Everyone knows Instagram is a highlight reel filled with the best of the best, whether it be photos that make you look like you live in an endless summer, flitting between eating pizza in Italy to picnicking under the Eiffel Tower, or filtered photos of that to-die-for smashed avocado mixed with candid-looking snaps of you ‘heading to work’ (read: posing on the footpath) in a crisp linen shirt, jeans and kitten heels. But this summer, our grids were jampacked with secluded white sand beaches, super yachts (but seriously, when did everyone buy yachts?) and books. Lots and lots of books.
As far as the ‘gram goes, the addition of everyone posting as if they have been glued to their bookshelf since December 1st is a welcome one. Not only do you get recommendations from friends, you see new releases you might’ve missed and which books are really ‘trending’ at the moment.
Without further adieu, whether they came out this month or three years ago, here are the books taking over Instagram this summer.
If you’re planning for the former, there’s just one thing you need – and we’ve done the research for you.
Below, the best books we’ve read recently.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Everyone’s favourite First Lady has released a memoir covering everything from how she met her husband, Barack Obama, to motherhood and her time in the White House.
Normal People by Sally Rooney
Chances are you’ve got a screenshot of this book on your camera roll already, but if you happen to have missed the hundreds of ‘grams about it, here’s all you need to know: Sally Rooney’s second novel is just as good, if not better, than her first. Read it, read it now.
Milkman by Anna Burns
Milkman was the winner of the 2018 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, marking the first time a Northern Irish writer has been awarded the prestigious literary prize. Though some critics have dubbed the book ‘difficult’, it’s definitely worth pushing through for the feeling at the end.
The Life To Come by Michelle De Kretser
Winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award, Michelle De Kretser’s novel The Life to Come follows the lives of various writers in Sydney, Paris and Sri Lanka. Though for a while it’s hard to tell what the link is between them, how it comes together in the end is brilliant.
The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown
When you engulf a book in one and a half sittings, you know it’s good. Tina Brown, the editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair from 1984-1992, keep a diary of her time at the magazine and, as you’d expect, it’s full of industry politics, celebrity inside knowledge and a whole lot of career tips.
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
This new offering from Meg Wolitzer, author of the New York Times-bestselling 2013 novel The Interestings, has been described as a novel which expresses “the yearning that lives in all of us: to be seen, to be admired, to be whatever we imagine as the best version of ourselves.” It follows shy college freshman Greer as she meets a feminist icon and, in becoming her protégé, begins to leave behind the life she once imagined for herself.
Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith
In Zadie Smith’s second collection of essays, she explores everything from politics to social media to Jay Z, all in the conversational, approachable tone that has made her work so loved. This book has fast become an office favourite.
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Sweetbitter was one of the most talked about books of last year – and for good reason. Following a young woman who moves to New York City to work at a restaurant, this novel is one of those strange reads which grips you so strongly, though it’s hard to explain why. Danler’s beautiful writing certainly helps matters, though. It’s also just been released as a series on Stan, produced by Brad Pitt.
The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
Described as a “dazzlingly original novel which asks beguiling questions about the nature of art, life and love and finds a way to answer them,” the Museum of Modern Love was the Winner of the 2017 Stella Prize, so clearly, a no-brainer for your must-read list.
Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
When you think of slavery and racism, the US is generally the first place that pops to mind. After all, all the heroic stories we’ve heard (Rosa Parks etc) and all the movies we’re seen (12 Years a Slave etc), tell the story of America’s history. This book is a harrowing eye-opener into race relations in Britain and reminds us that there’s still a lot of work to be done. Emma Watson also put it on her book club list, so you know it’s good.
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
One of the most-anticipated books of 2018 was by none other than Aussie’s own Liane Moriarty. It’s all the family drama and interesting storylines you’re used to with her cult books, such as Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret, but with an added twist.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine looks like a lighthearted book when you first begin, but the #1 New York Times Bestseller is quite the opposite and tells a beautiful story about the importance of friendship and human connection.
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