The Mallinson Library, Wellington College | Summer holiday reading and Prefect Perfect Picks!

I’ve been canvassing our new L6th student leadership team (the Heads of College and their Deputies) for their top picks to read this summer. Here are some of their favourites.

Rufus recommends:

Down and Out in Paris and London – George Orwell.

I loved it because it can be read just to read a story of a man living in different environments, or to understand a different society in a different time period, with unexpected elements to it.

I loved the fact that it can be linked to such huge socio-economic issues throughout Paris and London in the early 20th century, working as a dishwasher and exploring the life of a tramp. The book explores poverty, the bohemian life, and the spontaneity of life that is expressed artfully through the medium of Orwell’s beautiful prose.

Gaia recommends:

‘Behave’ by Robert Sapolsky

This is a really incredibly eye opening book looking at the underlying neuroscience in all our behaviours, I now see this neurology every day, in myself and others.

Nina

I would definitely recommend reading ‘The Inheritance Games’ by Jennifer Lynn Barnes for the new 3^rd form. The whole series is what got me back into reading, the twists and really engaging story always kept me reading on. Also there are loads of books in the series available, including a few spin offs so there is lots of ‘Inheritance Games’ content to consume.

Tom H comes back to his perennial favourite which he feels will have wide appeal:

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight

My favourite book is “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight. I enjoyed this book due to its eye-opening and insightful exploration into the creation of one of the world’s most significant companies – Nike. The way in which Knight writes, through combining humour with an autobiographical tone, made it an engaging and easy read. Additionally, the way Knight confronts the harsh realities of business and entrepreneurship is both fascinating and inspiring.

Pippo tells us about his favourite read, ‘Belonging’ by Owen Eastwood.

This book covered many of my interests including the history of different cultures and how belonging is maintained within national level sports teams. One of the key ideas revolved around a Maori concept ‘Whakapapa’ which discussed how belonging is sustained along generations of people.

Tom M loved the book Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall

This one features on the Geography Department Top Tens but has wide appeal and interest beyond students of geography.

As you can see from her list of recommendations Millie is an avid reader. Enjoy her eclectic list of books – including a verse novel, a play and a graphic novel.

Prima Facie

Wish I could read it again for the first time. It tackles a sensitive topic in such a beautiful and empowering way. Told through the gripping perspective of a female defence barrister seeing the legal system through a new lens after being sexually assaulted herself. Exploring sexual autonomy, survivorship, and the flaws in our judicial system – I was hooked from minute one. Important reading for everyone – CANNOT recommend it enough.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Clever and morbidly funny – so easy to read, and a testament to female STEM pioneers. Elizabeth Zott is a genius chemist (among many other things) navigating the male-dominated scientific field of the 1950s. Scientist, cook, mother, and total icon — I loved her as a character and I bet you will too!!

Journey’s End by R. C. Sherriff

It has become a tradition of mine to read this play every year, and it hits me just as hard every single time. You hear the honest truth of the soldiers in WW1 trenches – and how normality was found in the total encompassing abnormality of combat. Heartbreaking, truthful, and so so moving –

takes barely 2 hours to read….but wow, it makes an impact.

The Witches of Vardo by Anya Bergman

Brilliant retelling of the Norwegian witch trials — based on the true events of the women accused, and told from their perspectives. This book makes you root for the characters, and has so many twists and turns that I never could have expected. It has it all — mystery, danger, folklore, love, and maybe some magic?

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Both captivating and heart wrenching, it follows the story of a 15-year old Lithuanian girl as she is deported and forced to journey to Siberia with hundreds of other Lithuanians. Dodging the Soviet Secret Police while protecting her little brother and desperately yearning for home – I gasped, I was moved, (and I might have teared up just a little…). Set in 1941, based on the true testimonies of the Soviet Repression survivors. You may not emotionally recover — I warned you…

Anne Frank’s Diary: the Graphic Adaptation

I felt connected to her story in a way I’d never experienced before. Whether you’ve read the original or never seen it before, the lovesickness, in-fighting, and omnipresent danger that Anne Frank reveals is brought to life in a whole new way. Visually interesting, incredibly readable, honestly couldn’t fault it.

One by Sarah Crossan

Follows conjoined twins – Tippi and Grace – as they navigate growing up in a society that views them as one person. Short, poignant outlook on familial relationships and finding community as an outcast. The ‘verse novel’ format makes the words flow so elegantly, and packs an emotional punch — first read it over 5 years ago and still haven’t forgotten the impact it made.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Focalised around Anna, a so-called “designer baby”, created to be an exact genetic donor for her sister Kate who has Leukaemia. She tries to become medically emancipated after she was forced to essentially be an extension of her sister her whole life. Explores familial duty, terminal illness, and the boundaries of medical ethics – an accessible read that will definitely tug at your heartstrings

One of the Wellington College Book Club’s and library staff favourites this year is ‘The Correspondent’ by Virginia Evans. This recently won the Women’s Prize for Fiction. A small beautifully written atmospheric and ultimately hopeful novella was ‘Seascraper’ by Benjamin Wood. More of our Book Club reads can be explored here: Wellington Community Book Club