Read the Days Away

 

Reading is much like eating for me. I love it, it sustains me, and my eyes are always bigger than my stomach (or in this case, my list is always much longer than I could ever possibly read!) That's why I love summer. It's no secret that my favorite season is winter, but I find something lovely in every turn of the calendar page. When June 1 rolls around I'm thinking warm afternoons, a comfortable chair, and a literary escape. Because my reading list is so long (AND I inherited the book buying gene from my mother) I always have something to dive into. TRUE STORY: I sent my dear friend KS home last weekend with a brand new copy of The Interestings because there was no way I was going to get to it before I see her again and I'm not exactly sure when that will be. Suffice it to say, I have plenty of other choices (in hard copy and on my ereader) to tide me over.  

Remember the library's summer reading program you used to participate in as a child and you received prizes for reading books? Maybe your children participate in a summer reading program at your local library and you watch longingly as they devour books while you devour lunch so you can then drive everyone to the pool, play Barbies, play trains, change diapers, arrange play dates, fold laundry, cook dinner, make lemonade, bake cookies, referee verbal fireworks, and build Lego castles. Or if your work is outside the home, get back to it! Either way, you fall into bed at the end of the day, exhausted. Ha! Who has time for reading? YOU do! Summer is for adults, too, and the good news is you can recreate your own memories of summers past by participating in a summer reading challenge.  Some libraries offer programs just for adults (no library card required!) like the New York Public Library and the DC Public Library, but my local library does not. Instead, I've scoured my sources for summer reading challenges, book lists, and all things literary.

Before you start..... 7 Tips to Help You Read More and Love It on the Art of Simple blog. My favorites? Keep a to-read list and love what you love and don't feel guilty about it. (I love memoirs.There, I said wrote it.) The purpose of a summer reading challenge is to have fun and relax, not to create a giant list of long tomes you'll never finish.  (But it is totally OK to tackle that copy of War and Peace you've had since college....if that is fun for you!)   My other two caveats: Any and every book counts and if you don't like it after 50 pages, put it down. But, that's me. The beauty of doing your own summer reading challenge is just that - you can make it your own. Love romance novels? Erotica? Economic best sellers? Self help?  Put it on your list and read it! You may not get a prize, but you will end the summer with true gifts: some time for yourself, a new perspective or two, and a sense of accomplishment. All of those are more valuable than that coupon you'd get for a free ice cream cone after finishing your 10th book.

Here are some resources to get you started making your own summer wish list:

A little literary matchmaking courtesy of Modern Mrs. Darcy - check out her list of books based on titles people loved or hated.

Still enjoy reading with a flashlight under the covers? OK, so maybe that flashlight has long since been replaced by the glow of your ipad. If so, here's an infographic of YA Books to Love. Thank you, Upworthy!

NPR. Enough Said. Their books page always has a few gems. The 2014 summer book list should be out soon!

Dreaming of a classic American summer on the shores of New England with your toes in the sand and a book in your hand? Even if you can't make the trip, you can still read books recommended by the local library. The Nantucket Atheneum hosts lots of lists on their website: Bestsellers, Agatha award winners, Pulitzer prize titles, and the Vintage Oprah Book Club. It's all here and more!

According to Esquire all men should know about manhood, sports, politics, and sex. Come to think of it, so should women. Here is their recommendation for 10 Essential Books for Life. Alright, everybody, get ready for an education by literature.

Is TV more your thing? I know you really want to know where that story came from because you know what they say about the book. (Hint: It's always better!) Earlyword has a list for you: Books to Movie & TV Upcoming Releases.

Want to know more about what your kids are reading? Or are you curious to know if Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is as good as it was when you were 9? It is. 25 Chapter Books for Summer Reading.

Amazon has a department of people who READ for a living. Can you imagine? Here's an interview with the director (on CBS) and their list of summer reads for 2014: Must Have Titles for Your Summer Reading List.

And last, but not least, you can always visit your local library and ask your librarian. Or use resources at the library (or through the website) like Novelist and Books and Authors.

I love historical fiction and memoirs, but I'm venturing outside my comfort zone this summer. Here's what I'll be reading:

The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan
Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
Live More, Want Less by Mary Carlomagno
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Mermaid by Eileen Cronin
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Freud's Mistress by Karen Mack
Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Happy Reading!

XOXO