It’s always hard to leave behind a long holiday weekend. I was away this holiday weekend. I was less than two hours from home, but it felt like a continent away. Big shady trees. Skies full of stars. Extended cocktail hours.
There’s something so essential about being away.
Being away means that I get to live in a different kitchen, leisurely eat big ol’ pineapples, sit out on different porches, sip from different glasses, and read different books. Being surrounded by different things is good on the heart and steady on the brian.
Because it’s summer, because it’s the season of being away, because we just need to warm-weather words… I took to Twitter and asked you for great summer-read recommendations.
Your recommendations were so excellent and enthusiastic I thought we should share this list with all of you. Keep in mind that I haven’t read all of these books, but you have and you think they’re great! Check them out (literally… from the library). Click around. See if anything strikes you. These are the days and it’s such a blessing to live them.
What You’re Reading: Summer 2013
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls David Sedaris (always and forever.)
Love In The Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Diviners Libba Bray
I Was Told There’d Be Cake Sloane Crosley
Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
(there is waaaaaay more list after the click)
In the House upon the Dirt Between the Cabin and the Woods Matt Bell
Game of Thrones #nerdalert #allduerespect
In the Land of the Blue Burqas Kate McCord
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened Jenny Lawson (For the title alone, right!?)
Wild Cheryl Strayed
The Gread Gatsby F.Scott Fitzgerald
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald Therese Anne Fowler (yes…!)
Tell The Wolves I’m Home Carol Rifka Brunt (I’m starting with this book!)
The Secret Keeper Kate Morton
Gone With The Wind Margaret Mitchell (I read this book every summer as a teenager during the darkest of my curly-bang-days.)
The Tiger’s Wife Tea Obreht
Where’d You Go Bernadette Maria Semple (I’m looking forward to this one!)
Daring Greatly Brene Brown (Shutterbean is reading this book and gives it a thumbs-up!)
The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman
The Engagements J. Courtney Sullivan
Rez Life David Treuer
The Perfume Collector Kathleen Tessaro
Sea and Sardinia DH Lawrence
Travels with Charley John Steinbeck But really… East of Eden will change you.
The End of You Life Book Club Will Schwalbe
Brooklyn Girls Gemma Burgess
The Round House Louise Erdrich
State of Wonder Ann Patchett
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend Matthew Dicks
Dear Girls Above Me Charlie McDowell (I must read this.)
The Sparrow Mary Doria Russell (I adore this story. It’s big.)
Age of Miracles Karen Thompson Walker (So So good!!)
Sisterland Curtis Sittenfeld
Will Write For Food Dianne Jacob
Thank you for sharing your summer reads! I appreciate you so much. If you have any books to add to the list, or if you’ve enjoyed any of the above mentioned books, you should totally leave a comment below! Share your thoughts. We’re in this together.
Sini
“When Women Were Birds” by Terry Tempest Williams. This is what literature should be. My book of the year so far.
Denise McCaig
I really enjoyed the Secret Keeper, it was one of my by the pool reads while I was away on holiday this Summer.
Anna
I Was Told There’d Be Cake got me hooked on Sloane Crosley. She’s a fantastic, hilarious storyteller. Enjoy!
Emmy
I discovered “Age of Miracles” on your blog and just read it – so good!
Heather
I loved Tell the Wolves I’m Home. I hope you like it! I also recommend The Fault of Our Stars.; it’s one of those books where you just enjoy spending time with the characters. I didn’t want it to end.
Thanks for always making me hungry! :)
Suheiry
I just finished Dad Is Fat by comedian Jim Gaffigan. It was sweet and hysterical. Read like a memoir on fatherhood. Next I’m going to reread Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. After that there are 3 more books on my Summer reading list (posted on my blog).
Thanks for your list! More books to check out…
Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes
I’ve been pretty awful when it comes to reading this summer…maybe I need a little getaway to get me motivated! I’m definitely adding some of these to my “to read” list!
Sarah
Lets Pretend This Never Happened is probably the worst/best offender I’ve ever read for making one laugh enbarassingly loudly in public; highly recomended (and her blog too, so amazingly random).
I’m reading a giant H.P. Lovecraft anthology, haha, because the gloomy morbid nature fits my heat-loathing summertime mood. Please can I just make it through one day without getting grossly sweaty?
Amy
Love Brene Brown! Currently reading Gifts of Imperfection by her. Incredibly challenging and life-changing.
Rachel (De Ma Cuisine)
I’m always looking for a good book to read. Thanks for sharing this!
Amy W
I LOVE that Game of Thrones was included on here. A Song of Ice and Fire (the series title, Game of Thrones is merely the first book) is one of the best series I have ever read. Definitely on par with LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter. You really have to be willing to devote quite a bit of time because of the sheer length but they are absolutely worth it. If you love food, you’ll be happy to know that George RR Martin spends a ridiculous amount of time describing what the characters eat but it really adds to the overall experience. #nerdalert