Whether you’re relaxing on the beach, flying to Europe, or just sitting outside on a nice day, summer provides the perfect opportunity to catch up on your reading. Here are a few books to consider cracking open.
The Classic: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Sure, you may have read this in your high school English class, but Hemingway’s clean prose and storytelling will grip you even harder as an adult. This modern masterpiece journeys from nights in 1920s Paris to bullfights in Spain, revealing the angst and disillusionment of the Lost Generation.
The Summer Movie: Paper Towns by John Green
If you were a fan of The Fault in Our Stars, get ready for the next John Green film adaptation, coming to theaters on July 24. But first, read the book! Paper Towns takes the idea of the “manic pixie dream girl” and spins it on its head, throwing in a mystery, a road trip, and Walt Whitman quotes.
The New Release: In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume
The latest adult novel from everyone’s favorite childhood hero Judy Blume will be released on June 2. Here’s what we have to look forward to: “In 1987, Miri Ammerman returns to her hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey, to attend a commemoration of the worst year of her life. Thirty-five years earlier, when Miri was fifteen, and in love for the first time, a succession of airplanes fell from the sky, leaving a community reeling.”
The Memoir: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
This book will almost certainly trigger more than a few tears (consider yourself warned). In her memoir, iconic writer Joan Didion shares an unflinching account of the year following the sudden death of her husband of nearly 40 years while their daughter lay in a coma. It’s an exceptionally personal, emotionally raw tale of grief that also serves as an inspirational tribute to an incredible marriage.
The Good Advice: Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
The global fashion communications executive and Twitter superstar (@DKNYPRGirl) has written an accessible, insightful guide for how to communicate and build your personal brand. Just like the author herself, the book is authentic, sassy, and clever. And, as she reminds us, it’s not an advice book, it’s mentorship.
What are you looking forward to reading this summer? We love book recommendations!
Theresa Braun: By day, I work as a content strategist, editor, and freelance writer. By night, I write narrative essays and short fiction. At any time, I can be found scrawling poems along coffee cups and advocating for the Oxford comma. Home is New York, but I am currently on sabbatical in Paris.
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