Charlotte Griffiths selects some iconic reads to see out the summer
The Odyssey by Emily Wilson
You’ve seen the blockbuster… now read the book! This is the most recent translation of Homer’s epic tale, the first English translation by a woman, and it makes a perfect introduction to the near-3,000-year-old poem.
For those not familiar with the source text, The Odyssey tells the story of King Odysseus’ return home after playing his part in the fall of Troy, as well as the parallel tales of his wife Penelope and son Telemachus, who have been waiting for him at home in Ithaca for 20 years. On his journey back to them he encounters gods and mortals, violent monsters and helpful allies, losing men along the way but gaining more understanding of the fragile bonds between humans that are so easily and so devastatingly broken.
Translator Emily Wilson is a classicist and academic (and big sister of Cambridge-resident food writer Bee) and embarked on this work with the aim of using modern English in the familiar Shakespearean rhythm of iambic pentameter – that’s five ‘de-dum’ beats per line – as well as keeping to the same line-count as Homer’s original to retell the iconic story.
Translation is always fraught with consequences, but in this new version Wilson has swept away any discomfort felt by previous translators – for instance, where other versions might use ‘maid’, she chooses ‘slave’. The result of Wilson’s brilliance is refreshing and stripped back, leaving you with an unequivocally clear-eyed look at Homer’s complicated hero and the web of human relationships that make this ancient work relatable, even in 2026.
Open by Andre Agassi
What a book. This is the autobiography of 90s tennis legend Andre Agassi, written by the player in partnership with famous ghostwriter JR Moehringer, more recently known for creating Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.
It tells the story of Agassi’s childhood with an overbearing and ambitious father, his early entry to punishing tennis academies and rise to meteoric fame, as well as his key relationships including marriages with actor Brooke Shields and fellow tennis superstar Steffi Graf.
Open is a fantastic page-turner of a book, with a real sense of urgency when Agassi is describing key matches against legendary figures such as Boris Becker or Pete Sampras.
It almost feels like being on the court alongside him as he battles his opponents. Even those not into tennis will find themselves open-mouthed at the physical pain endured by the young athlete during the fitness regimes designed by his coaches and trainers, and the demands of the competitive tennis circuit.
It’s a fascinating insight into the experience of life at the top of a gruelling sport, showing in brutal detail what happens when you achieve your goals at such a young age. When you’re number one in the world, what do you do next?
A heady dose of 90s and 2000s nostalgia that’s funny, inspirational and definitely not just for tennis fans.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
The book that launched a thousand chefs. Not too long ago, every young cook cited this memoir as inspiration for their own culinary career; dog-eared copies folded into back pockets as they stood nervously outside kitchens, hoping for a chance at life in the world of hospitality so irresistibly portrayed by much-missed cook, writer and broadcaster Anthony Bourdain.
Kitchen Confidential vividly and viscerally tells his story, describing his intimate relationship with food and his entry into the world of professional cooking. Rude, rebellious and big-hearted throughout, young Bourdain’s adventures and thoughts on cooking are absolute catnip to those interested in food and the people who make hospitality happen.
Once you’ve read the original, you might enjoy the annotated edition with Bourdain’s own handwritten notes, made about a decade after the book was originally published, in which he calls out and corrects (some of) his own behaviour and beliefs. It also makes a great pairing for the film Tony, which came out in early August and is based on 19-year-old Bourdain’s first encounter with a professional kitchen.
Though attitudes described in the book might still be found in some kitchens, the majority of hospitality has moved on – making this a fascinating record of a long-gone lifestyle and subculture obsessed with sex, drugs, bad behaviour and haute cuisine.
Home grown
Three brand-new titles from local authors, from sunsoaked mystery to fantastical history
Please Help Me
By Gytha Lodge
Another delicious thriller from Lodge. Police officer Amanda is on a much-needed holiday with her young son when she finds herself caught up in a mystery. A young girl at the same resort as Amanda is sending messages claiming to have been kidnapped, but how can they work out which girl needs help?
Listen to Me
By Alison Stockham
A thriller part-inspired by an Alanis Morissette track? Sign us up! Singer Lola Green has gone missing, and Alexa Danesford should have seen it coming, having wondered if Lola needed help based on her own past experiences in the music industry – but now she’s gone, and Alexa will do anything she can to save her.
Six Savage Thrones
By Holly Race
A feminist, fantasy retelling of the six wives of Henry VIII? This to-read pile is getting larger by the day! Political and packed with worldbuilding, this is the second book in a planned trilogy that started with Six Wild Crowns: here, King Henry of Elben’s six queens must work together to save the realm and themselves.
Check out July 2026’s Book Club and the coffee table reads