The ROADBOOK reading list

We’ve called upon ROADBOOK’s vast network of contributors to bring you the ultimate summer reading list, taking in recommendations from New York to London and Mumbai to Bangkok. Whether you’re seeking inspiration for your 2024 travels or the perfect beachside lounging partner, this round-up showcases all-time classics and fresh debuts. Featuring memoirs, thrillers, poetry and thought-provoking non-fiction, there is a title (or two) that is sure to tickle everyone’s literary taste. Bookmarks at the ready, here are the 14 best page-turners to have on your radar this summer.

14 top books to read in summer 2024

Tom Howells, UK contributor

Tales from the Colony Room: Soho’s Lost Bohemia, by Darren Coffield (2020)

Few are the true vestiges of old Soho in 2024 (The French House, Gerry’s Club and intermittent evening performances of Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell at the Coach and Horses aside). This truth is made more profound by a delve into Darren Coffield’s meticulous oral history of the legendary late Colony Room Club – the Dean Street drinking den presided over by the gorgon-like Murial Belcher (and her irascible catamite of a number two, Ian Board) and frequented by the likes of Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, George Melly, Peter Langan, John Deakin and various YBAs (Young British Artists) over the decades. The book’s a riot: depraved, enlightening, melancholy and hilarious; a paean to cirrhosis and an iconoclastic snapshot of a London long lost.

Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, Thailand contributor

Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang (2023)

Yellowface is a captivating literary thriller, where a failed white author steals her Asian American novelist friend’s manuscript after she tragically dies in a freak accident. Kuang, writing from an ironic perspective, offers a scathing critique of the publishing world. With sharp prose and quick pacing, this novel delves into themes of plagiarism, racial identity and cultural appropriation. It’s addictive, shocking, compelling and extremely fun to read by turns. Even without the weighty themes, it’s a heart-pounding adventure. The book wrestles with hot-button topics and challenges readers to reflect on who gets to tell certain stories, making it a must-read for its incisive commentary and engaging narrative.

Charlotte Simpson, senior creative projects and partnerships manager

The End of Summer by Charlotte Philby (2024)

Top of my reading list is Charlotte Philby’s newly released thriller, The End of Summer. The gripping novel follows the scandalous past tragedies of Judy Mcvee, transporting readers from Cape Cod to London, and New York to the south of France. After savouring an exclusive excerpt earlier in the year, I was enthralled by the sense of place, glamour and unexpected twists. Philby’s take on crime fiction fascinates me, so I’m looking forward to stashing this in my suitcase and getting swept away on my trip to Valencia in August.

Praachi Raniwala, India contributor

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (2023)

We are often made to believe that if it isn’t an against-all-odds, jumping-through-hoops kind of love story, it’s not grand enough. I love Romantic Comedy for making a case for the contrary. In a world full of dating horrors, it’s a funny, sweet and heartwarming story about Sally Milz, a writer on a late-night comedy show being wooed by a dashing pop star, much to her own surprise and denial – that doesn’t make you averse to modern dating. The witty conversations between the lead protagonists, a whip-smart female lead and laugh-out-loud moments don’t hurt. I devoured it in one sitting.

Louis Harnett O’Meara, US contributor

Black Cat Bone by John Burnside (2011)

The Scottish writer John Burnside died on 29 May this year, marking a sad day for good literature. He was extraordinarily prolific, producing some 40 books of poetry, fiction, criticism, and memoir during his life. If I had to recommend one title to read, I would reach for the remarkable (and predictable) Black Cat Bone. The poetry collection was well awarded when it was released in 2011, picking up the Forward Prize for best poetry shortly after its release, and the prestigious TS Eliot Prize a year later. More importantly, it is a work of deep philosophy, filled with imagery and rich lyricism that linger like musk, laying traces along a trail towards a world just out of reach.

Valorie Clark, US contributor

The Dead Ladies Project by Jessa Crispin (2015)

For anyone who read Eat, Pray, Love and wished it was a little more literary, Jessa Crispin’s journey to unearth the footsteps of gone-but-not-forgotten writers is going to be a new favourite. After Crispin burned her life to the ground in Chicago, she travels to Berlin where she despairs as William James once did. What follows is a series of meditations and explorations as she searches for Nora Barnacle in Trieste, Maud Gonne in Galway, and William Somerset Maugham in St Petersburg. I learned a lot about how to build a life you love – free of dependence on men and romance – from Crispin’s journey, and I always press a copy into the hands of anyone going through a big upheaval.

Michael Parker, CEO and co-founder

Once a Runner: A Novel by John L Parker (1978)

The subject of running is not synonymous with great literature. Once a Runner was a revelation to me and, if you have an affinity with running, I challenge you to find a better read. First published in 1978, the novel follows a young and gifted runner who is training to run a four-minute mile amid the turmoil of the Vietnam War. Passages of the book sweep you into runs with such intimacy while exploring the thoughts and feelings of the fallible protagonist you desperately want to triumph. The themes of coming-of-age, competitive running and destiny meld with accomplished writing to create, in my view, a modern classic. I’d recommend reading this on your next trip and I’m sure it will encourage you to run in your destination.

Imogen Green, UK contributor

Brotherless Night by VV Ganeshananthan (2023)

I first discovered this novel in 2023 after many friends recommended it to me, but it has since been awarded the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024. From the first paragraph, it captivated me. A true example of powerful storytelling, the novel follows Sashi, a sixteen-year-old Sri Lankan girl who dreams of becoming a doctor. The story is set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, and as the conflict unfolds, Sashi’s dreams are quickly pushed to the side. The masterpiece explores the heartbreaking truth of war, with themes of loyalty and identity as seen through the lens of a young woman.

Georgina Groom, digital associate

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding (2013)

After Renée Zellweger and Leo Woodall were spotted filming the upcoming sequel of Bridget Jones in Notting Hill earlier this year, I’ve been busy rereading Fielding’s iconic series from start to finish. I’m currently devouring Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, which follows a 50-year-old Jones navigating the challenges of single-parenthood after Mark Darcy was shockingly killed by a landmine in Sudan. It’s got all the same hilariously relatable moments found in the earlier novels (endless self-help books, failed first dates and a certain Daniel Cleaver), with the addition of social media, Botox and the challenges of modern dating. It’s a must-read for anyone seeking a poolside page-turner they can laugh and cry to.

Emily Yates, UK contributor

The View From Down Here: Life as a Young Disabled Woman by Lucy Webster (2023)

As a wheelchair user myself and a keen traveller, I sometimes remind myself that I’m allowed to both marvel at the world around me and be immensely disappointed by how inaccessible it often is. Journalist and disability advocate Lucy Webster beautifully covers issues of ableism, sexism and disabled joy in her incredible memoir. It cut through all the seasons of emotions and affected me deeply; I’ve never been so angry and full of admiration in one go. If you’re looking for a read that will transport you to a different perspective and shed light on issues you might have never considered before, give this a go.

Rituparna Roy, Mumbai contributor

A Matter of Taste: The Penguin Book of Indian Food Writing by Nilanjana S Roy (2004)

It’s not often you come across an anthology on food, particularly one that includes the works of some of the biggest names in Indian writing published in English. I recently discovered A Matter of Taste, edited by journalist and literary critic Nilanjana S Roy, featuring joyful essays from Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai and Jhumpa Lahiri. I’m particularly drawn to the stories with a deep sense of place and connection to home, offering bite-sized snapshots of India’s diverse culinary traditions. In Mrs Sen’s, the simple act of cooking fish in her American kitchen make an immigrant Bengali woman homesick. Sudha Koul’s poignant memoir Flesh in the Valley recounts her childhood in Kashmir, where eating seasonal was intrinsic due to harsh weather. Another favourite is Ghosh’s lucid prose about his student days in Delhi eating momos from a shack run by Tibetan refugees.

Ollie Horne, deputy digital editor

The Rest Is History: History’s Most Curious Questions Answered by Goalhanger Podcasts (2023)

I feel a bit odd recommending a book that’s a spin-off to a podcast, but as the two podcasters in question are history authors first and foremost, surely that makes it more legitimate? The Rest Is History is the world’s most listened-to history podcast, hosted by ancient historian Tom Holland and modern historian Dominic Sandbrook, and their book is full of the same wit and detailed research as their engaging discussions on their show. It’s a fun, interesting read you can easily dip in and out of during your travels, and their angles are pretty unique: there are sections on the worst parties in history, the best eunuchs to ever live, the most potent ‘what ifs’, Churchill’s escapades as a war correspondent, and a British politician who plotted to feed his lover to alligators. All in all, the exact kind of stuff other university lecturers, school teachers and history authors wish we wouldn’t find so interesting.

Ben Olsen, digital editor

Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture by Kyle Chayka (2024)

For anyone already frustrated (or freaked out) by the ‘personalised’ recommendations we’re dished up by the likes of Netflix, Spotify and the various social media giants, Filterworld is something of an eye-opener. Released earlier this year, Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker, dissects how, over the past decade, the algorithms used by these digital service providers have become a dominant tastemaking force in our lives, analysing swathes of user data (willingly handed over by us) to curate and dictate the culture we’re exposed to – shaping what we consume, where we go and – to some extent – who we are. Using a rich mix of examples spanning songs, films, dining recommendations or travel destinations, Chayka illustrates how, despite the illusion of choice, the algorithm’s homogenising effects instead slim down our options, dumbing down the world around us by rounding off all the original and brilliant creative endeavour at its edges. Sharp, engaging and, quite frankly, terrifying, Filterworld delivers a vivid snapshot of the digital age and a stark reminder of the importance of logging off and seeking out IRL culture for ourselves.

Consider the Oyster by MFK Fisher (1941)

“An oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life,” begins MFK Fisher’s ode to the humble bivalve, setting the tone for a book that, despite its 1941 release, remains an effortless exemplar of food writing at its most evocative. Poetic, poignant and at times incredibly funny, Fisher’s turn of phrase paints a compelling portrait of the oyster’s enduring place in our culture. As readers we accompany her on memorable encounters from the markets of Marseille to the oyster bars of Maine and New Orleans via recipes ranging from Louisiana gumbos and baked oyster Rockefeller to simply served shells that speak from themselves. Re-released recently, with a foreword by British food writer Felicity Cloake, Consider the Oyster is an immersive slice of culinary escapism to underscore any coastal destination you find yourself in this year.