One of the things I’ve noticed about the new self-publishing phenomenon, and also about traditionally published books fighting for their corner in the ever expanding book market, is that many of them seem to be shouting.

The covers are shouting, the tag-lines are shouting, and the titles are shouting.

This is only natural I suppose, in a world where there is so much competition.  But I do not want all my reading to be ‘sensational’, or ‘gripping’ or ‘devastating’. Every good diet needs variety, and with Christmas approaching and my fire lit in my cosy front room, I want something which I can savour  and take my time over. I do not want to be rushed from cliff-hanger to cliff-hanger.

One of the things that books do best is explore emotions and relationships from the inside – psychologists have recently come to believe that reading expands emotional intelligence.

So it was with some relief that I picked up ‘The Birds, The Bees and other Secrets’ by Frances Garrood, because this is exactly what this book does. This is what I would describe as a ‘quiet book’ in the the best possible way. It follows one person’s journey from childhood and her relationship with her mother up until the end of her mother’s life. The mother is eccentric with a bohemian lifestyle and this has an indelible effect on young Cass. What I loved about this book was that it was totally engrossing. I actually felt like I had lived through the sixties and seventies with Cass and her family by the end of the book. Cass’s coming of age is beautifully described, along with her particular problems, all caused by one of the stream of lodgers that her mother takes in.

Character is the glue that holds this novel together, along with sensitive writing. The specificity of the characters’ reactions to the events in the book made me feel like I knew them. This is the sort of good quality fiction that can get lost in amongst all the other books with big blocky type on the covers and sensationalist plots. Genuinely moving, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

Another gem of a read, also what I would call a ‘quiet book’ is ‘The Idea of Perfection’ by Kate Grenville.

Two unlikely characters meet and find love in this endearing and astute exploration of male and female behaviour. The book is about saving a bridge which is in danger of collapse, and also about how human beings can build bridges between one another. Harley Savage, a tall, unfashionable woman, wants to establish a heritage museum and conserve the bridge which is falling down. Douglas Cheeseman, a socially inept engineer, has been sent to demolish it.

The bridge is a brilliant symbol and is used in all kinds of sublte ways through the book. The title makes the reader consider what we might value, and what is worth conserving. This view of what might constitute culture is thought-provoking. Kate Grenville is a winner of the Orange Prize, and this novel is a brilliant piece of quality fiction.

Both of these books are literary but accessible with wonderful characters, so if you like a quieter pace, and to really get to know people in your books, look no further.

What are your favourite ‘quiet’ reads?