5 Of The Best Editor-Approved Reads For Summer
Whether you’re lounging on a Grecian island, or seeking refuge from the desert heat by keeping cool in your air conditioned breakfast nook, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia has compiled a list of books for whiling away the summer months
Everybody Thought We Were Crazy by Mark Rozzo (May, 2022)
Set in 1960s Los Angeles, this is an intricately researched account of the wild love story of Dennis Hopper and Brooke Hayward whose relationship bookended a turbulent, yet defining time in cultural history, marked by pop art, music, film and partying. The storied couple – and their inner circle including Andy Warhol and Joan Didion – were Hollywood’s cool kids of the time and were instrumental in shaping the fabric of Los Angeles during its heyday.
Bless The Daughter Raised by A Voice In Her Head by Warsan Shire (March, 2022)
A highly anticipated collection of poems written by the Somali-British poet who collaborated with Beyoncé on Lemonade and Black is King. Drawing on current events and her own life, the visceral poems artfully stitch together pockets of perception into the lived experiences of marginalised people including Black women and migrants. By unpacking a potent mixture of racial and social complexities, the book invites us to engage in a rich cultural exchange.
What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad (June, 2022)
A powerful story of friendship and resilience revolving around Amir, a young Syrian boy, who is rescued from a sunken refugee boat by a native teenage girl, Vänna, on a remote island. Follow them as they navigate their way to safety in an unforgiving world. Through a series of narrative shifts, the thought-provoking novel humanises the harsh realities of children who have been stripped of their innocence far too early in life.
Country of Origin by Dalia Azim (April, 2022)
Get swept away by this multigenerational story centring around 17-year-old Halah Ibrahim in mid-century Cairo whose comfortable life gets turned upside down during the political revolution. She runs away to America with a young boy whom she barely knows resulting in far-reaching consequences. An illuminating fable about the steep human cost of loyalty, personal freedom, self-identity and the deep fissures caused by a nation’s changing landscape.
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle (March, 2022)
Katy’s mother, Carol, dies unexpectedly leaving her to embark solo on a bonding trip to the Amalfi Coast they had long been planning. As soon as Katy arrives in Italy, she can sense a presence. And then suddenly, incredulously, Carol, looking young and beautiful appears in real life. Throughout one magical summer, Katy gets to discover who Carol was in her past life, before she became the mother who seemingly had the answers to everything. You’ll be engrossed in this lyrical tome that puts the spotlight on maternal relationships.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s June 2022 issue.