Authors we love for Autumn
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall
I’ve found it really hard to tune out and, quite frankly, resist all the new season marketing. I’m a sucker for anything promising improvements and efficiency (from skincare to stationery) and this season’s fashion is all about brown, which is my favourite colour. I cannot walk past a shop without clocking something in brown suede. It’s equally easy to get swept up in the new release and promo tours of books, buying based on bestseller lists and what everyone else around you is reading. It’s nice to be part of cultural moments, and nothing is quite as fun as reading a book at the same time as your friends, but sometimes a palate cleanser is required.
I have a personal challenge I’m going to experiment with: no new books autumn. Autumn is the perfect time for the slower pace - from cosy nights in, to being more reflective and quality time for friends. I’m therefore embracing my ‘to read’ list, along with the many unread books I have stacked up around the house. My favourite books of the last year have been The Cazalet Chronicles, proof that there are plenty of wonderful discoveries to be made in books published long ago but are delightfully, to you, brand new. (Let’s see how long I hold out against Intermezzo, the new Sally Rooney released end of the month).
This week Tom and I are heading off to our bootcamp. We’ll include an update next week on how it went, but if you are interested in the behind the scenes you can follow along live on @weare.verse.
Here’s some authors we love for Autumn, to tempt you to also delve into older books and find a new-to-you favourite.
Philip Pullman: A revisit to Northern Lights and His Dark Materials trilogy couldn’t be a better match to the darker nights. Or try the new(er) companion trilogy The Book of Dust.
P. G. Wodehouse: Embrace nostalgia with Jeeves and Wooster. Tom also loves the TV series.
Ann Patchett: Go deep into her back catalogue. Start with something atmospheric like Bel Canto. Anything by Sarah Walters is also great for atmosphere.
Barbara Pym: always a vibe. My fave is Excellent Women, more suggestions here.
Emily Henry: Pretending it’s still summer is honestly a very viable reaction to the current temps, would recommend a long hot bath and a romcom like You and Me on Vacation.
Revisit a classic you’ve been meaning to: like Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights or Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. If you’re after a more European classic try The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
The obvious one: Ali Smith’s Autumn. I know, groundbreaking. I’m not winning any prizes for suggesting this in an Autumn list.
The one I’m picking up myself: Possession by A. S. Byatt.
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