Happy summer, everyone! Here’s what we’ll have our noses in while we’re catching some rays…
Martha
I haven’t read a book for fun in, like, a month! But my hopes are high that this summer I will be reading…
* Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins: Is anyone not going to be reading this? C’mon!
* That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo: I’ve had it since it came out last summer, and it seems like a perfect summer read!
* The Girl in the Arena, by Lise Heines: My friend Angie loved it, and I picked it up when she was visiting recently and we went to the Strand. I take Angie’s recommendations very seriously.
* Sunshine, by Robin McKinley: Possibly the greatest vampire novel ever. I always get the urge to reread it at the end of the summer (it’s called sunshine after all!). I’ve resisted for the last few years, but I think this summer I’m going to give in.
Michelle
It was a long, cold winter, and I’m in the mood for some indulgence. Of course, my idea of indulgence might seem decidedly bizarre to others, but—as my husband tells me—I’m an odd bird.
* After Dark, by Haruki Murakami. I am head-over-heels obsessed with this otherworldly Japanese writer, whose books make me feel like either I’ve lost my mind or the world has turned upside-down and I’m the only one who noticed. Kind of like how you feel after watching Donnie Darko. I *heart* you, Haruki.
* The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan. I’ve already absorbed his In Defense of Food, but have been meaning to pick up this foodie bible for a while now. Soon I’ll be wearing my garlic necklace (to ward off high-fructose corn syrup) again.
* Going Bovine, by Libba Bray. Another one I’ve been meaning to pick up. Mad cow disease and summer vacation just seem to go hand in hand.
* Still Life with Woodpecker, by Tom Robbins. Recommended to me by good friend, fashionista, and fellow editorial person Jennifer Christie. Apparently it is both strange and beautiful.
Barbara
Here’s my summer reading list.
* Since Strangling Isn’t an Option: Dealing with Difficult People, by Sandra A. Crowe
* Thank You for Being Such a Pain: Spiritual Guidance for Dealing with Difficult People, by Mark Rosen
* Toxic Co-workers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job, Neil J. Lavender and Alan A. Cavaiola
* ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income, by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett
* The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Retiring Early, by Dee Lee and Jim Flewelling
* How to Self-Destruct: Making the Least of What’s Left of Your Career, by Jason Seiden
Steve
* Les Blancs: The Collected Last Plays: The Drinking Gourd/What Use Are Flowers?, by Lorraine Hansberry. One of my favorite playwrights.
* My Index of Slightly Horrifying Knowledge: Poems and One More Theory About Happiness: A Memoir, by Paul Guest. Fascinating writer.
* Scouting New York. A wonderful blog by a New York film location scout. If you can read the June 10 piece, Pocket Change, in its entirety without getting teary-eyed, well….
* Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places To Live In The UK, by Sam Jordison and Dan Kieran. Irreverent? Cheeky? Juvenile? Heck yes. And one of the funniest books I own.
Virginia
* 61 Hours, by Lee Child. I’ve only read one Reacher book but I LOVED it.
* The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, by Steig Larrson. I know, I’m a little late . . .
* Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel.
Lois
Ah, summer. This is what’s next to my hammock:
* Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Salman Rushdie—I’ve been meaning to read this for a long time—it’ll probably be the next choice for our family book group
* Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie
* The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing, Tarquin Hall—a new mystery series, set in India, to feed my jones for mystery novels
* Marcelo in the Real World, Francisco Stork
* Unseen Academicals, Terry Pratchett—since it’s the year of the World Cup, it’s a perfect time to read a Discworld sports novel . . .
Paul
* The Passage, by Justin Cronin
* The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University, by Kevin Roose
* Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, by Alison Arngrim (Nellie Olsen from Little House on the Prairie)
* The Heretic’s Daughter, by Kathleen Kent
* The Pioneer Woman Cooks, by Ree Drummond
Tim
Summer! A two-month break from packing lunches, reviewing homework, suggesting titles for book reports, and keeping track of an infinite number of fundraisers and class projects and deadlines and practices and performances. So what will I be reading? Some books about . . . school. It’s not as bad as it looks—with the exception of the Lemov, none of it will challenge my confirmation biases. Better still, I’m almost halfway done building my NCLB 2014 survival bunker!
* Diane Ravitch’s Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education
* Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion
* Leigh A. Bortins’s The Core: Teaching Your Child the Foundations of Classical Education
* Martha C. Nussbaum’s Not For Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities
* E. D. Hirsch Jr’s What Your Second Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good Second Grade Education
barbara, you crack me up!!
v, i’d be interested in knowing
how you like Wolf Hall. it’s a
monstrosity, but i’m in the last 50 pages.
tim, sweet pea is going to the 2nd grade.
please send me all relevant facts and notes
you’ve learned by 8/31/10–cliff notes style.
thanks! =)
Interesting reading list, Barbara. Are you trying to tell us all something?
I will finish Mother of Islam and Bable Tower. I then will read The Lace Reader and Leonardo’s Swans. Summer’s are so great for neglecting family!
This summer I’ve read:
The Reliable Wife
The Forgotten Garden
Shanghai Girls
The Sky is Everywhere
The Lace Reader
Up next:
The Girl Who Hung the Moon and
The Steig Larrson Books
Barb you are funny!
Paul, some trivia – Justin Cronin’s wife and daughter came to a Merilee Marvelous booksigning in Houston way back when it came out -they were friends of a friend
oh as to my own summer reading list.
i’ve started reading some books from the
comicon panel authors i’ll be moderating
next month.
just finished Unwind by shusterman.
intense and fantastic.
am starting Thirst by chirstopher pike.
my TBR pile is ridiculous, but for
the summer i’d love to hit :
The Agency by Lee
Everlasting by Frazier
Rock Paper Tiger by Brackmann
Becca Cooper by Pierce
The Ivy by Kunze and Onur
I’ve got to finally finish Bronson and Merryman’s Nurture Shock and Tatar’s Enchanted Hunters (dip into them now and then). And then there is the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. Been waiting for summer to read it.
Seriously, Barbara, you’ve made my day.