Five thought-provoking books that will challenge the way you think
This season, here are the atmospheric reads with which to hunker down as the nights draw in and the frost creeps across the windowpanes.
From a dystopian novel about cryogenics and an exhilarating history of the North Pole’s explorers to an ode to a Himalayan mountain town, these five books will make fine additions to your sofa-side stack.
1.
Freezing Point
Anders Bodelsen, translated by Joan Tate
When Bruno is confronted with his own mortality, he chooses to be “frozen down” in cryosleep – a decision that he must reckon with when he wakes up decades later. The newly released Joan Tate translation of Anders Bodelsen’s Danish classic (Frysepunktet in its native language) poses timely philosophical dilemmas about scientific progress, ageing and technology, and remains as relevant as ever.
2.
Called by the Hills: A Home in the Himalaya
Anuradha Roy
Anuradha Roy pens an ode to Ranikhet in the Indian Himalayas, which she has called home for years. Her intimate portrait of the town combines poetic descriptions of landscapes with reflections on climate change, alongside her delicate watercolour illustrations.
3.
Silent Catastrophes
WG Sebald
The German academic tackles his favourite Austrian writers in this posthumous essay collection, which touches on the works of Kafka, Handke and Bernhard, and examines Austria’s history as both a European empire and a quiet Alpine republic.
4.
The North Pole: The History of an Obsession
Erling Kagge
Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge set out across the North Pole in 1990 – a journey that inspired him to write a history of one the world’s most misunderstood regions. Taking in the perspectives of everyone from Herodotus to early-20th-century explorers, this is a tale of adventure, blended with Kagge’s memories of his own expedition.
5.
The Mark
Frída Ísberg, translated by Larissa Kyzer
Icelandic author Frída Ísberg’s debut novel explores the competing demands of safety and freedom. A referendum is about to make a test that supposedly identifies a person’s propensity for antisocial behaviour compulsory for all Icelandic citizens – and four characters must pick a side.
