Joy the Baker

Our Summer Reading List

by 91 Comments

the vacationers the leftovers to rise again
one more thing mr & mrs glasses ny notebook
jason priestley cat dish towel drip mugs
euphoria candle jtb vanilla salt

I bought a Kindle Reader.  I did.  I turned in my iPad and treated myself to a reader.  Why?  Because no one should carry Infinite Jest any farther than one’s reading nook.  It’s pretentious, not to mention you’ll likely injure your back.

See.. Ip;Because no one should carry Infinite Jest any farther than one’s reading nook.  It’s pretentious, not to mention you’ll likely injure your back.
Infinite Jest is currently my ‘foundation book’.  I read a ‘foundation book’ and then keep a lighter alternate book.  I usually call my alternate book my ‘side boo’ which is… well, true.

It’s summer and it’s time to find some new reads!  Last Winter we dove into sad end of the pool with Break Your Heart Winter Reading which seemed perfect for the chilly days.  Nowadays, the shorter my dress the lighter my book needs to be.  I mean… let’s just live a little.

I asked you on Twitter what you’re reading this summer, and your reading list is inspired and enviable.  I took it upon myself to share your genius and claim part of it as my own.  Here’s what we’re reading this summer!!

•  The Vacationers by Emma Straub •  I always love a story that winds through the life of a family.

•  The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta • You know, before the HBO show comes out!

•  To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris • Let’s try to figure out the meaning of life, and maybe laugh about it along the way.

• One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories by BJ Novak • Tell me more, dude from The Office.  Tell me more.

• The Good Luck of Right Now by Matthew Quick • I love it for the title alone.  I love it because it’s by the same author as The Silver Linings Playbook which I didn’t actually read, but I saw the movie and the dance competition scene made me spontaneously fist-pump. Right?  Let’s read this!

• Everything Is Perfect When You’re A Liar by Kelly Oxford • Is this a book about Pinterest?  Might could be.

• Jason Priestley: a memoir by Jason Priestley • Hold uuupppp.  Brandon Walsh wrote a book?  Does he talk about Kelly?  Does he talk about Andrea?  Peach Pit!?  Game over.  I’m all the way in.

• Think Like A Freak by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner •  Clearly, judging by my fascination with Jason Priestly, I’m already thinking like a freak.  This book is more about unconventional analysis than weird 90’s fascinations.

•  The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd • My mom and Oprah told me to read this book.  This needs to happen.

• Euphoria by Lily King • A love triangle in the jungle.  Duh.

• The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt • It’s only won the Pulitzer Prize.  What are we waiting for!?

• It Chooses You by Miranda July • Girl crush status forever and always on Miranda July.  This book is based on the stories behind the Penny Saver, a Los Angeles classified rag.  Bound to be exactly right.

Sooo… don’t be coy!  What are you reading this summer?

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lin

    I just finished Picnic in Provence by Elizabeth Bard. Her first book was Lunch In Paris. She also gives us recipes at the end of each chapter. I loved both of these books.

    Reply

  2. Leah

    I thought the Goldfinch was good, but not the ending. Ugh. Euphoria was excellent! I also recommend Jo Walton’s Among Others, Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder, and Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You.
    I see many comments about spending money on Kindle books. I take advantage of the library, using the app Overdrive. Free rentals on e-books. I rarely spend cash on books, and I am a voracious reader.

    Reply

  3. Emily

    Thanks for the recommendations – I just found the vacationers on the library audiobook site, so that’s something to listen to at work!

    I just finished listening to Orange is the New Black which was nice to read in tandem with watching the show – interesting to see how things changed for the more dramatic show (is it telling that the men characters on the TV show are pretty much exactly as terrible as described them in the book but the women are a lot nicer?) I can also recommend A Tale for the Time Being, the audiobook was read by the author and she did a great job – and it was nice to hear things the way she imagined them as she wrote. It made me want to go visit Japan and BC at the same time.

    Reply

  4. Melissa

    My latest obsession is Eleanor & Park. It’s So. Good. I tell everyone I know about it. Everyone should read it immediately.

    Reply

  6. Long Distance Baking

    I’m trying really hard to read all the books already on my shelf…buying books is a bad habit of mine. I just finished The Casual Vacancy and am now starting This Side of Paradise by Fitzgerald, all over the place!

    Reply

  8. Renee @ Awesome on $20

    If you haven’t read Youth in Revolt by C.D. Payne, I highly recommend it. It’s not a new book, but it’s great summer reading. There’s a lot of snorting laughter involved, so be careful where you read it.

    Reply

  10. Alice

    Animal Madness by Laurel Braitman! Anyone who loves animals will adore this book. It is full of fascinating stories about mental illness in humans and animals. I highly recommend it!

    Reply

  11. Sarah P.

    I’m just started “The Opposite of Loneliness” by Marina Keegan. I saw it recommended in one of my Skimm news emails last week. I’ve read the first essay and it is some fantastic writing!

    Reply

  13. Anja

    I listened to The Goldfinch as an audio book while doing a lot of baking. It was beyond fabulous and I never wanted it to end. The reader was perfect and it is SO well written!
    And I second Americanah! Great read!

    Reply

  14. Melissa King

    I read The Goldfinch and The Good Luck of Right Now last month and loved them!! So excited to add the rest to my list!

    Reply

  17. Rebecca

    I’ve read a bit of Think Like A Freak, the authors were at Hay Festival this year… Loving it so far, soooo original, definitely recommend it!

    Reply

  19. simone

    We have chosen several of the same books for this summer….I cannot bring myself to give up “real” books & so will be carting my books all the way through France, plus smuggling them into my husband’s luggage! Enjoy your reads :)

    Reply

  20. cococakeland

    priestley!! a memoir already? sweet! ha i love your foundation book followed by light and breezy. i am so stoked on this list. i’ve got consider the lobster, IQ84, brideshead revisited and am reading the light and breezy Delicious! by ruth reichl. do cookbooks count? i have the mast brothers cookbook and four and twenty blackbirds ready to peel through, too! i am also a heart-forever mega fan of miranda july! from her early big miss moviola VHS tape days even. what a fun career she’s had! it chooses you is really great. happy reading, joy!! xoxo

    Reply

  21. Amy

    Well, it’s winter here so time for some heavier reading. On my list: Smilla’s Feeling for Snow; Dr Zhivago; Hillary’s Clinton’s new autobiography; and The Luminaries. Can’t wait for cozy days and nights curled up on the couch with a book…or my iPad :)

    Reply

  22. Nicole

    Thanks for the reading list. My Amazon 1-click link thanks you also. I like to see what people are reading for the summer. This one has been out for a while, but I really enjoyed The Rosie Project, by Graeme Simsion. Don, a genetics scientist, starts the Wife Project by creating a ridiculous questionnaire to narrow down the perfect mate. It’s funny, lighthearted, and touching.

    Reply

  24. Barbara

    I just finished John Jakes’ “Homeland” and will be looking for more of his books. I tend to read all of an author’s books before moving on to another author. I loved his continuation of characters from one book to the next, and the historical novel format. If only history could be taught as some authors describe the events! Just before I read that, I was into some old titles, beginning with Alan Drury’s Pulitzer Prize winning “Advise and Consent”, and continuing onward with his characters also, into several more volumes. I want a Kindle so much! I am NEVER, EVER without a book! I know that the Kindle can be read even outdoors in bright sunshine, and I am a Florida retiree who loves to read and relax at the pool and the beach!

    But can’t you download and read Kindle books on a tablet?

    Reply

  29. Amanda

    Looks like an awesome list, I’ve been going back and forth on The Goldfinch, but I just added it to my “to-read” list

    I’m aiming to do a lot of reading this summer, but I’m really excited about The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara and The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. I’m also rereading Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, I read it for the first time last year, and I think it’s going to be a summer tradition of mine

    Reply

  32. aakukb

    I’m so excited!! I love your reading lists and have just started reading again after a dry spell. I always look on your lists first because I’ve read a lot of you recommendations and no misses so far! Right now I’m reading Dear Girls Above Me on my Kindle Paperwhite. Its a quick read but funny :)

    Reply

  33. sp

    Joy, you are one of the cleverest (is that a word?) people! I laughed out loud at your descriptions! Love your writing. Long time reader, never poster. I couldn’t help myself after cracking up at your post. “Tell me more, dude from the office. Tell me more.” Haha!

    Reply

  34. Michelle B.

    I’m listening to Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and I love it so much. The characters are real, and the main girl is so funny and sweet and not all put together. If it has a sad ending though, I’ll retract my recommendation. :)

    Reply

  35. Camille

    I’ve recently been reading a lot of Paul Auster, and I love him! Right now I’m reading Oracle Night.

    Reply

  37. Amalia

    This list! This is amazing. I have to bust out my kindle – I’m going on vacation Sunday and I feel it will be easier to carry the kindle than to carry 800 books with me. Seriously, if i had it my way my entire suitcase would be books.

    Reply

  38. Kimberly

    Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl is lovely. Also, Wonder is really great, tender & real. Technically it’s YA but so worth a read. Just finished Where’d You Go Bernadette? And loved it.

    Reply

  39. donzwebb

    Love all your picks! I’m currently halfway through Jason Priestley: a memoir and I highly recommend it. I actually went to his book signing about a month ago. You can read about it here if you’d like:
    http://donzwebb.wordpress.com/2014/05/09/toronto-living-jason-priestleys-book-signing/

    Also, feel free to check out my summer reading list:
    http://donzwebb.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/summer-reads/

    I started A Fault in Our Stars this week and I’m pretty sure I’ll be finished by Monday!

    xo Donna

    Reply

  43. Ally

    I just finished The Fault in Our Stars also, so good. I’ll have to wait for the movie so I can cry in private. Now I’m reading Cutting for Stone. It’s long, but I’m heading to Wyoming in a few weeks for vacation where there are no tvs or cell phone service (yay, I’m actually really excited about it). I have a Kindle too and love it. Best part about my current book is that I’m reading it on my Kindle and rented it free from the library!

    Reply

  44. Lauren

    Hold up. Miranda July has a new book out?! Fist pump for that and the Silver Linings dance scene! If only I had known before my Amazon run yesterday. I’ll be diving into comedy with Hyperbole and a Half, Mindy Kaling’s book, and where’d you go Bernadette. I’d also like to give some gothic fiction a try, like the picture of Dorian Grey, Frankenstein, and Dracula. Seems odd that references to them are ubiquitous and yet I’ve never read the novels.

    Reply

  45. Chris

    This is probably so last two years ago but I’m re-reading “Cutting for Stone” It’s one of those…”can’t put it down” books! Has anyone here read it? If not, you should!

    Reply

  48. Colleen

    Thanks for sharing your list. I love seeing what others are reading. I read The Goldfinch and The Invention of Wings and enjoyed them both.

    Reply

  50. Victoria

    I’m actually reading the Goldfinch on my newly-purchased Kindle! That book SERIOUSLY needs to be read on an e-reader… I tried borrowing it from the library and girl lemme tell you, it’s a hardcover AND 800 pages, you know what I’m saying?

    Aside from its lengthiness, it’s pretty great! Her writing is simply perfection. Truly.

    Reply

  52. monica

    I just finished Jason Priestley’s book, and I loved it so much that I just started watching 90210 again. :)

    Reply

  55. shelly

    its already been said but i’m going to echo sentiments about the goldfinch: its dark subject matter and very long. not very light and summery. I like dark books, but I didnt much care for this one. someone suggested to stop reading it then, but i’m felt determined to finish it (mostly because i paid money to download it to my kindle!). It took me months to read because i kept putting it down and walking away. the story didnt grab me. If you havent read the Orange is the New Black Book already, you should!

    Reply

  56. jess

    girl, I love these posts. thanks for keeping us on our toes with new words to put in our faces! I’m reading Edwige Danticat’s ‘Claire of the Sea Light’ right now, and also the latest from David Sedaris, ‘Let’s Talk about Diabetes with Owls’, which just came out in paperback, which I picked up at my local bookstore, WHICH hosted him in the flesh for a reading last week and we all laughed together til we snorted and it was amaze. <3. that. dude. happy reading, all!

    Reply

  58. Emily

    These posts of yours are some of my favorites! I’m a teacher, and the first day of summer is TODAY! Perfect timing for a list of good books. Thanks!

    Reply

  59. shadoreadr

    I am also intrigued about the Lemon Cake book. It’s making me hungry. The Invention of Wings is fabulous. I am in the middle of The Husband’s Secret at the moment. Just finished Unbroken. Great story, a little scattered, though. Thanks for the list – I’m going to check some of these out. I think I will need to take a vacation to read The Goldfinch, though.

    Reply

  60. Alana

    Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie! Sassy, heartbreaking, and beautiful. Definitely worth your time — or just wait until the movie comes out (with Lupita Nyong’o!!).

    Reply

  61. Ellen

    If you’re looking for lighter books for summer, then wait til darker, cooler days to read The Goldfinch. This is not to say don’t read it. You must! Yes, it’s dark. Yes, it’s long. But I read it in about four days because I could not put it down. I still think about it. It’s the only one of your selections I’ve read. I’m getting ready to read The Perfume Collector, by Kathleen Tessaro. I’ve read several of hers and was told that this one is wonderful. The Husband’s Secret is very good, too. And anything I’ve read by Catherine Ryan Hyde has been engaging and very good.

    Reply

  62. Jessica Komoroski

    I’m in the middle of The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith which — spoiler alert — is actually one of J.K. Rowling’s pseudonyms?! The things the internet tells me… Anyway it’s a crime fiction and is totally captivating!

    Reply

    • Lori MacKenzie

      Considering how much I disliked The Casual Vacancy I was happy to love Cuckoo’s Calling. There’s another one out now (or possibly out soon?) with the same detective. I can’t quite think of the name of it but it’s something like The Silkworm or Silkwood?

      Reply

  64. Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen

    Reading The Husband’s Secret (very good so far!) and just finished Sharp Objects (by the same author as Gone Girl). I read Sharp Objects on a beach in Florida – it’s a great beach read! I must check out that Miranda July book. I loooove the movie Me and You and Everyone We Know and am pretty sure I’ve caught you and Tracy saying “back and forth forever” on the podcast before. Thanks for the recommendations!

    Reply

  66. Danielle

    I saw the Jason Priestly book at the library the other day and I couldn’t help but laugh and thought it was an old book they had on display for ’20-something’s!’ I’m reading The Vacationers right now and can’t wait to check out some of these others books you’ve listed.

    Reply

  68. Girl Named Allyn

    I just finished The Goldfinch and am still… processing. She’s an amazing author. Adding these others to my list! I’m pro Kindle, since I’m on the subway about 2 hours a day. Leave my heavy books to read at home.

    Reply

  69. Alice

    I’m currently reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Will move onto Americannah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie after that, then the Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. I really want to read The Goldfinch as well, I liked her book The Secret History so much. Enjoy your summer reads!

    Reply

    • Kyra

      I loved Americanah!! It is a great book.

      I just finished The Goldfinch about a week ago. I LOVED it. Cannot explain in words how phenomenal a book this is.

      Reply

  71. Alex

    I am slowly working my way through The Goldfinch. It is beautifully written, but so LONG that it’s taking me a while. It’s one of those books that I start, read about 10 other books in the meantime, and finally finish. But also one of those books that really stays with you.

    Also: SLOWLY working my way through “The Biography of Cancer” which is fascinating. And, obviously, about a dozen romance novels for when I’m too tired to think deeply about things but too awake to go to sleep :)

    Reply

  74. Amy

    I love this! This summer I am trying to read all the books I have in the house (well, not all of them, just the ones I haven’t read yet) rather than splurging on new ones because that feels kind of wasteful. Especially when you have unread Oscar Wilde on your shelf. However, I have definitely been stocking my wishlist with all the books – I’m wary about The Goldfinch because Secret History was a bit of a slog to get through but so many people rave about it that I’m willing to give it a go! Definitely putting that Kelly Oxford book on my list as well.

    Reply

  75. Ellen

    Well, I just finished The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake which is amazing. I’m starting in on a book called Cunt. Sorry, that is what it’s called! It’s a fascinating read for anyone interested in women’s issues.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll Up