
In 2016, Saul Adler will once again be hit by a car on the very same Abbey Road. Rushed to hospital, he slips and out of consciousness — and in and out of memories of the past. TMWSE takes on both the world’s history and our own, electrifyingly marrying the past and the present. The novel’s rich, vivid plot and sharp prose saw it longlisted for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction. The book covers the complex themes of love, envy, death, allegiance, history — and that’s just scratching the surface. Levy truly is a master storyteller.
Extra, extra!
Thriller-fans will tear through: Notes On An Execution by Danya Kukafka
A therapist goes to therapy: Maybe You Should Talk To Someone by Lori Gottlieb
In case you missed it, 2022’s Booker Prize winning novel: The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Sheham Karunatilaka
Until next time, happy reading! xxxx
I’ve got Satsuma on my shelf and my lovely friend recommended I check out Bob’s memoir first just to make the experience of reading even better! Notes on an Execution is also our book club read this month ☺️
'Maybe you should talk to someone' is one of my fave books of all time, and was the book that pushed me towards starting therapy and now I am training to be one! Such a gooden. Camilla :)