Thursday 3rd March 2022 is World Book Day, and this year we wanted to mark this day by asking a question amongst our teachers. What book have you read since COVID began that has stayed with you, or offered you distraction in a time that you needed it?
“Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day is a triumph of storytelling! It is a story of sacrifice, loyalty and love and if Shakespeare could have read it, I have no doubt it would be in his top five best books list too!”
“This massive beast is my favourite novel of all time, and I go back to it every few years. It’s an epic story about a small dysfunctional family: there’s struggle, there’s drama, there are shocking twists—but it also includes some of the deepest discussions of religion, philosophy, and the meaning of life, that you will find anywhere. Thoughtful, entertaining, and a great companion in a crisis. Oh, and did I mention that it’s a murder mystery?”
“It’s a memoir, which I normally wouldn’t choose but it reads as a really engaging novel. It’s partly set in Vienna and shows the impact of the First World War on a wealthy Jewish Family. The book also encouraged me to learn new words such as “bibelot” and “incunabula”- look them up! I remember reading it in the garden that first warm, sunny Easter of lockdown 2020.”
“A classic. George Orwell’s 1984 seemed an appropriate read during a time where the news became a daily watch and fake information spread all over the internet. It can be a bleak and uncomfortable book, but one that you can come back to again and again”
“Empire of the Sun is based on the author’s personal experience as a prisoner of war during WWII. When I read it during the first lockdown, I was reminded of a quote from J.G. Ballard where he said his experience left him with “the sense that reality itself was a stage set that could be dismantled at any moment.”
“It’s a book that I have found myself thinking about more and more since reading. The combination of political history and autobiographical storytelling makes the book hard to put down, and reading about Akala’s experience in education, and the barriers that were in place, is something that any teacher should read.”
“I absolutely adore the Twilight books, and I am unashamedly Team Jacob. This book, and the series, are a great read for anyone who wants love, fighting and heroes all in one book ”
“I have chosen this book because it does not shy away from hard topics. It is a hard hitting portrait of a wounded country and a moving story of family and friendship. It is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story of an unlikely bond and an indestructible love.”
