Join us for this 'bookshelf' episode as we discuss the books we've been reading outside of book club. In this episode Kate gets tied up in existential knots over House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas and we consider the parallels between this 800-page fantasy bonkbuster and War and Peace. We explore the idea of ‘reading offsetting’ whereby we balance our guilty pleasures with books more worthy of our time. We rediscover the Queen of Fantasy Ursula Le Guin and remember why we think her books are so amazing. Kate pronounces ‘Don’t Touch My Hair’ by Emma Dabiri her new favourite book of the year. And we end with an excursion into Arctic landscapes and consider moving to Svaallbad where apparently you don’t need a visa! 

Books mentioned:

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

A Fall from Grace and Philippa Holds Court by Jennie Goutet

The Western Shore trilogy by Ursula L. Guin

Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngoze Adichie

A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter

Terra Incognita by Sara Wheeler

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