It’s that time of year again … long lazy days spent in the sunshine, under a tree in the garden, or lying on a warm beach. 

Of course, we all want to escape and spend time in another world that is different from the one we inhabit. At least for a while!

And what better way to escape than with a good book? The nice thing about a book is we are master of it. We can pick it up at any time, and then drop it and move on to another one that suits our mood better. I suppose that’s why it is difficult to give a list of my favourite summer reads because we read books according to our needs at a particular time. 

So, whether we want to feel a sense of wonder at our universe or gain a comforting new spin on a familiar story, or learn to laugh at ourselves more, there is always a book to suit any mood and time.

Returning Light: 30 Years of Life on Skellig Michael - Robert Harris

Recently, while browsing in my local library, I came across the author Robert Harris. I picked up his book and realised it was not the usual crime novel that I love, but a book about life on Skellig Michael called Returning Light. This is a truly powerful memoir, written by a tour guide and watchman of over thirty years on Skellig Michael, tells of how a place can truly influence and change us.

It’s a heartfelt account of another way of life out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, teeming with a paradise of different birds including enormous puffins.

The book offers a small insight into the monasteries and monks of ancient times. It galvanised me to find out more about life in the monasteries and how these monks lived. To read about their unobtrusive lives of hidden sacrifice and work, lives filled with silent and powerful prayer, and a self-effacing attitude in the face of the wide world.

The Soldier’s Wife / Mum and Dad - Joanne Trollope

For those of you who like a well-written novel, there two books are for you - Joanne Trollope’s The Soldier’s Wife, and Mum and Dad. Both are engaging narratives and embody interesting and stimulating messages.

Trollope has a strong narrative voice and manages to hold her readers with her witty characters and memorable dialogue.

Natasha’s Dance - Orlando Figes

Then there is Natasha’s Dance by Orlando Figes where the title is taken from War and Peace and focusses on the golden age of Russian culture.

Another book teeming with well-drawn characters that are full of life and an interesting plot line. And a book that will give you an adequate dose of culture, albeit Russian!

The Spymaster of Baghdad - Margaret Coker

The Spymaster of Baghdad written by Margaret Coker, is a true story of a very brave family bearing witness to patriotism in battle against the ISIS.

Recently published, it gives an interesting account of the reality of war and the nature of ISIS today.

Twenty Tales From The War Zone / A Mad World, My Masters - John Simpson

John Simpson, the BBC TV reporter, has written some very honest portrayals of his life on the edge of war zones and the lessons he has learned subsequently. Twenty Tales From The War Zone offers a succinct and fascinating account of different places all over the world,  from the troubles in Belfast, the rebellion in Iran, war in Iraq and Afghanistan to an interview with Ghaddafi and Bin Laden and a colourful account of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Simpson possesses the ability to capture the tension and perils of war and still offer glimpses of wry humour and excitement. He finds huge enjoyment in the absurdity of sneaking into Afghanistan in a burqa or meeting up with an old friend in the headquarters of MI6. 

His book A Mad World, My Masters, is a celebration of some of the wildest places in the world filled with a collection of memories about his life as a journalist.

What I find enjoyable about John Simpson is the fact that he shuns the predictable questions but seeks out difficult answers that are much more important to the world. He goes behind the story and often experiences hardship and pain as a result.

… But one of his mottos is “Be comfortable with the uncomfortable, the more risks you take the stronger work you produce.” Yes, books can teach us lessons, inspire us, amuse or, help us transcend the banal and mundane in our life. 

Some other titles …

• The Nightingale by Kristin Hanna is a tale of survival against the odds

• The Last Romantic by HW Brands is a biography of Roosevelt that shows his complex personality. Amid great public strengths, he struggled with enormous personal difficulties. 

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is a funny yet deep portrayal of a young boy with Asperger’s. 

• The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is a subtle masterpiece of someone who cannot express their love fully, and the consequences therein.

Books can feed our minds and souls, enrich our cultural horizons, open up new vistas, offer a treasury of rich insights on the human situation, fill us with delight and wonder at the ever changing beauty of our world.

So what are you waiting for?

Factor in time, pick up that book and escape!