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What You’re Reading

July 6, 2013 by Joy the Baker 118 Comments

elsewhere

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)

elsewhere

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

elsewhere

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.

 

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Sini

    July 26, 2013 at 1:05 am

    “When Women Were Birds” by Terry Tempest Williams. This is what literature should be. My book of the year so far.

    Reply
  2. Denise McCaig

    July 25, 2013 at 4:38 am

    I really enjoyed the Secret Keeper, it was one of my by the pool reads while I was away on holiday this Summer.

    Reply
  3. Anna

    July 18, 2013 at 12:36 pm

    I Was Told There’d Be Cake got me hooked on Sloane Crosley. She’s a fantastic, hilarious storyteller. Enjoy!

    Reply
  4. Emmy

    July 16, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    I discovered “Age of Miracles” on your blog and just read it – so good!

    Reply
  5. Heather

    July 16, 2013 at 11:45 am

    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! :)

    Reply
  6. Suheiry

    July 15, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    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…

    Reply
  7. Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes

    July 15, 2013 at 10:14 am

    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!

    Reply
  8. Sarah

    July 12, 2013 at 12:41 am

    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?

    Reply
  9. Amy

    July 11, 2013 at 6:00 pm

    Love Brene Brown! Currently reading Gifts of Imperfection by her. Incredibly challenging and life-changing.

    Reply
  10. Rachel (De Ma Cuisine)

    July 11, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    I’m always looking for a good book to read. Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply
  11. Amy W

    July 11, 2013 at 9:38 am

    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

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Friday Favourites | The Vanilla Bean says:
    August 16, 2013 at 1:17 am

    […] #1 Weekends are strictly meant for reading, I think. I’m reading 2 at the moment. Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple is quirky and fast paced and switches between narratives which makes for an interesting read (but also slightly confusing!). I’m also reading I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley. Do you ever read a book and have total writer’s envy? Yea, me too. It’s insightful, funny, honest and beautifully written. As you can tell, I’m totally smitten. I hope to be able to write like that someday. For other cool book recommendations, check Joy The Baker’s curated list here. […]

    Reply
  2. Joy the Baker – That Thing We Do says:
    August 11, 2013 at 10:47 pm

    […] this summer’s you-curated book list, check this out.  For more real-life real-talk on book writing, check out What It’s Really […]

    Reply
  3. Emptying my Pocket, Vol. 4 | every moment's a little bit later. says:
    August 10, 2013 at 3:15 am

    […] Joy isn’t just good at baking, she also cares about books. […]

    Reply
  4. Monday Links to Love | buttons & blossoms says:
    July 15, 2013 at 6:35 am

    […] I always like finding a good summer book list and this is a great one from Joy the […]

    Reply

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