I always have ambitious goals for my summer reading and this year is no exception. I create a list and aim to read as many of the titles as possible. I usually fall short. I get sidetracked by other appealing works or find a particular book not engaging (I allow at least 50 pages before I retreat). Or somehow the premise of a novel or nonfiction work no longer resonates with my summer state of mind. And, of course, some summer reading should be just for fun—whether it’s a mystery, a romance, or an adventure tale!
Here’s my baker’s dozen to read before Labor Day. Maybe.
FICTION
Careless Love: A DCI Banks Novel by Peter Robinson
I’ve read many, but not all of Robinson’s suspense novels. This definitely falls into the fun category. It’s #25 out of 28 in the series. Several earlier books were adapted for a very good TV series.
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
Walls is the author of the memoir, The Glass Castle, about her nomadic upbringing.
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
A contemporary take on Little Women
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
One of my all-time favorite writers. I started this in hardback earlier this year, now I will finish it.
This Other Eden by Paul Harding
Historical novel about a community on a Maine island. Harding’s first novel, Tinkers, published in 2009 won a Pulitzer Prize.
The Shooting at Chateau Rock by Martin Walker
Having seen Walker give a serious talk, I’m curious to read one of his Chief Bruno mysteries, this one set in the Dordogne.
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
Journalist, author and former chef, this novel by Kennedy is set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Three by Valerie Perrin
I loved Perrin’s previous novel, Fresh Water for Flowers. This one is also translated from the French.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
A family saga, a Best Book of the Year (NY Times) and a Pulitzer Prize winner.
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
Another mystery by the Maisie Dobbs author, this one with a new character.
NONFICTION
The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen
Memoir about two best friends since childhood.
The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri K. Greenidge
Anti-slavery sister activists in the 19th century.
The Lobster Coast by Colin Woodard
I spend much of the summer in Maine. This is a chance to learn more about its history.
Note: Header image of woman reading is from readersdigest.co.uk
