summer reading
This summer, one of my goals is to read more. Like a lot more. On quilts in the backyard. With glasses of pink lemonade and happy straws. And I want to read more books for pleasure along with a few books that fall under my "I'll use this for teaching and other business things" category too.
And then I thought of you and how you might be longing to read some new things too (both for pleasure and for "education") and thought it might be fun to compile a HUGE list of books we'd recommend to others for summer reading.
how to play along
In the comments: Share a book or two that you really recommend. Meaning you loved it! Meaning you would tell your best friend to ger her hands on it right now! Meaning you couldn't put it down and carried it around for days (or didn't move until you finished it).
Then in early June, I'll create a blog post with a big long reference list of recommended summer reading that we can all turn to again and again this summer (even on our phones when we are browsing the library or in the bookstore). Can't wait!
Updated: I'm so excited about all the suggestions already!!!! When you leave a comment, it would be great if you would include the author and maybe even the general genre of you book, so the big list can include those details. For example, teen lit, sci-fi, self-help, poetry, and so on. Thank you!
liz lamoreux
Reader Comments (73)
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Magical. :)
Some recent favorites: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (It's a YA novel, but so, so great) and Just Kids by Patti Smith, which I'm currently falling in love with. Oh! And Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? By Jeanette Winterson, which I read through twice and then gave to all my friends :). I'm sure there are tons more! I love this idea, Liz!! xox
i also loooooove this idea! off the top of my head: Gone girl by Gillian Flynn...could not put it down. Fall on your knees by Anne Marie MacDonald is an old favorite of mine. Reading Wild right now by Cheryl Strayed. I'll think of more as soon as i hit send, i'm sure of it. :D
Mistress of Rome... raw & captivating
I love biographies and historical novels but two books I really loved we're Atlas Shrugged and The Ladies of the Club. I loved them so much I buy them as gifts for my friends. Enjoy your summer.
I absolutely LOVED Wild by Cheryl Strayed and The Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. And The Ladies #1 Detective Agency series is fun and easy reading.
the book is a series called starting with beautiful creatures an dending with beautiful redemption a great book to giv to the fans of twilight who want to try something a little different but not too different for ages 11-15
the book is a series called starting with beautiful creatures an dending with beautiful redemption a great book to giv to the fans of twilight who want to try something a little different but not too different for ages 11-15 also try running with sisscors by agusten burroughs or any of his other memoirs
Another Roadside Attraction. Great book! I also recommend Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss.
Visit and follow my blog (work in progress) my blog for reviews of juvenile and YA literature, which make for great summer reading. Michelle Cooper's The Montmaray Journals and Elizabeth George's The Edge of Nowhere are two fantastic YA reads that aren't reviewed. The first is a historical fiction series about an imaginary island kingdom durring WII, the second is a mystery.
http://booksconstantly.blogspot.com/
Good idea! Anne Lamott's latest, "Help Thanks Wow: The Three Essential Prayers" is more of a long essay than a book - the best thing she's written in years. "This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart" by Susannah Conway is a beautiful book, full of her signature Polaroids and honesty about her grief after the sudden death of her lover. It is mostly tender and uplifting, not depressing or melodramatic. I devoured it and handed it to a newly widowed acquaintance, telling her that I thought it might help when she's ready for it. "Women Food and God" by Geneen Roth: not as religious/spiritual as the title might suggest, and full of wisdom about the head games we play with ourselves over our weight. Roth has been as crazy as the rest of us, and has come out on the other side with wisdom and kindness to share. If you're looking for eye-candy, check out Lark Books' 500 Series. They've published everything from 500 Art Quilts to 500 Teapots to 500 Handmade Books, showcasing spectacular artisan creations, beautifully photographed. I love leafing through these for inspiration! Classics I may reread this summer: Thoreau's "Walden," Wally Lamb's "She's Come Undone," and any Mary Oliver book (what better place to read her than outdoors!).
Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise Hildreth! It's like a mini vacation. If you missed her Savannah from Savannah series... you are infor a treat.
I am old school.
1.) For parents and adults for perspective - The Boy Scout Handbook. Scout or not, seriously, there is some good stuff in this book.
2.) How Little We Knew; Dee Ann Miller [I was not sexually abused, but this is my story too. This book validated what had happened to me.]
-What it is like to be consciously, knowingly, and deliberately subjugated and ignored by presumptuous arrogant, patronizing, condescending, self assured, self serving, self righteous, users, takers, abusers, societal takers, and cowards in legitimate authority who work together to justify criminality for their own cheap sorry self serving behaviors and self administered “grace”. And, YOU wonder why US foreign policy is often criticized in the [op]press[ion]/media complex.
3.) Many Mansions; Gena Cermenera
-Whether phoniness and criminality is in your corpus, or not, this book may give you something to look forward to, or a reason to try and cover all of your karmic bases in the here and now, by doing and not doing, the right and the wrong things, respectfully respectively.
4.) Life After Life; Dr. Raymond Moody
-After you read and digest this book, hopefully, it will be harder for you to use the, “I didn’t consciously, knowingly, and deliberately commit that oversight”, or that, “…it was only an undignified criminal violation of the law”, excuse for inaction.
The Name of the Wind
A Wise Man's Fear
Both by Patrick Rothfuss
Wonderful. Loved The Fault in Our Stars (John Green), The Age of Miracles (Walker), the Son series (Lois Lowry), The Interestings (Wolitzer), Magical Journey (Kenison), All that Is (Salter) ... I could go on!! Can't wait to keep checking these ideas. xo
The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn was great
This is a great idea, but why don't you make a list for teens to? I'm almost 15 and would love to have a good reading list to turn to. I love reading but I have a hard time finding good books.
I saved this to my computer just for this kind of thing - ok, so it all depends upon what you are feeling right now. I have so many suggestions for you. Anything vintage or flappers? Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is good(Adult), ,(YA)Young Adult book series called Pretty Little Things is also about the same era.* **Complete Fantasy(Vamps & magic) and Young Adult :The Mortal Instrument series (City of Bones, City of Ashes etc.) or another series called Infernal Devices by the same author Cassandra Clare.** An adult fantasy series (Vamps & witches) is Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.** ***If you are looking for something like Pride & Prejudice, a recently written book I got for free on my Nook is called A Phantom at Pemberly. **Sarah Addison Allen writes charming and magical books about hospitable Southern towns. *** Looking for something nonfiction (ish)? A good Holocaust book called The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman is a tear jerker. Another good holocaust book is by Jenna Blum "Those Who Save Us”. A great memoir that I absolutely love is called “ The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls**
**”Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn was a suspenseful thriller that had plots twists that could make you want to throw the book across the room..**The Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is so good!(fiction) Another great fiction novel from the YA genre is called “The Fault in our Stars” by John Green. It’s very sad but very moving.***The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is so enchanting, I highly recommend it! It is something entirely different than any book I have ever read. I just recently re-read it because I had to go back to the circus! Happy choosing!
Redeeming Love
Try 'The Last Unicorn' by Peter S. Beagle. It sounds corny but its really a great fantasy read with brilliant themes.
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
The Toa of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
Child of the Morning by Pauline Gedge
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
These are some of my all-time favourite books, spanning many genres, eras and universes but they all have similar themes of love, courage and forgiveness.
The Thirteenth Tale and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Both are wonderful reads!
Loved "The Silver Linings Playbook" - Matthew Quick
My all time favorite is Hannah's Gift by Maria Housden. Memoir that is so so good. Beware though, it is about a little girl with cancer. You WILL need tissues.
Jodi
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. 7 books and after each will have you seeking the next one.
Amazing historical romance that spans generations and delves into time travel. If only Jamie Frazier was real....