The gloomy Irish weather setting off this Freshers’ season has made many of us, especially myself, anticipate the cosy autumn and winter months ahead. Picture this: cuddled up, candle lit, cup of tea warming your hands, book in lap. You are two pages away from teleporting to a sanctuary where assignments and Blackboard cease to exist. Life is peaceful.
Trinity students have certainly jumped on this bandwagon, embracing the incomparable joy a good book brings, as we welcome the commencement of a new university year. With the highest-ranking School of English in the country, it is not a surprise that students here at Trinity have impeccable taste in literature, which they were so kind as to share with me. I took some time this Freshers’ week to indulge in my favourite thing – rambling about books – with a couple of my fellow readers on campus to gather some much-needed information: what are Trinity students reading this back-to-school season?
Notes on Heartbreak by Annie Lord
New semester, new you. If you are on the path of healing, reinventing yourself, and rediscovering who you want to be, especially after a big life change, Annie Lord’s Notes on Heartbreak is the perfect back-to-college novel for you. Lord’s autobiography describes her rocky path following a heart-wrenching breakup with her long-term boyfriend. She reminisces on the trajectory of their story, from the “tender moments of innocence” at the beginning until the very end, as their love begins to decay. “Despite the narrative centring around heartbreak”, comments a second-year English major, “it is also about the beauty of friendship. It shows that there are ups, as well as downs, when recovering from a major event like a rough breakup.”
“I think this is a transformative book to read”, she continues, “it found me at a time where I really needed it – when I was experiencing a similar loss – and I believe Annie Lord’s writing helped me, and would certainly help others, navigate that feeling.” Notes on Heartbreak does not sugar-coat the pain of heartbreak, but represents the flickers of light that begin to shine through as you embark on the healing process. It is a promise that everything will work out.
If you need a beacon of hope during a dark time this semester, know that you are not alone, and this moving autobiography might be for you. “It really grounded me, especially before the hecticness of a new academic season.”
The First Gentleman by James Patterson
Amid the unsettling political climate we face worldwide, political literature, including fiction, is undoubtedly on the rise, especially amongst many of our politics and history students here at Trinity. Patterson’s The First Gentleman explores an alternate reality of the US, where a strong female president guides the nation. Upon re-election season, her world falls apart as dark secrets from her husband’s past lead her away from the presidential seat and place her in the courtroom. “It keeps you on your toes, for sure,” remarks a first-year History student.
“I’ve been drawn to political literature recently. I think it’s fascinating to explore different political scenarios through fiction. I think it opens our eyes to how our world is and how it could be.” Engagement with political literature, in all respects, is essential to our understanding of the world around us. Notoriously, literature is ruthless in its ability to educate us about socio-political issues, like The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984.
“I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers and also political themes.” Acknowledging underlying political undertones in all literature is so important in broadening our perception of how we operate as humans. If you are into thrillers, mysteries, and US politics, pick up The First Gentleman in your local library!
Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall
Following a summer of light-hearted, corny rom coms, read whilst lying blissfully on the beach, are you looking for something a bit more stimulating? British foreign affairs journalist and author Tim Marshall brings us along on his journey of cultural discovery in his geopolitical book Prisoners of Geography (2015).
Marshall unravels the rich history and cultural complexities of ten various regions, educating us about what life looks like on the opposite side of the globe. “He shares his own personal findings from his travels, including his own emotional interactions with individuals, business owners and families of different backgrounds and beliefs”, summarises a second-year Trinity student, studying English and Spanish. “I found he offers a very practical and straightforward perspective on the way in which the world operates.”
Many students may be indifferent to non-fiction, especially amid the overload of often boring, dust-collected books we are presented with as we return to academics, but this student offers a different outlook. “I have enjoyed reading [Prisoners of Geography]. Often, these sorts of books tend to overdo their use of definitions and philosophy, but I think Marshall’s work is refreshingly informative and not overly intellectual.”
Prisoners of Geography may be a wonderful starting point for those looking to delve into the invigorating world of non-fiction this semester. “It’s like dipping your brain into ice-cold water before college resumes – I would recommend it to everybody, honestly.”
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Let’s jump back to the world of fiction. I believe almost every book lover nowadays has heard of R.F. Kuang –a miraculous rising author of our time. With the release of her brand new publication, Katabasis, just this August, many students have begun their dive into the worlds created by Kuang, including her 2023 satirical novel Yellowface.
June, a struggling author, sees a future of success and luxury ahead of her as she watches her friend, Athena, a thriving author, fall to the floor in an unexpected demise. The narrative centres around June’s looming guilt and paranoia as she connivingly steals Athena’s unpublished manuscript. “June faces extreme guilt whilst navigating the growing scrutiny over her actions”, describes a second-year French student.
However, although one can recognise Kuang’s talent as a writer, Trinity empowers us as students to voice our dislike or indifference towards certain literary works and to form our own opinions. This Trinity student certainly has done so. “Personally, I found this book hard to finish. Though the themes of race within the publishing community and the satirical elements were interesting, I found the protagonist, June, extremely dislikeable.”
“Satirical characterisations sometimes draw a reader into the story, but it can also cause a reader to resent the novel altogether! Because the book is solely from her perspective, it kind of ruined it for me.”
“I picked Yellowface up because it was so raved about, but I did find it underwhelming. I wouldn’t personally recommend it.” Literature is so important for its promotion of debate and discourse. Empowering students to voice their own outlooks on books allows us to expand our range of thinking and scratch our heads about what makes a “good” book good.
Looking to join the conversation? Add Yellowface to your to-be-read list!
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
We conclude this article with a flashback to the 19th century. Although many who love literature have probably already read (and re-read) Emily Brontë’s staple Wuthering Heights, I think it is fitting to revisit it today, considering the countdown to the release of its infamous film adaptation, starring Margot Robbie, has officially begun.
The iconic period romance follows the tale of the elegant Catherine Earnshaw and the brooding Heathcliff, placing us in the heart of the gothic Yorkshire Moors. Their love mirrors the destructive nature of the environment around them, as the novel follows Heathcliff’s ensuing revenge after Catherine is torn from his sure grasp. A first-year English student took some time to tell us a bit about the novel and why she decided to pick it up, now. “I love how we see hatred and love intertwine”, she begins, “I think the writing is spotless, and it immerses you into the story.”
Brontë often nestles her way into the English literature curriculum in some respect, yet this student wants to emphasise that Victorian literature does not always have to be embraced in an academic setting. “For those who love literature, Wuthering Heights is a staple, a masterpiece. This is my second time reading it, and I felt that it really revamped my passion for writing before I was thrown into the deep end of my studies. You can’t help but absorb the passion portrayed in the book.”
The story may be a topic of controversy in recent weeks, as critics dispute over the details and descriptions that are soon to be “neglected” in the classic’s newest adaptation by Emerald Fennel. “I definitely think it’s a book everyone should read (at some point), and I respect how everyone has different opinions on it and different interpretations of the book – is that not what reading is all about?”
Escape the mental (and physical) prison of the Ussher Library, and lose yourself in the burning fire of Catherine and Heathcliff this back-to-books period.
