“Spring drew on: she was indeed already come; the frosts of winter had ceased; its snows were melted, its cutting winds ameliorated.” from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
By Angeliki Ktoridi
After what felt like months of hiding out in the Rat for Late Night, bundled in layers of North Face or Aritzia puffer jackets, the sun is finally starting to peek through the clouds of Massachusetts. It’s been four weeks since we last saw the beaches of Punta Cana — and other sunny spring break spots — but lately, Boston weather has been surprisingly promising (fingers crossed I’m not jinxing it).
For those days when it’s finally 60 degrees (16C) and you’re sitting on the Quad hub in Cambridge, here are six books you should pick up and give a try. Start prepping which ones to request from the O’Neill library.
One Day by David Nicholls
Set on July 15 over the span of ten years, One Day by David Nicholls tells the story through a series of vignettes following best friends Dexter and Emma. Beginning in 1988, the novel follows this opposites-attract couple in a way that’s both witty and refreshingly real.
Romantic but also heartbreaking, I read it last spring and thought it’d be the perfect choice to kick off this list. It might be a tearjerker, but it definitely pulled me out of a lingering winter book slump. Once you’ve turned the last page, you can treat yourself with the 2011 movie — or my personal favorite, the Netflix series.
The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank
This is one of those books I instantly associate with spring. It feels like renewal, rebirth, and a fresh start.
As we follow Jane Rosenal through the trials and triumphs of her life, we see the progress of her personal and spiritual journey—making it a great read before summer. It reminds me of budding flowers and how our college years are just a sliver of a long and beautiful life.
I learned about this book after reading Julie Schumacher’s heart-wrenching article about her 30 year pen pal friendship with Bank — truly one of the best pieces I’ve ever read. This novel is a perfect college read, offering both a moving story and the kind of advice I’ll hold near and dear for the rest of my life. For more, check out Buzzfeed columnist Bin Adewumni’s piece on how it changed her life.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou was the first poet I ever read, and she remains one of the most impactful to this day. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a powerful testament to resilience and the importance of rising and rebelling, even in the face of hardship.
It captures the spirit of spring and makes for a perfect de-stress read, as we transition into finals season. Looking back, I see Angelou’s work as the beginning of my everlasting passion for reading and writing — and what better way to honor spring than by returning to where it all started?
“But the true nature of the human heart is as whimsical as spring weather,” Maya Angelou writes in The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou.
“All signals may aim toward a fall of rain when suddenly the skies will clear.”
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The novel follows Ifemelu, a Nigerian immigrant navigating her identity as a black woman in the United States for the first time. As she reflects on her experiences abroad, she begins to reconnect with Obinze, a past love back in Nigeria, and the story beautifully weaves together themes of home, identity and belonging.
I read this book last year after discovering Adichie in my Contemporary Women Writers class, and she quickly became my literary idol. Her TED Talk is just one example of how powerfully and eloquently she speaks about identity, feminism and storytelling. If you enjoy historical fiction, her episode on Dua Lipa’s Service95 podcast, where they focus on Half of a Yellow Sun, is definitely worth checking out.
Just Kids by Patti Smith
If you’re in a literary funk, I definitely recommend Just Kids by Patti Smith.
As much as I hate to use the term “book-tok,” I must say that it has gotten people to pick up reading as a hobby again, and this is one of the more popular books I am so glad has gotten coverage.
Taking a trip to New York, Smith writes about her days living in the Chelsea Hotel with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in the ’70s amid the rock-and-roll scene.
The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
Sixth on the list is the novel by Isabel Allende that made me fall in love with magical realism. It tells the story of three generations of the Trueba family, whose women possess magic powers and whose patriarch holds a high government status. A blend of life, love and politics, it is a landmark work for Latin American literature.
It fits beautifully with the themes of springtime and resilience, and its magical elements make it the ideal companion for an afternoon spent lying on the grass after class.
Springtime symbolises rebirth, but it is also a season of transition, especially for us BC students, as we move through our college careers. This list offers a variety of genres while still sticking to the theme of spring — growth, change and renewal. Whether you’re caught in April showers or soaking up the warmer weather, starting a new book is always a great idea.
This article first appeared in The Heights.
Angeliki Ktoridi is an International Studies candidate at the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College and a Financial Mirror contributor
