The Lockdown Library

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With so many countries being on lockdown due to the recent pandemic (let’s say no more), it’s no wonder that people have turned to books for a bit of comfort. Not only do they help pass the time, but for a moment, books help you to escape from the worry and chaos of the real world and transport you to a happier place. Yet for many people who usually spend their days at the office or studying and don’t have much time to sit down with a good book, it can be difficult to know what to read. So for that moment when you’ve gone through all the old faithfuls, here is a little list of tried and tested favourites, all of which are available on kindle. 

Fiction:

• On the Other Side - Carrie Hope Fletcher
• When Evie Snow reaches the door of her own private heaven, she finds that she must lighten her soul before she can enter. She embarks on the journey of a lifetime, learning more about life and love than she ever thought possible. A beautiful, easy read that is bound to lighten the soul. In fact, most of Fletcher's books are equally poignant and well worth a read.
• The Temptation of Gracie - Santa Montefiore
•  When Gracie Burton suddenly decides to go off on a spontaneous adventure in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, her only family - daughter Carina and granddaughter Anastasis - are hesitant. But they have no sense of Gracie's past, of what could possibly be calling her to Italy. They have no idea that Gracie is harbouring the secret of an extraordinary life that preceded them... A beautiful book from a bestselling author.
• The Red Address Book - Sofia Lundberg
• Within the pages of a 96-year-old Doris' red address book are the names of all those she has loved and lost, telling the story of a colourful life. Finally, Doris decides to put pen to paper, using her address book to recall the memories of a life well-lived - from 1930s Paris runways to narrow New York escapes during World War Two - and what she and her grand-niece, Jenny, discover may well change their lives forever... An international bestseller. 
• The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater
• Stay alive, stay astride, stay out of the water... The horse races are deadly, but the danger is irresistible. When Sean and Puck enter, they are both trying to change their lives, trying to survive, but litle do they know their fates are entwined. A stunning read which is compelling from beginning to end.
• Elenor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
• Elenor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend. Elenor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything. An unforgettable and life-affirming read that will leave you speechless.
  
• Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams
•  Meet Queenie. Journalist, Catastrophist. Expressive, Aggressive. Loved, Lonely. Enough? A darkly comic and bitingly subversive take on life, love, race and family, Queenie will have you nodding in recognition, crying in solidarity and rooting for this unforgettable character every step of the way.
  

Autobiography:

• Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton

  

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• A non-fiction book which reads like a fiction, Alderton gives an unflinching account of bad dates, squalid flat-shares and unbreakable female friendship through her twenties. This book is a Sunday Times bestseller and comes very highly recommended.
• When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi
• At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade's training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live. The New York Times and the Sunday Times number one bestseller, shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize 2017.

Psychological / Suspense:

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle - Shirley Jackson
• Ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn't leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Chrles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Lisbeth Salander
• Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her uncle is convinced it was murder - and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family.

  

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Action:

• The Jack Reacher Series - Lee Child
• Once an elite military cop, Reacher is now a man with no phone, no address and no ties anywhere. He wanders the land and lives in the moment - a cool-headed righter of wrongs who can't let the bad guys get away with anything. New York Times number one bestselling series.

Mystery:

• The Redbreast (Harry Hole III) - Jo Nesbo
• When a former Nazi sympathiser is found with his throat slit, Harry suspects a connection between the two cases. The ensuing investigation leads him to suspect that the crimes have their roots in the battlefields of the Eastern Front during World War Two, but as the bodies mount up it soon becomes clear that the killer is hell-bent on serving his own justice. But who is he? And why was Harry's former partner trying to reach Harry on the night she was murdered?
• And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie
• Ten strangers, apparently with a little in common, are lured to an island mansion off the coast of Devon by a mysterious host. They sit down for dinner and a record begins to play.The voice of their host accuses each person of hiding a guilty secret. By the end of the night one of them will be dead. Stranded by a violent story, they begin to die - one by one. Each of them is guilty. But who is the killer? The bestselling murder mystery book of all time.

Detective:

• The Sherlock Holmes Series - Arthur Conan Doyle
• The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series - Alexander McCall Smith
• In this charming series, with help from her loyal associate Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe navigates her cases and her personal life with wisdom, good humour and the occasional cup of tea. A bestselling and enchanting series for both men and women.

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Fantasy:

• The Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
• The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkein
• A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

Young/Young Adult:

• The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
•  The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black and white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breath-taking amazements. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance. A best-selling, brilliant read.
• A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson
• The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. An award winning YA novel that's the perfect introduction to thrillers.
  
• The Skulduggery Pleasant Series - Derek Landy
• She's 12. He's dead. But together they're going to save the world. Hopefully. A witty series of books for the child inside.

Non-fiction:

• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind - Yval Noah Harari
• This book surveys the history of humankind from the evolution of archaic human species in the Stone Age right up to the twenty-first century. An international favourite, whether you're into historical novels or not.
• Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies - Jared Diamond
• This book examines the rise of civilization and the issues it's development has raised throughout history. Having done field work in New Guinea for more than 30 years, Jared Diamond presents the geographical and ecological factors that have shaped the modern world. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction.

Science Fiction

• The Martian - Andy Weir
• Robinson Crusoe on Mars: A survival story for the 21st century and the international bestseller behind the major film from Ridley Scott starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain.

Of course, there are always websites such as Goodreads or What Should I Read Next?, which give you recommendations based on what you have already read and enjoyed.

If you're more of a classic's lover, you might be more tempted to turn your attention to a bit of the Bard himself. As part of the BBC's Culture in Quarantine programme, the RSC are giving us the chance to watch six of their shows on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer over the course of the coming months. These plays include Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Othello and The Merchant of Venice, Brought to life by celebrity stars including Christopher Eccleston as Macbeth and Hugh Quarshie as Othello. And if that wasn't enough, the Education Team at the BBC is also creating a range of activities related to these plays to help chidren who are currently having to study at home. Find out more and check for updates on the RSC website.

Updated: 04/08/2020