Eight brilliant books to read this spring

Forget about it bags and the latest fashion trends; sophisticated, smart women know the best way to make a statement today and to show the world who you really are is best achieved with the help of a humble paperback. Knowledge is the new luxury, and books are the ultimate status symbol. From TikTok’s viral Book-in-Pocket Challenge in a nod to Jacob Elordi to the rise of the celebrity book clubs, let’s face it, whether Dua Lipa’s Service95, Dakota Johnson’s TeaTime Book Club, Kaia Gerber’s LibraryScience, or Natalie’s Book Club by the one and only Natalie Portman, you’ve probably joined at least one of them, if not right away all four. From Joan Didion’s newly released therapy journal and Pedro Almodóvar’s debut story collection to a Sylvia Plath-rivaling novel by Elaine Kraf and the collected poems of Hannah Arendt, we’ve hand-selected eight wonderful books to add to your spring reading list.

Released on April 22nd, 2025, this unique, thought-provoking (let’s face it, it’s Didion; what else can we expect?) piece of non-fiction is comprised of the author’s therapy notes and journal entries. Created in December 1999 for her husband, fellow writer John Gregory Dunne, Didion’s razor-sharp mind detailed conversations she had with her therapist centering around themes like guilt, depression, alcoholism, childhood angst, and the critical mother-daughter relationship.

Small yet mighty, as intensely emotional as it is intimate, this beautiful novel was first published in 1978, before Edmund White’s widely acclaimed autobiographical trilogy. Filled with reflection, sensuality, longing, and regret, the plot evokes the narrator’s affair with a respected expatriate that is known by all as the King of Naples. Detailing the men that came before and the ones that followed, his mind and soul are haunted to this day by their erotic encounters.

Lensed during her lifetime by none other than iconic photographer Nobuyoshi Araki, Izumi Suzuki is known in her native Japan for her science fiction stories and pop culture essays. Set My Heart on Fire is the author’s first novel that was published in English. Told through a series of vignettes, in it, she depicts the underground bar and club scene of 1970s Tokyo and conveys the story of a young woman’s mishaps, great sounds, terrible men, and powerful drugs.

Elaine Kraf’s stunning feminist piece rose over the years to cult classic status. Provocative and thought-provoking, it details the story of Ellen, a young artist living alone on New York’s Upper West Side in the 1970s. Occasionally she descends into episodes, which she describes as ‘radiances,’ during which she transforms into Princess Esmeralda. Stigmatized by others (mostly men), she finds freedom in them. Innovative and witty, Kraf beautifully tackles themes of female liberation and mental health struggles.

Masterful storyteller and internationally acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar has been asked repeatedly by fans and movie buffs alike to write an autobiography in order to give us an exclusive glimpse into his creative mind. As the genius visionary behind The Room Next Door and The Human Voice, it is easy to see why. Hearing our calls, he hand-selected twelve unpublished stories from his personal writings into a collection of short stories that were dreamed up by him between the late sixties and the present day.

This list would be remiss without adding at least one poetry book to it. This beautiful gem by the intensely private German historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt was written between 1923 and 1961. Published for the first time in English, her complete poetic oeuvre had remained hidden in the archives of the Library of Congress until 2011. Chronicling a wide variety of differing subjects, this dual-language edition is the closest readers will ever come to an autobiography.

Prolific writer, avid reader, rival of Joan Didion, and ride-or-die party girl Eve Babitz is an all-round literary icon, which is only further enhanced by her first book. Detailing anything and anyone from haute bohemians to rock stars, the stellar work of non-fiction is the author’s love letter to Southern California. LA through and through and set between Sunset and Chateau Marmont, the biographical short story collection is a must-read for sure!

The City and Its Uncertain Walls is the Japanese bestselling author’s first novel that was published in over six years. Famed for his magical realism, Haruki Murakami penned it at his home during the height of the pandemic. A love story that centers around a nameless young couple separated a long time ago. Now middle aged he embarks on a quest to retrieve what was lost, finding himself as the head librarian in a mysterious mountain town along the way.