Well-Read: Isabella Rigg

“Reading a book? Instant sex appeal.”

It’s Well-Read time again, and this week I had the pleasure of asking Substacker Isabella Rigg for her list of must-read texts. I found Isabella’s newsletter, That’s Niche, some time ago and immediately became obsessed with the topics her interviewees write about, or as she puts it, “your weekly dispatch of specialty subjects from unverified experts.”

Here, she touches on the ‘not hot’ act of e-reading and hand-picks a handful of texts for you to bookmark next.

Tell me a little about yourself and what you like to read

Hi, I’m Isabella, an Australian copywriter living in Amsterdam. I love swimming, bloody marys, niche obsessions and bragging about my friends.

Unfortunately, I also love my Kindle* (*Kobo). Reading a book? Instant sex appeal. Reading a Kindle? There’s nothing sexy about it. 

Whether you’re performatively reading in public (hot) or crouched over an e-reader (not hot) here are five books that I return to time and time again.

What are your must-read books?

Conversations On Love by Natasha Lunn

Natasha writes beautifully about love in all its different forms. Featuring stories from people like Dolly Alderton, Esther Perel, and Alain de Botton, she links each essay with her own personal stories. It’s a beautiful reminder to be gentle with yourself and to love deeply. 

Sunbathing by Isobel Beech 

Full of sun-drenched nostalgia, grief, love, and the monotony of moving on, Sunbathing gets under your skin. Set between Melbourne and Abruzzo, past and present, this semi-autobiographical story explores life after loss.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead is a relentless look at institutional poverty, addiction, classism and the way history seems doomed to repeat itself. That might not make it sound appealing, but it’s an incredible and incredibly heartfelt read. 

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino 

Everything Jia touches turns to gold, and this series of essays is no different. Jia’s essays explore everything from pilates to mega-churches, questioning our obsession with self-improvement. 

The Hazel Green Series by Odo Hirsch 

I read and re-read the Hazel Green series constantly as a kid. I’d almost forgotten about it as an adult, but since moving overseas it’s always on my mind. Whenever I think of home, I think of Hazel. She’s stubborn and adventurous and fiercely loyal, and I can’t wait to dig up my battered copy and live in Hazel’s world for a while. 

‘Sometimes you are really terrible, Hazel Green. Good, thought Hazel. Everyone should be terrible sometimes.' 

Enjoy!