Summer Reads

As a law student, the vast majority of my reading over the year consist of Law textbooks. Whilst these can be truly riveting, there is nothing like a good novel! I like to spend my summer catching up on all the books I don’t have time to read during the academic year, so I decided to compile a list of the books I’ve read so far this summer!

1. 1984 by George Orwell
   • This is a book I have had for a long time but never got round to reading – until now! I had high expectations for it as it is such a famous book, and although I found it harder to get into than some books, I really enjoyed it in the end. I thought it was very cleverly written, and had some very well thought through concepts, like ‘Newspeak’. I thought 1984 was a very clever book, although the ending was sudden (but I guess that was the point). I would definitely recommend if you want a book you will still be thinking about weeks later!
2. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
   • This book was actually on my reading list for one of my Law modules, but I decided to reread it more thoroughly, as well as recommending it to both my younger sister and father. Don’t let the fact that it was on my reading list put you off – it is an incredibly thought provoking book. It is actually a piece of non-fiction, with all the stories in it completely true, though harrowing. The book is written by a black lawyer in America, working with people who are on death row. It actually changed my sister’s mind on the death penalty – see what you think! I would recommend this book if you are looking for something to remind you why you want to study law – perfect for people who are starting in September!
3. Things Can Only Get Worse? by John O’Farrell
   • The full title of this book is ‘Things Can Only Get Worse? Twenty Confusing Years in the Life of a Labour Supporter’, which narrates a Labour supporter’s view on the last twenty years of politics, from the 1997 landslide to the snap general election last year. Whether you support Labour or not, this is a witty, clever, insightful book into politics. The author stood against Theresa May for her constituency, stood in a by-election, and has canvassed for Labour for years, so he definitely knows what he is talking about. I would recommend this book for any budding politics students that want a laugh, or just anyone with an interest in politics (especially Labour supporters!)

Those are the books I have read so far: let me know if you read any of these, and what you think of them!