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11 Essay Collections For When A Novel Feels Too Much

These collections will have you bust out of your reading funk.

by Alice Broster

Updated: Feb. 20, 2024

Originally Published: July 4, 2021

A woman reading with coffee.

Oscar Wong/Getty

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Sitting in the sun with a cold drink and a great book is one of life's greatest joys. Getting lost in the life of someone else can be the perfect way to relax. So, when you hit a reading slump it can be incredibly frustrating. It feels like picking up a book is an impossible chore and as Love Island has started and beer gardens have opened their doors, there are a lot of appealing distractions. So, here are some of the best essay collections to help you beat a summer reading slump. A novel may be too hard to get into but each of these collections is like sitting and having a frank conversation with a friend.

From sharing their love of bookshops and gardens to lifting the lid on what home really means, the essayists listed below have captured the rich tapestry of everyday life through their words. There’s something so comforting about getting lost in someone explaining their lived experiences, some you’ll be able to identify with and others that will open your eyes to something totally new.

You can dip into these essays one at a time or settle down to take the whole book in, in one go.

'In The Garden' by Various Authors

In this collection, 14 writers come together to explain their relationship with outdoor space and the highs and lows of their gardening experiences. In The Garden includes essay from country folk as well as city dwellers, with each explaining in their own unique way what nature means to them.

'In The Kitchen' by Various Authors

If gardening isn’t your thing, this collection from the same publisher may be more your style. All food lovers will know that the kitchen isn’t just a place for cooking and eating. It’s where life happens. Yemisi Aribisala has gathered together and edited a series from writers who bring readers right into the heart of their homes.

'Intimations' by Zadie Smith

With just 96 pages, Zadie Smith has captured her feelings during lockdown in six short essays. It’s likely you’ve lots of great works of art will come out of the pandemic... I don’t know about your, but Smith’s is the first one I want to read.

'Some Body To Love' by Alexandra Heminsley

In November 2017, Alexandra Heminsley’s was told her then-husband was going to transition. In Some Body To Love, Alexandra details what happened next. This raw and honest memoir is about about “losing her husband but gaining a best friend, and together bringing up a baby in a changing world.”

'The Librarian' by Allie Morgan

Libraries are filled with books but they’re also packed with curious readers who are looking for their next great adventure. Allie Morgan reveals what it’s like to be a librarian and to serve an institution that she says saved her. From the eccentric regulars to niche genre enthusiasts, she captures the library community in all its glory.

'The Panic Years' by Nell Frizzell

Have you ever had the thought ‘when I’m X age I will have it all worked out’? If so, then The Panic Years by Nell Frizzell is for you. She charts what it’s actually like growing up and not necessarily getting wiser. She writes about the transition from your mid-twenties to mid-forties and all of the seemingly huge decisions you have to make along the way. From choosing whether and when you’re going to have a kid to career wobbles and friendship woes, she captures it all.

'It's Not About the Burqa' by Mariam Khan

For this collection, Mariam Khan gathered together 17 writers to talk about their experiences as a Muslim woman in 21st century Britain. In It’s Not About The Burqa, you’ll hear about the hijab, faith, love, divorce, feminism, queerness, sex, and “the twin threats of a disapproving community and a racist country.”

'Real Estate' by Deborah Levy

Home means different things to different people. For you, it might be where you were born or grew up. It might be your chosen home. In Deborah Levy’s latest meditation on living, she explores what possessions and property mean and how they can define us.

'The Good Immigrant' by Nikesh Shukla

Zadie Smith, Anita Rani, and Mishal Husain are among some of the creatives, writers, and broadcasters who have come together to take about what it means to be a ‘good’ immigrant in today’s world. From hearing your native language misappropriated and used against you to answering the question “where are you from?”, these essays are honest, heartbreaking, and, at time, hilarious too.

'Books v. Cigarettes' by George Orwell

At the very beginning of Books v Cigarettes, George Orwell reflects on which addiction he spends more money on. This essay collection goes on to talk about the magic of second-hand bookshops and the people who fill them.

This article was originally published on July 4, 2021