The perfect beach read

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About how and why to read beach reads.

In this episode, I share my reading experience and interpretation method with two books I read during the South African long summer break. The two books I read and discuss here are 'The lack of Light' by Georgian writer Nino Haratischwili and 'There are Rivers in the Sky' by Turkish-British writer Elif Shafak. I explain to you why 'The lack of Light' resonated with me despite the story being set in a horrible war. I share with you how I - after finishing this book - while on holiday in The Western Cape end up in a small mall in Noordhoek and find this amazing gem of a bookstore called Wordsworth Books.

I introduce to you my book buddy from The Netherlands, who relentlessly recommends books to me. And, I share with you a method to interpret the story using one of the motto's of 'There are Rivers in the Sky'. This book has four motto's. I use the one that is from 'The epic of Gilgamesh', to explain how I make meaning and interpret the writer's intention. It's my attempt to inspire you to reread the motto of a book after you've finished it.
17 Mar 2025 English South Africa Books · Arts

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