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The best books to read if you're self-isolating, as recommended by Team Cosmo
Because we all need to be transported to a fictional world right now
Let's face it: Coronavirus, or Covid-19, means that, for a while, life is going to look a little different for most of us. And it's not going to be easy. Between seeing less of family and friends, working from home, and not being able to pop to the pub, our daily lives are already way duller than they were just a few short days ago.
In these strange, strange times, we all need a little comfort in our lives. And while Netflix is ace (erm, have you seen Cheer?!), sometimes a book is what's called for. After all, there's nothing like a good read about a fictional world to transport your mind to a totally different place, or a reassuring memoir which teaches us about resilience. Books can boost happiness, minimise anxiety, and just make us forget about things we really don't want to think about. And, in the case of cookbooks, they can help you make pretty nifty use of the tofu, instant noodles, and stale bread currently languishing in your cupboards, too.
So whether you're self-isolating, social distancing, or just spending a little more time in your house than usual, these are the reads that Team Cosmopolitan are reaching for to help see them through. We hope they brighten up your day, wherever you are.
Jodie McEwan, picture editor, says: "Fantasy fiction with day dreaming themes is definitely helping me with the boredom of self-isolation. Taylor's imagination and creativity is amazing. This book instantly transports me to that made-up world instead of staring out my window at my neighbour's cat!"
Laura Capon, deputy beauty editor, says: "Anyone that's ever had an intense crush needs to read this. Dana's coming of age book about 17-year-old Lucy growing up in Brooklyn is so refreshing."
Dusty Baxter-Wright, senior entertainment and lifestyle writer, says: "I'm reading Louis Theroux's Call Of The Weird, which he wrote to go alongside his Weird Weekends documentary series in 2005. I'm finding it quite cathartic: the real life case studies are so bizarre, it's almost a welcome distraction from what's going on IRL."
Ebury Press Green: Veggie and vegan meals for no-fuss weeks and relaxed weekends
Dusty Baxter-Wright, senior lifestyle and entertainment writer, says: "I'm loving cooking very basic batch recipes as a way of calming feelings of being overwhelmed and would thoroughly recommend Green by Elly Pear. I think there's something about the monotony of chopping which helps during these weird times."
Cyan Turan, senior editor, says: "It's time to read all those books you've been meaning to get round to since forever. For me, that's the first of Hilary Mantel's Tudor trilogy. And then once I've finished, I'll order the second, Bring Up The Bodies, and her recently published final instalment, The Mirror And The Light."
Claire Hodgson, editor-in-chief, says: "Reading about quiet wide open spaces takes me out of my flat."
Catriona Innes, features director, says: "Heft is about a lonely man who hasn't left his house for a decade.. and strikes up a friendship with a lost teenager over the phone that helps them both with their deep-rooted problems."
Emily Gulla, features intern, says: "A beautiful solo travel memoir that will remind you of the vastness of the world and inspire you to get out there and see it all (when we can again). Also a reminder of how small each of us really are even when our problems feel huge."
Hannah Jones, chief sub-editor, says: "I absolutely bloody love Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books. They have crime plots so are gripping, but they're also so well-written. As a bonus, there are quite a few to get stuck into if you've never read them before. Obvs start with the first, Case Histories."
Corsair Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Amy Bannerman, fashion director, says: "Where The Crawdads Sing is about a girl living in isolation in South Carolina. It's one of the most beautiful books I have ever read."
Canongate Books Ltd Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
Emily Gulla, features intern, says: "This memoir is great for helping you to envisage better times on the other side of adversity."
Square Peg The Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer
Cyan Turan, senior editor, says: "As far as self-isolation cookbooks go, this one is a banger. Easy recipes with stuff you'll likely have in your cupboard, plus there'll be leftovers for the following day's lunch. Also - baked avocados are a revelation."
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