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Thursday, July 9, 2009

Summer Reading

“No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers’ dirty looks.” Wait a minute. No more books? I’ll be happy to lay down the pencil and stop giving my students dirty looks, but books are one of the highlights of my summer. So I’ve compiled a list of 10 books I’ve read recently that I think would make excellent summer reads. To me, these books represent what summer is all about — fun, family, the sun, the ocean, humor, escapism, characters, relationships, and the possibility for love.

Eve’s Summer Reads:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows –an engaging, romantic story told through diary entries and letters about a journalist researching a piece about a tiny island occupied by the Germans during WWII
The Highest Tide, Jim Lynch – beautifully written coming-of-age story set on Puget Sound with a memorable child narrator and evocative descriptions of ocean life
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman – not exactly beachy, but an awful lot of fun about a boy who lives in a graveyard with ghosts for adoptive parents
Home Safe, Elizabeth Berg —I love everything by her, but this is her latest book about women’s lives, loves, and choices
Laura Rider’s Masterpiece, Jane Hamilton –funny, extremely well-written satire with characters you will recognize all too well
The Wildwater Walking Club, Claire Cook – Witty, breezy, and heartwarming story about the importance of friendship
Everything Changes, Jonathan Tropper—hilarious story about a man coming of age late in life, told with charm, humor, and lots of warmth
The Beach House, Jane Green—set on Nantucket Island, the novel deals with likeable characters who are all facing transitions in their lives
Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen – Leisurely-paced and seductive southern story about two sisters with special gifts
Love the One You’re With, Emily Giffin – Mature and wry women’s fiction exploring the allure of “the one who got away”

My Wish List (Books I hope to read this summer):
Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner
That Old Cape Magic, Richard Russo
Sag Harbor, Colson Whitehead
Real Life and Liars, Kristina Riggle
Catching Genius, Kristy Kiernan
Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout
The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein
The Way Life Should Be, Christina Baker Kline
Twenties Girl, Sophie Kinsella
Border Songs, Jim Lynch
The Only True Genius in the Family, Jennie Nash
Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, Julie Powell

1 comment:

Ashley said...

good idea! i want to post a reading list!