Every winter I look out the window and ponder over what beach I'm going to set my little chair on, when I spend my one-week summer vacation absorbed in a few good books by the sea. I introduce to you some dear old friends, books that went to the beach with me and books that were good company.
Just Kids - Patti Smith
I devoured this book in one day, seated in my rickety old camp chair on a dock that was mostly submerged in a small Michigan lake: sun shining, birds singing, my dog nearby. It was the right book, at the right time, in the right place. Patti Smith is an exceptional writer and a wonderful storyteller. Her honesty and revelations about that special time in American cultural history, NYC of the 60's and 70's, was eye-opening, sweet and bittersweet, and absolutely full of love.
His Dark Materials Trilogy - Phillip Pullman
Pullman's "His Dark Material's Trilogy" consists of three books: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. I absolutely cherish this series, which I read while undergoing cancer treatment I found a safe haven in the characters. The series follows two children, Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry, as they travel across parallel universes. Visually rich, utterly captivating, I was happily lost in the series and then found myself lost when I finished them; I didn't want to return to the real world. Though it was written for young adults, I highly recommend Pullman's trilogy for any and all ages,
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer
Looking for something light and sweet to read at the beach or during your stay-cay in your garden? I give you a little gem of a story about love, war, and the boundless support found in good books and good friends. Told through a series of letters exchanged between residents of Guernsey Island, enter the lives of the charming, kooky, and heroic citizens of the island as they share their experiences with a London writer who learns and writes about the book club they formed during the Nazi occupation of the island.
The Chronicles of Narnia - Clive Staples Lewis
What more could a reader ask for in a good summer read? Does getting lost in journeys to the end of the world, a world chock-full of fantastic creatures, heroic deeds and epic battles in the war between good and evil sound fun? Lewis' 1949 book "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," has all that, but after completing it, he went on and wrote six more. Together the seven books are known as "The Chronicles of Narnia," transcending the fantasy fiction genre to become a literary classic. A delightful series for all ages to get happily lost in while getting sunburnt.
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History - Erik Larson
September 8, 1900 began as a beautiful day in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. U. S. Weather Bureau resident meteorologist, Isaac Cline, didn't notice the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that moved in later that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston was submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town, killing over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history. Using Cline's telegrams, letters, and reports, survivors testimonies, and current understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson chronicles one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. He does a remarkable job of putting the reader smack in the middle of the storm, where one feels like they are right there experiencing the devastation and horror of the hurricane.
The Little Paris Bookshop - Nina George
“The settings are ideal for a summer-romance read. Who can resist floating on a barge through France surrounded by books, wine, love, and great conversation?" The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books. Monsieur Perdu refers to himself as a literary apothecary. From his floating bookstore in a barge on the Seine, he prescribes novels for the hardships of life, using his intuitive feel for the exact book a reader needs, mending broken hearts and souls. Sweet.
Four Seasons In Rome - Anthony Doerr
The day his twins were born, Anthony Doerr (All the Light We Cannot See) received even more great news: he'd won the Rome Prize, one of the most prestigious awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This jewel of a book is Doerr's evocative memoir of the timeless beauty of Rome and the day-to-day amazement of living, writing, and raising twin boys in a foreign city. It's a visual treat, as Doerr shares his visits to piazzas, temples, the vigil of a dying Pope John Paul II, and his sweet tales of the American family being embraced by the butchers, grocers, and bakers of their neighborhood.
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence - Irene Pepperberg
The captivating true story of the unique relationship between psychologist Irene M. Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot. Their story proves scientist's and accepted wisdom wrong, demonstrating an astonishing ability for a bird to communicate and understand complex ideas. More than a scientific breakthrough, "Alex & Me" is a touching love story and an affectionate remembrance of the irascible, unforgettable, and always surprising Alex.
The Hidden Life of Trees - Peter Wohlleben
Making the case that the forest is a social network, naturalist Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of forests and trees. Like human families, he believes, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating a healthy ecosystem. He also believes a happy forest is a healthy forest that benefits the health of our planet and the mental and physical health of all who share it.
The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit - Michael Finkel
Have you ever found yourself wishing you could escape modern life and society? Twenty-year old Christopher Knight did just that, leaving his Massachusetts home in 1986, when he drove to Maine, left his car on the side of a road, and disappeared into the forest for the next 27 years. Living in a tent through brutal winters and hot summers, he survived by his wits and courage, creating clever ways to store food and water, and to avoid freezing to death, Taking only what he needed, he survived by breaking into nearby cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions. A captivating story of survival, solitude and community, and an incredible portrayal of a man who was bent to live his own way, and succeeded.
Girl with a Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier
Not much is known about Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, artist of the famous 1665 painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring." Tracy Chevalier took creative license to write a fascinating historical novel about the painting, the artist, and the unknown woman who modeled for the painting. Merging history and fiction, the beautiful story is about 16-year old Griet, her sensual awakening and her brief encounter with genius. A good story for whiling away sunny afternoons.
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