What we’re reading: writers and readers on the books they enjoyed in October

<p>Writers and Guardian readers discuss the titles they have read over the last month. Join the conversation in the comments</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.guardianbookshop.com/erik-satie-three-piece-suite-9781804271537/?utm_source=editoriallink&amp;utm_medium=merch&amp;utm_campaign=article">Erik Satie Three Piece Suite</a> </strong>by Ian Penman is a daring and endlessly inventive portrait of the iconoclastic composer. Penman’s skill lies in his total disregard for tired cliches and tropes of music criticism, while perfectly combining the highbrow and the lowbrow – a digression on Les Dawson shows why he might just be our greatest writer on music.</p><p>Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite is published by Atlantic (£18.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at<a href="https://ablink.editorial.theguardian.com/ss/c/u001.SuMpm1IH9cIVBKyOtJ6VPU4u4pVlpiwFojgSUvlRSmAq3GGPIPabJEOj-wZFYAXcYEypZUayBlMUzY0C1t2hXv6ayDyM1GsnLEWSOtM3nG6f9zyR_bsgHNTFAniHkyytsmRoUO5i02Eee_-4lqFHesO37VkI7ov0tWEu2r5hlpI7i5EFJ7uflUFqcO9F7xkSdYq_OEnNL-yZIXZ6QeJNy4xgvW-GFg57tN7VldOlrJLcRm0Mz7q5HzqtdxvrOC0iX7IxQubMMybl8oGKFW4LHDttUiBq2AfHaxZb_eMtBfzhziH3wHi-0jrTEgDF-67J53Iksw5foS_N7a1hKjs4YQ/4kh/d4Gtsgg7R16GKW6BD-Y22g/h68/h001.Y885LFML5HGKuVfpI_AkbMGLEqTtU8jrAEtfw7-F0CU"> guardianbookshop.com</a>. Delivery charges may apply.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/31/what-were-reading-writers-and-readers-on-the-books-they-enjoyed-in-october">Continue reading...</a>