How to Make An American Quilt – Whitney Otto
This is one my favourite films, but especially one of my favourite films for the summer. It brings me so many memories... which I will talk about in a different post. But for me, sometimes, reading a book of a film that I love doesn't ruin the story. Sometimes, I feel like I am finding out more about the story, so I would love to read it this summer, during days off, in between thinking about someone special hopefully.
Sleeping With The Enemy – Nancy Price
Another book of a film I love, that makes me feel summery and at home. I want to read the words and feel the feeling of home, even though this story is kind of a thriller. I like the film not because of it's story line, though it does keep me gripped. It's the look and feel of the film. The symbolism (especially with the apples) and the country style setting. Let's hope the book is just as good.
Delta of Venus – Anais Nin
I've read this numerous times, and without fail every summer. The first time I read it was the summer of 'love' (2005). I was with Matthew, it was a hot summer, we were in a local park we nicknamed 'The Garden of Eden' somewhere in Essex, and whilst he did his Egyptology homework I read this incredibly filthy book. I heard about it through a module of Erotic fiction I had chosen for the following semester, and nearly concentrated on that genre, and specifically the work of Nin for my dissertation. It even inspired me to start writing my own 'filthy' stories based on the early sexual memories of my own life.
Delta of Venus for me, is the perfect book for summer. Some of the stories I have to admit are kind of wrong. The taboo subjects touch down on incest, prostitution and paedophilia in a way that Nin still maintains that eloquent, female style she was famous for. I remember lending it to someone, and worrying afterwards what they might think of me reading something that someone slightly more ignorant would assume is illegal, but no, this book is allowed, it was on my curriculum at university and was written in the 1940's! And remember, when what's written is written and is written as fiction, then it IS fiction.
Some of the stories are very sexy, especially the lesbian ones. For me, summer isn't summer without Delta of Venus.... and the next book...
100 Strokes of the Brush Before Bed – Melissa P.
For a similar reason I love to read this book in the summer. I gave my copy away to boy that I liked. I thought he would appreciate it's well written filth. I read about this in Elle magazine...no...Teen Vogue magazine, and that it was banned because the protagonist and author was only a school girl at the time. This is beautifully written erotica, and the search for love through sex that I could very much relate to during the summer I read it many years ago. It evokes experiences of holidays, terracotta buildings and the smell of a man. It's very much a turn on, makes me feel sexy, but with a weighty melancholy to it, as if a sexual encounter is just a reminder of how alone you actually are when you look into the night afterwards and you're by yourself.
Essays in Love – Alain de Botton
Matthew has recommended me this (he studies Philosophy at Leeds and this was his answer to accessible philosophy). It sounds very good, and one of the reasons why some of these books I want to read are based around the idea of love, relationships and so on is because when I finally feel ready and have the time, I want to try and understand how I respond to romantic situations, and to make sense of my mind and maybe why I made certain choices in the past, but to also understand why I might make different choices in the future. It's not so much that I am 'fed up' of the 'mistakes' made in the past, but when I analyse my relationship history from what I consider my first realistic relationship, then it's very interesting stuff. Lately, it's sort of mindless, so I am putting myself into 'love rehab' and want to learn about it through theory rather than trial and error.
Bastard out of Carolina – Dorothy Allison
I was supposed to read this at uni. It was part of the Fictions of American South module that now, I would of really enjoyed, but then, was too stoned and bored to appreciate. I did start to read this and thought it wasn't too bad. I'd like something American south to read, a bit like when I read The Help. I want something a bit political, a bit violent.
The Color Purple – Alice Walker
I was supposed to read this after The Help but instead I read The Reader. So I want to read this because it's also supposed to be a great film and I like anything to do with racism (not because I am racist).
Infinite Jest – David Wallace Foster
I did a quiz one day out of boredom, probably about 8 years ago when Livejournal was all the rage and Estelle and I would do quizzes like 'which character are you from blah blah' or 'what percent bitch are you' anyway I did a quiz that analyzed your writing style from your journal and mine was similar to Infinite Jest by Wallace Foster, who I then went onto learn suffered from depression and killed himself. So I felt I needed to read it. This was years ago. I'm noticing a pattern here... a pattern of NOT DOING THINGS. Anyway, Infinite Jest sounds insane, and it's the sort of thing I see myself reading this summer during a hot night, electricity buzzing, on my own, window open, fearing the future.
How to Attract Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime: A Guide to Flirting
I want to buy this purely because of it's name and cover. I only know about it because in last month's Vogue there was a Bruce Weber shoot (black and white, Abercrombie style, over posed Americanised nonsense for a British magazine) and in one photo we have a hunky male model holding this book. I often buy books to leave lying around or to read on public transport because they look funny, such as 'Live Alone and Like It' and 'The Rules'. It might give me some confidence tips. I want to be able to be open to conversation with anyone , anywhere, and seeing as I don't know how to flirt, this could teach me something new.
Keeping Mr Right: The Gay Man's Guide to Lasting Relationships – Kenneth D. George
I want to read this because during my recent break up I started desperately researching information thinking I could learn something new and change my situation. Obviously I never got that far, but I remember looking at this book and it standing out and subconciously thinking that I will probably need this book at some point. I think if I do get into a new relationship with someone I want to try and work something serious with, then this might be helpful, and this might also give me insight in where I was going wrong in the past.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K Dick
This is the book of the film Bladerunner, and I just want to read it because if you're going to say Bladerunner is your favourite film then you can't say you've not read the book. It's the only science fiction I probably care for, and can only imagine reading it at night.
Breakfast at Tiffanys – Truman Capote
Okay, this is probably one of my favourite books of all time and a good gift book too, as it's short, lovely, and exciting, and makes you fall in love with Holly. I have never actually owned it. Just borrowed it from the library or bought it for other people.
Playing with the Grown Ups / Miss Dahl's Volumptuous Treats – Sophie Dahl
I read Playing with Grown Ups back in... 2007. If I read this again alongside the cookery book that Miss Dahl was infamous for not so long ago, then I might feel like I am a character in one of her imaginings. And she is very sensuous. I like the way she makes you see, feel, taste and hear through her writing. No wonder Vogue hired her to review perfumes.
The Architecture of Happiness – Alain de Botton
The idea of beauty, more philosophy, I want to understand why beauty will equate to happiness and if it really is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not entirely sure what this is about, but I've heard good things about it and didn't realise it's the same author that Matthew has just recommended to me.
To The Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf
Just so I can read something by Virginia Woolf. I never have before. And 'To the Lighthouse' is a Patrick Wolf song, the first one I ever heard actually, so there must be some sort of connection. I like the story of Virginia Woolf, she lead a very interesting life, and I want to read something of hers soon. I imagine this a summery, or at least a seaside setting, so good for a summer's read.
The Rum Diaries – Hunter S Thompson
Just finishing Fear and Loathing. This has to be next.
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