Favourite Island Books

April's book list ties in with our book of the month, Spirit of Jura, as we've chosen a few of our favourite books about (or in some way linked to) islands.

One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night by Christopher Brookmyre
This is not your typical island book: the island in question is a luxury hotel, a “floating holiday experience” on a converted oil rig. The owner, Gavin Hutchinson, sees it as the perfect business venture and the ideal location to hold his fifteen year high school reunion with a bunch of people who can’t remember who he is. Throw in a bunch of would-be hijackers, lots of guns, explosives and you’ve got yourself a party! This book is a Christopher Brookmyre classic full of his hallmark fast-paced action and great Scottish humour. From the moment a severed arm knocks a retired policeman unconscious you know this is no ordinary thriller. (Jo Burnside)

A History of Modern Britain by Andrew Marr
Ok, so I cheated a little and listened to this as an audiobook rather than reading it but Andrew Marr’s detailed look at Britain - our politics, the economy and the social changes since the end of the Second World War - was a wonderful accompaniment to several long, yet beautiful, drives. The book is rich and thorough in detail and brought several events to my attention that I knew nothing of. And due to Marr’s turn of phrase, casual quips and impartiality it does not drag or weigh the reader/listener down like so many historical novels can do; rather it brings the history, the characters and the events to life. I’m also told that it is a fantastic read! (Chris Newton)

The Wooden Mile (Something Wickedly Weird Series) by Chris Mould
I have recently re-discovered my love for illustrated novels. Now, I realise that this one is aimed at 6-10 year olds, but the combination of words and pictures still captures my imagination.
Stanley Buggles spends his summer holidays on Crompton Rock, an island on which he has just inherited a house from his recently deceased uncle. The thing is, Stanley did not really know his uncle, and spends his days finding out about him, as well as the other strange goings-on on 'the Rock'. And strange they are! Why are all the dogs three-legged? Could there really be a werewolf on the loose? And what do the pirates want with Stanley? Well, you have to read it to find out! (Jasmine Fassl)

Listen to our interview with Chris Mould
See pictures of Chris Mould on tour

Utopia by Thomas More
Thomas More’s description of the fictional island of Utopia was apparently so convincing that some people thought it was a travel book. Provided you read a recent translation (it was originally written in Latin) Utopia is actually surprisingly accessible for a 16th Century novel. It is also still relevant, as it would appear that when it comes to politics and economics, we really haven’t moved on all that much in the last 500 years. And yet there is still plenty left to think about, particularly since no-one really knows whether More intended Utopia to be a perfect society or whether it was all an elaborate joke. In fact arguably the most intriguing thing about Utopia is that, despite the fact it defined the genre, it might not be ‘Utopian’ at all. Get your head round that if you can.(Caitrin Armstrong)