Awesome English Book Recommendations to Boost Fluency

Hello, and welcome to The English Like a Native Podcast, the listening

您好，欢迎来到“像母语一样的英语播客”，这是

resource for intermediate to advanced-level English learners.

面向中级到高级英语学习者的听力资源。

My name is Anna and today we are talking about World Book Day.

我叫安娜，今天我们谈论世界读书日。

Thursday the 7th of March is World Book Day.

3 月 7 日星期四是世界读书日。

Are you going to celebrate?

你要庆祝吗？

If so, how?

如果是这样，怎么办？

Perhaps every day is a 'book day' for you!

也许对你来说每一天都是“读书日”！

Chance would be a fine thing; it's not easy to find time to get

机会是件好事； 我知道，现在

into a novel these days, I know.

找时间读小说并不容易

Nevertheless, we at ELAN wanted to take the opportunity to recommend some

。 尽管如此，我们义隆还是想借此机会推荐一些

books that we think are well worth the effort of finding the time to read

我们认为非常值得

every day, or every other day at least.

每天或至少每隔一天抽出时间阅读的书​​籍。

Our first book, "A Week in December" by Sebastian Faulks (2007).

我们的第一本书是 Sebastian Faulks 所著的《十二月的一周》（2007 年）。

I think that the best way for me to introduce this book is by

我认为介绍这本书的最好方式是

mentioning something that the author said in a magazine interview.

提到作者在杂志采访中所说的一些话。

He said that one day he had found his teenage son watching a

他说，有一天，他发现他十几岁的儿子一边

football match on TV while playing fantasy football on his laptop.

在电视上观看足球比赛，一边在笔记本电脑上玩梦幻足球。

Fantasy football is a game where participants create their own imaginary

梦幻足球是一款参与者在线创建自己想象中的

teams online; the teams score points according to the performance of

球队的游戏；球队根据

the real players in the real games.

真实球员在真实比赛中的表现来得分。

When Faulks saw that the fantasy game was more important to his son than the real

当福克斯看到奇幻游戏对他的儿子来说比真实

game, he realised that in contemporary life, many of us desire to live our lives

游戏更重要时，他意识到在当代生活中，我们许多人都渴望远离

one step away from traditional reality.

传统现实的生活。

You'll find examples of this throughout the novel: the financial market

你会在整部小说中找到这样的例子：金融市场

manipulator, who has lost all emotional connection with his family; the tube train

操纵者，失去了与家人的所有情感联系；

driver, who escapes into literary novels and parallel life games on the internet;

逃入文学小说和网络平行生活游戏的 地铁 司机；

the son of a successful Asian businessman, who has been radicalised and plans to

一位成功的亚洲商人的儿子，他已经变得激进并计划对

commit a terrorist attack on a hospital.

一家医院进行恐怖袭击。

No less important to the story is an idealistic lawyer, an Eastern European

对于这个故事来说，同样重要的还有一位理想主义的律师、一位

football player getting to grips with a new culture and language, and a failed

正在接触新文化和语言的 东欧足球 运动员，以及一位失败的

novelist turned embittered literary critic who attacks every novel that he reviews,

小说家变成了怨恨的文学评论家，他攻击他评论的每一本小说，

preferring to champion 19th-century works.

更喜欢支持 19 世纪的作品。

These figures are all interconnected in this compelling exploration

在 二十一世纪头十年对伦敦的

of London in the first decade of the twenty-first century.

这场引人注目的探索中，这些人物都是相互关联的

The characters seem so vivid that, although I first read the

。 书中的人物栩栩如生，尽管我第一次读这

book more than ten years ago, I still see them clearly in my mind.

本书已经是十多年前了，但我仍然清晰地记得在脑海里。

Sebastian Faulks skilfully weaves their stories together with a convincing

塞巴斯蒂安·福克斯巧妙地将他们的故事与令人信服的叙述和令人难忘的观察编织在一起

narrative and memorable observations.

。

You can see the book as being a reflection on the challenges and contradictions

你可以把这本书看作是对

of the contemporary world, or just as an engrossing series of windows

当代世界的挑战和矛盾的反思，或者只是一系列引人入胜的窗口，让你

into the very different lives that people not so far away from us lead.

了解离我们不远的人们过着截然不同的生活。

As you can guess, the story takes place during the seven days before Christmas.

正如你猜到的，故事发生在圣诞节前的七天内。

The wife of a conservative MP is organising a dinner party which she hopes

一位保守派议员的妻子正在组织一场晚宴，她希望这

will help him to further his career.

能帮助他进一步发展事业。

The characters that we follow during the week have either been invited to

我们在本周关注的人物要么被邀请参加

the dinner party, or have an important connection with those that go.

晚宴，要么与参加晚宴的人有重要的联系。

Finally, some of them come together and we can listen in on the dinner

最后，他们中的一些人聚在一起，我们可以偷听晚宴上的

party conversations and see how they get along, or not, together.

谈话，看看他们相处得怎么样，相处得怎么样。

I think that if you've ever looked at a group of people at an airport

我认为，如果你曾经在机场 或活动中的观众中

or in an audience at an event and wondered about their lives, their

观察过一群人 ，并想知道他们的生活，他们的

real lives, you will enjoy this novel.

真实生活，你就会喜欢这本小说。

A measure of how strongly I recommend this book is that now, having told you

我强烈推荐这本书的一个衡量标准是，现在，在告诉你

a little bit about what I remember, I want to go back and read it to find all

一些我记得的事情之后，我想回去阅读它，找到

the good bits that I have forgotten!

我已经忘记的所有好东西！

Read it with curiosity and I'm sure it will reward you.

带着好奇心阅读它，我相信它会给你带来回报。

Book number two, "A Spot of Bother" by Mark Haddon" (2006).

第二本书，《A Spot of Bother》，马克·哈登 (Mark Haddon) 着，2006 年。

In Britain, if you say you are in a spot of bother, then you are

在英国，如果你说你处于一个麻烦的境地，那么你

really understating the fact that you have a considerable problem.

实际上低估了你遇到了一个相当大的问题这一事实。

You might be aware that we Brits like to downplay serious or significant

你可能知道我们英国人喜欢淡化严肃或重要的

things; when looking out of the window in the morning to see the garden

事情；当早上向窗外望去，看到花园

flooded, we might say something like,

被洪水淹没时，我们可能会说，

"I think it rained last night."

“我想昨晚下雨了。”

Or perhaps you've seen the sketch in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail

或者你可能已经看过电影《巨蟒与圣杯》

where the white knight cuts off the black knight's arm with his sword; the black

中，白骑士用剑砍断了黑骑士的手臂；黑

knight keeps fighting until both his arms and legs have been cut off, saying,

骑士继续战斗，直到他的胳膊和腿都被砍掉，他说：

"It's just a scratch, a flesh wound!"

“只是擦伤，皮外伤而已！”

In the novel, A Spot of Bother, retired civil servant George Hall

在小说《麻烦事》中，退休公务员乔治·霍尔

is certain that a lesion on his thigh is a form of skin cancer.

确信他大腿上的病变是皮肤癌的一种。

Rather than accept the diagnosis of eczema from his doctor, George becomes paranoid.

乔治没有接受医生的湿疹诊断，而是变得偏执。

He is heavily preoccupied and attempts to cut out the

他全神贯注，试图

lesion with a pair of scissors.

用剪刀剪掉病变部位。

Perhaps the lesion is the central 'spot' of bother, but in this case, instead of

也许病变是麻烦的中心“点”，但在这种情况下，

underplaying the significance of something serious, in George's mind, a simple

在乔治看来，一个简单的皮肤状况并没有低估某些严重事件的重要性，而是

skin condition is transformed into a life-threatening and life-changing event.

转变为危及生命和改变生活的事件。

For some reason, it's not something that he is able to talk about with

出于某种原因，他无法与

his wife or grown-up children.

妻子或成年子女谈论这件事。

I'll quote a paragraph from the book to give you a flavour of the style of

我将引用书中的一段话，让您了解一下

the writing and George's state of mind.

写作风格和乔治的心态。

Talking was, in George's opinion, overrated.

在乔治看来，谈话被高估了。

You could not turn the television on these days without seeing someone

如今，你一打开电视，就会看到有人

discussing their adoption or explaining why they had stabbed their husband.

讨论他们的收养或解释他们为什么刺伤自己的丈夫。

Not that he was averse to talking.

并不是说他不喜欢说话。

Talking was one of life's pleasures.

聊天是生活的乐趣之一。

And everyone needed to sound off, now and then, over a pint of 'red ale'

每个人都需要时不时地喝上一品脱“红麦芽啤酒”，

about colleagues who did not shower frequently enough, or teenage sons who

抱怨那些不经常洗澡的同事，或者十几岁的儿子

had returned home drunk in the small hours and thrown up in the dog's basket.

在凌晨喝醉回家并吐在狗的篮子里。

But it did not change anything.

但这并没有改变任何事情。

While George is going through his private agonies, the rest of his family and

当乔治正在经历他个人的痛苦时，他的家人和

those connected with them are just trying to get on with their lives, lurching

与他们有联系的人只是试图继续他们的生活，

from crisis to crisis as they do so.

同时也从一个危机到另一个危机。

One critic wrote that when reading this book you don't

一位评论家写道，读这本书时你不

know whether to laugh or cry.

知道是笑还是哭。

The observations are very close to the bone at times, full of humour

观察有时非常接近骨头，充满幽默

but also tremendous compassion.

，但也充满极大的同情心。

You get the internal thoughts of each character as they try to make

当每个角色试图理解

sense of what one another is doing.

彼此在做什么时，你会了解他们的内心想法。

They think, and they make what they believe to be the best,

他们思考，他们做出他们认为最好的东西，

and we get to laugh and frown with them at the consequences.

我们可以和他们一起对后果感到欢笑和皱眉。

"A Spot of Bother" is a poignant and bittersweet tale.

《一处烦恼》是一个辛酸又苦乐参半的故事。

Some of the behaviour of the characters might frustrate you,

角色的某些行为可能会让您感到沮丧，

or you might wonder why they are behaving the way that they do.

或者您可能想知道为什么他们会这样做。

I think that this is a sign of the way that Haddon makes us care about

我认为这是哈登让我们关心他们的一个标志

them; they seem relatable, either in the form that we find them in the

。它们看起来很相关，要么是我们在书中找到的形式

book, or by reminding us of people that we know who have similar traits.

，要么是通过提醒我们认识的具有相似特征的人。

I instantly had the feeling that the characters could easily be

我立刻就有一种感觉，这些角色很可能是

my neighbours, people from my workplace, or even my friends.

我的邻居、工作场所的人，甚至是我的朋友。

In addition, I would say that if you're interested in how British people

此外，我想说，如果您对英国人如何

really speak to one another then this book comes highly recommended to you.

真正相互交谈感兴趣，那么强烈推荐您阅读这本书。

I enjoyed reading it just as much as I would enjoy going on holiday.

我喜欢阅读它，就像我喜欢去度假一样。

Book number three, "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom (1997).

第三本书，米奇·阿尔博姆（Mitch Albom）的《星期二与莫里》（1997）。

This book tells us the story of the transformative and heartwarming real-life

这本书向我们讲述了 作者与前大学社会学教授莫里·施瓦茨重聚时所经历的

journey that the author takes through his reunion with a former college

变革性的、感人肺腑的现实生活旅程

sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz.

。

The story begins when Mitch, the author himself, stumbles upon a television

故事开始于作者本人米奇偶然发现的一次电视

interview that reveals Morrie's battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

采访，揭露了莫里与肌萎缩侧索硬化症 (ALS) 的斗争。

Also known as motor neuron disease, a terminal illness which Stephen Hawking

也称为运动神经元疾病，史蒂芬·霍金

suffered from for most of his life.

一生中的大部分时间都患有这种绝症。

Filled with remorse for losing touch with his mentor, Mitch

米奇对与导师失去联系感到悔恨不已，他

attempts to reconnect with Morrie.

试图与莫里重新取得联系。

The narrative beautifully retells the conversations that they have

叙述精美地重述了他们

during their Tuesday meetings.

在周二会议期间

Through their dialogue, Morrie's philosophy on living a meaningful and

的对话 。 通过他们的对话，莫里关于过有意义和

fulfilling life unfolds, and Mitch finds himself not only absorbing

充实的生活的哲学得以展现，而米奇发现自己不仅吸收了

these insights but also undergoing a profound personal transformation.

这些见解，而且还经历了深刻的个人转变。

One of the central themes explored in the book is the impact that

本书探讨的中心主题之一是

societal expectations and the pursuit of material success have on us.

社会期望和对物质成功的追求对我们的影响。

Morrie challenges Mitch to question conventional notions of success

莫里挑战米奇，质疑成功

and happiness, advocating for a life filled with meaningful

和幸福的传统观念，倡导充满有意义的

connections, love, and self-awareness.

联系、爱和自我意识的生活。

The narrative also expresses the concept of death as being a natural part of life.

叙述还表达了死亡是生命的自然组成部分的概念。

Morrie's acceptance of his impending mortality becomes a source of inspiration

莫里接受自己即将到来的死亡成为灵感的源泉

for Mitch, prompting him to confront his own fears and reevaluate his priorities.

对于米奇来说，这促使他面对自己的恐惧并重新评估他的优先事项。

Albom's writings not only captures the intellectual richness of Morrie's

阿尔博姆的著作不仅捕捉了莫里教义中丰富的知识

teachings but also paints a vivid picture of the evolving relationship

，而且生动地描绘了

between the two characters.

两个人物之间不断发展的关系。

The emotional depth of their connection, coupled with Morrie's wit and humour in

他们之间深厚的情感联系，加上莫里在

the face of adversity, adds layers of authenticity and warmth to the narrative.

逆境中的机智和幽默，为故事增添了几层真实性和温暖。

Mitch Albom's journey with Morrie serves as a reminder to us that we should

米奇·阿尔博姆与莫里的旅程提醒我们，我们应该

cherish meaningful connections, embrace life's uncertainties, and prioritise the

珍惜有意义的联系，拥抱生活的不确定性，并优先考虑

things that truly make life worthwhile.

真正让生活有价值的事情。

The Tuesday meetings become a ritual and a commitment between the two providing

周二的会议成为两人之间的一种仪式和承诺，

a structured framework for them to share and discuss various aspects of life.

为他们分享和讨论生活的各个方面提供了一个结构化的框架。

These regular encounters allow Mitch Albom to not only absorb the invaluable

这些定期的会面使米奇·阿尔博姆不仅能够吸收

insights Morrie imparts about love, life, work, and the human experience but also to

莫里传授的关于爱情、生活、工作和人类经历的宝贵见解，而且还能

offer support to Morrie in his final days.

在莫里最后的日子里为他提供支持。

By sharing the conversations with us in this book, Albom preserves and passes

通过在本书中与我们分享对话，阿尔博姆保留了

on the wisdom and encouragement of his former mentor to a much greater audience

他前导师的智慧和鼓励，并将其传递给

than would otherwise have been possible.

比其他方式更多的读者。

In the shadow of mortality, this book shines with spirit.

在死亡的阴影下，这本书闪耀着精神的光芒。

Book number four, "The Thursday Murder Club", by Richard Osman (2020).

第四本书《星期四谋杀俱乐部》，理查德·奥斯曼 (Richard Osman)（2020 年）。

Another book with a day of the week in the title and another book rich in characters

另一本书的标题是一周中的某一天，也是另一本充满人物

and authentic everyday language.

和真实日常语言的书。

This time though, we have a murder to investigate.

但这一次，我们要调查一起谋杀案。

Or rather, the elderly residents of the fictional Cooper's

或者更确切地说，虚构的库珀蔡斯退休村的老年居民

Chase Retirement Village do.

确实如此。

Joyce is new to the retirement village and she is quickly charmed by the energy

乔伊斯是退休村的新人，她很快就被居民的活力

and life of residents such as Elizabeth, a former intelligence agent; Ibrahim, a

和生活所吸引，例如前情报特工伊丽莎白；易卜拉欣是一名

former psychiatrist, and Ron, a former union leader with a chequered past.

前精神病学家，罗恩是一名前工会领袖，有着曲折的过去。

To quote Joyce, Cooper's chase is full of "people who have done

引用乔伊斯的话说，库珀的追逐充满了“一生中做过

something or other with their lives.

某事或其他事的人。

There's someone who helped design the Channel Tunnel, someone who has a disease

有人帮助设计了英吉利海峡隧道，有人患有

named after them, and someone who was the ambassador to Paraguay and Uruguay."

以他们的名字命名的疾病，有人曾担任驻巴拉圭和乌拉圭大使。 ”

When they discover a shared interest in solving crimes, Joyce, Elizabeth,

当乔伊斯、伊丽莎白、易卜拉欣和罗恩发现对破案有共同兴趣时，他们

Ibrahim and Ron form the titular "Thursday Murder Club" and discuss

组建了名义上的“星期四谋杀俱乐部”，并讨论

unsolved cases that Elizabeth brings in from her past experiences.

伊丽莎白从过去的经历中带来的未解决案件。 当 他们的社区发生

The peaceful routine takes an unexpected turn when a real

真正的谋杀案时，平静的日常生活发生了意想不到的转变

murder occurs in their community.

。

One of the business partners of Ian Ventham, a very dodgy property developer

伊恩·文瑟姆（Ian Ventham）是一位非常狡猾的房地产开发商，

and the owner of the retirement home, is found dead, and the Thursday

也是养老院的所有者，他的一位商业伙伴被发现死亡，星期四

Murder Club decides to put their investigative skills to the test.

谋杀俱乐部决定考验他们的调查技巧。

They collaborate with the local police to unravel the

他们与当地警方合作，揭开

mysteries surrounding the murder.

谋杀案的谜团。

The further into the case they get, the more the members of the Thursday

案件调查得越深入，周四

Murder Club find themselves caught up in a complex web of secrets,

谋杀俱乐部的成员就越发现自己陷入了一张由秘密、

motives, and unexpected twists.

动机和意想不到的曲折组成的复杂网络中。

Joyce notices that her life has changed when she records in her diary that,

当乔伊斯在日记中记录下

"I have become someone who has to keep their mobile on."

“我已经成为一个必须保持手机畅通的人”时，她注意到她的生活发生了变化。

The novel combines elements of a cosy mystery with humour and wit, offering

这部小说将舒适的神秘元素与幽默和机智结合在一起，

a fresh perspective on crime solving through the eyes of a group of retirees.

通过一群退休人员的视角提供了破案的新鲜视角。

The characters' unique backgrounds and personalities contribute to

人物独特的背景和个性增添了

the charm of the story, and their interactions add depth to the narrative.

故事的魅力，他们的互动也增加了叙事的深度。

The plot is engaging and the action presents the characters as being

情节引人入胜，动作呈现出人物

full of desire for purpose and excitement in the later stages of life.

在人生的后期充满了对目标的渴望和兴奋。

In the spirit of criminal investigations, I have a confession to make!

本着刑事侦查的精神，我要坦白！

I haven't even finished the book yet!

我什至还没有读完这本书！

It's one of those where I don't really need to find out who committed the crime

这是我真正不需要找出谁犯下罪行

or 'whodunnit', as we sometimes say.

或“侦探”（正如我们有时所说的）的案件之一。

I just want to keep spending time with the characters and reading their points

我只是想继续花时间与角色相处，

of view based on their life experiences.

根据他们的生活经历来阅读他们的观点。

That's a really clever thing about having older characters in

书中 有年长的角色是一件非常聪明的事情

the book: they've lived through a lot and have plenty to say!

：他们经历了很多事情并且有很多话要说！

Well, I've recently discovered that there are three sequels to the 2020

嗯，我最近发现 2020 年原作有三部续集

original, so I can go ahead and finish it in the knowledge that it won't be

，所以我可以继续完成它，因为我知道它不会

the end of my time at Cooper's Chase.

我在库珀蔡斯的时光结束了。

Before I go back to the first novel in this shortlist, One Week in

在我回到入围名单中的第一部小说《十二月的一周》

December by Sebastian Fawkes, I'll get back into the Thursday Murder Club.

塞巴斯蒂安福克斯之前，我将回到星期四谋杀俱乐部。

I hope these descriptions have whetted your appetite for World Book Day.

我希望这些描述能够激起您对世界读书日的兴趣。

Whatever you choose to read, don't forget that reading in English is a

无论您选择阅读什么，请不要忘记英语阅读是

great way to improve your language skills and to have a good time.

提高语言技能并享受美好时光的好方法。

Whether you want a murder mystery, a philosophical work, a look at

无论你想要谋杀悬疑小说、哲学著作、了解

contemporary life or just a damn good laugh, there's something for everyone,

当代生活还是只是开怀大笑，每个人、

every day, in the world of books.

每一天，在书籍的世界里都能找到适合自己的内容。

And if you have any suggestions, then feel free to share with us.

如果您有任何建议，请随时与我们分享。

Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.

直到下次，我希望您度过愉快的一天。

Take care and goodbye.

保重，再见。