Love London Love Culture’s Emma Clarendon has selected a few of her favourite books that are set in countries all across the globe…
Before the Rains by Dinah Jefferies: as with all her novels, Dinah Jefferies consistently offers a vivid insight into the country in which her story is set. Not just the beautiful way in which she describes the surroundings but the way in which she pays attention to the details of the culture of the country she is in. This is particularly felt in Before the Rains, which being set in India covers a lot of the customs and history with great insight. Read our full review here.
The Riviera Set by Mary S.Lovell: this fascinating book that focuses on Château de l’Horizon, a villa based just outside Cannes is filled with glamour and insight into its history and those who visited and owned it. But the book also makes the reader feel as though they are travelling around the world with the people featured, providing an engaging and glamorous read. Love London Love Culture’s review is here.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières: having only read this for the very first time recently (having never seen the film either), it is difficult not fall in love with the vividness and colour that Louis de Bernières’ describes the Greek island of Cephallonia and the way in which it was occupied by the Italian forces. A stunningly beautiful read that is engaging from start to finish.
The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones: one day I would love to do a road trip in America – and not just the typical Route 66. The route described in The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones sounds utterly charming as her characters travel across the East Coast of America, travelling from New York to Vermont. This easy going read is filled with friendships, obstacles and of course romance but it is the way in which Jones writes that makes the reader feel as though we are seeing these places through the characters eyes.
Death in a Desert Island by Andrew Wilson: for those who like a bit of murder mystery that takes place in a distant land, this will be perfect for you. Like his previous novels such as ‘A Different Kind of Evil’, the author places Agatha Christie at the centre of a mystery – which in this case takes place in the Baghdad. It offers a real flavour of what the country was like back then, while placing an intriguing murder mystery at the heart of it. Read our review here.
Chocolat by Joanne Harris: this 1999 novel which follows the story of Vianne Rocher, a young single mother who arrives in a quiet French village at the start of lent to open a new shop. Unfortunately she is met with plenty of resistance and suspicion – not least from the village priest. Filled with plenty of charm and elegant prose, Chocolat places a small community and their lives at the heart of it but filled with plenty of French flavour to make it a richly rewarding read. Catch up with our review here.
My Lemon Grove Summer by Jo Thomas: why not head to sunny Sicily thanks to Jo Thomas’s gloriously warm and affectionate story of what happens when a group of strangers have to pull together to get out of a difficult situations – with the help of lemons. If you feel bad about not being able to go away on holiday – this read will certainly make you feel as though you are. Read our review here.