Books for spring
Winter finally feels like a distant memory, and spring has officially arrived. There are fewer days of grey skies and drizzle, and daffodils and crocuses can be seen everywhere. I love spring; it’s a season of vibrancy, new possibilities and fresh starts where you can shake off the heaviness of winter. With that in mind, this week’s column offers a collection of books that, in one way or another, remind me of spring.
Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
This sentimental classic may be often categorised as a children’s classic, but it is just as delightful to re-read as an adult. Set in a small town in Prince Edward Island, a headstrong orphan named Anne is mistakenly adopted by reserved siblings Marilla and Matthew after a confusion at the orphanage. While the story spans all seasons, it will always remind me of spring – Anne’s exuberance mirrors the season’s freshness, and it remains one of my favourite books.
Third Culture Cooking by Zaynab Issa
I love recommending a cookbook, and if autumn is the season of cosy baking, spring is for experimenting with new recipes. To inspire this, I’ve chosen a debut cookbook from Zaynab Issa that reads like the work of a seasoned chef. Her recipes include inspiration from both her East African and South Asian heritage to create some truly incredible recipes. The dish that encompasses spring to me from this book is her Tortellini in Lemon Brodo. Lemons always indicate to me that we’ve reached spring, and summer is on the way, and it’s my opinion that you can never go wrong with a pasta dish, especially one where you can buy the tortellini pre-made: perfect for uni students this spring break!
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim
This is a delightful story, following the lives of four women who, each yearning for a change, spend a month on holiday in a seaside Italian castle, framed by fig and olive trees. The descriptions of Italy are beautiful and so full of colour that they immerse you in the setting and are the perfect form of escapism for days when the English spring is too dreary. I especially love the descriptions of the flora, with flowers so vivid you can almost smell them on the page. It’s a story of how travelling can change your life and can inspire you to begin something new, very on theme for spring.
This may be the first poetry book I’ve recommended, but I believe that poetry lends itself to spring. This collection of 45 poems won the Pulitzer Prize and is full of poetry for the soul. Oliver observes the world around her with depth and contemplates human relationships with grace and feeling. Within the anthology, her reverence for nature shines through, making it the perfect read this spring.
Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey
Spring is about new beginnings, and what better reason for starting over than getting divorced in your twenties? Really Good, Actually follows Maggie in the year after she gets divorced after less than a year of marriage and attempts to rebuild her life. As the debut novel of young divorcee Monica Heisey, who has credits on Schitt’s Creek, the novel is laugh-out-loud funny, full of sardonic, self-deprecating humour, but also deeply introspective. Maggie’s journey, while chaotic, is ultimately one of growth and renewal – making it a surprisingly fitting read for spring.
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