Summer is the perfect time to let yourself be swept away by a great book — even on the hottest days. This time we’ve chosen three titles bound together by the intensity of their emotions – from subtle reflections on human connection, through a witty, playful look at gender, to a story that hides philosophical depth.
Han Kang takes us on an intimate journey. Virginia Woolf leads us across centuries and identities. And Muriel Barbery proves that life can be unpredictable even when we think we’ve planned it down to the smallest detail.
This series is not sponsored. The only criterion for awarding the unofficial Books Factory seal of quality is the purely subjective value of the books themselves
Virginia Woolf, Orlando: A Biography
One of the most dazzling works of twentieth-century literature — and, according to Harold Bloom, one of the most important books in the Western canon.
Orlando is born a boy in Elizabethan England, wanders through eras and continents, and halfway through the journey, becomes a woman. This literary odyssey is not just about a gender change, but also about traversing conventions, societal expectations, and the many ways of experiencing the world.
With humour and irony, Woolf experiments with the form of biography, creating a fictional life story full of literary, artistic, and historical allusions. It’s a novel that entertains, provokes, and inspires reflection on who we are. In it, the transformation of gender becomes a psychological, civilisational, and cultural experience.
Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Renée, the concierge of a Parisian apartment building, hides her erudition and sensitivity from the residents, while Paloma, a twelve-year-old living in a luxury flat, is quietly planning… to end her life. They are divided by age, social position, and experience, but united by their sharp minds, love of literature and art, and a shared scepticism toward the world around them.
When a mysterious Japanese man enters their lives, both women begin to realise that there are reasons to give the world another chance. This is a novel about how small encounters can change an entire life – and how beauty can be found where no one expects it.
Han Kang, Greek Lessons
The story of two people who meet in the shadow of personal tragedies. She was silent for months. He is coming to terms with the loss of his sight. Their relationship unfolds slowly, in quietness and half-light, until it becomes a bridge between two solitary worlds.
Han Kang crafts subtle, sensory prose in which every word is in its place. This is a story about moving from darkness to light, from being closed off to opening once more to another human being. A book that lingers in the mind thanks to its extraordinary atmosphere and deep tenderness toward human experience.
The season for emotions isn’t over
Three books, three different perspectives on the human condition – from intimate conversations about the unspoken, through a journey across centuries and identities, to a reminder that life can be beautiful. Each is perfect for a summer getaway or a quiet evening at home, because the best literary emotions know no season.