My copy of Mark Twain shipped yesterday so I am looking forward to digging into that once it arrives. I grew up in near his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri so he is near and dear to my literary heart.
I'm highly anticipating two non-fiction releases over the next four months. I believe them to be spiritually related to one another:
- The Place of Tides, by James Rebanks (already out in the UK, coming to the US in June). The author, a farmer in England's Lake District, chronicles a summer spent on a rocky Arctic island off the coast of Norway, accompanying the island's sole resident, an elderly woman, in the ancient tradition of gathering down from the wild Eider ducks that inhabit the island.
- Against the Machine, by Paul Kingsnorth (out in September). A collection of Kingsnorth's unmissable writing about what he calls The Machine: the man-made system of technological control, surveillance, and organization that is slowly subsuming every institution on Earth and fundamentally reshaping human life as we know it in its own image.
Besides reading the first of the Durrells in Corfu triology while I'm in Corfu?
The books all featured in this Substack Summer Reading List look book - ALL Substack authors with books coming out in time for beach reading (including mine :)
I’ve started the Dorothy Dunnett Lymond Chronicles, which came up when I googled “series similar to Wolf Hall”. This feels like a good summer project.
We are away for 4 weeks - 2 at my parents’ where we’ve got a decent stash of books but our last two weeks will be a bit rural, with no car, and I suspect we’ll spend a lot of time cycling, playing games, and reading. I need to sit down with the soon to be 8 year old to make a plan for our packing. We’ve got some great read alouds waiting for us on the shelf, but I’m not sure what he wants to read. He’s a “graphic novel at bedtime” kid, which doesn’t feel super sustainable when we’ll have to pack everything (will be in non-English speaking countries).
I’ve also been slowly rereading Hunger Games, taking notes as I go - and read Ballad for the first time before Sunrise on the Reaping. I’ve missed so much when I first read it during my teens - it’s truly an incredible world Suzanne Collins has created!
I’m also anticipating the arrival of my Mark Twain book ☺️
Been hitting the classics of late: slowly working my way through the works of Shakespeare—only a few more to go!—and have dived into Emily Wilson’s translation of the Iliad.
Also reading Philbrick’s, Valiant Ambition: Washington, Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution. Loved his book on Bunker Hill! Such a great writer. Probably read his last book on Yorktown to finish up the series.
I'm definitely a fiction reader and recently finished Sunrise of the Reaping which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm in the midst of rereading the Harry Potter series and am on book 5, so I hope to finish that series this summer. I intend to finish my one nonfiction read of Young Men and Fire by Norman McLean - it has been an interesting read but slow at times so I've been breaking it up with the fun fiction. If I have the time, I'll throw in the next Jack Ryan novel for more fast paced fiction.
I'm currently working on completing the International Booker 2025 long list. So far I've completed 7 out of the 12. Once I am done with that, I can read more sporadically again. I am intrigued by the idea of reading more books I own, so some titles could be Prairie Fires, Human Acts, Disability Visibility, and Stay True.
Nothing set in stone, but I might take a deep dive into early American history. I think bios of Madison, Monroe, and Marshall, along with Rights of Man and Federalist/Anti-federalist Papers.
And probably Leviathan by Eric Dolin when we go to the beach.
Partly this depends on you and the next Big Read selection. For sure I will read Oliver Twist for my Dickens project and a reread of Anne of Green Gables in anticipation of our Canadian Maritimes trip this fall and on that tour I will visit PEI. I may read The Confessions of St Augustine now that we have an Augustinian pope.
I'm very excited to read James when we're done with Huck Finn. I'll also have plenty of Inspector Gamache on audio to enjoy during summer road trips.
A Gamache summer! Sounds amazing — enjoy.
My copy of Mark Twain shipped yesterday so I am looking forward to digging into that once it arrives. I grew up in near his hometown of Hannibal, Missouri so he is near and dear to my literary heart.
Oh nice! I grew up on the Mississippi (up river in MN), so Twain's work hits home for me too.
I'm highly anticipating two non-fiction releases over the next four months. I believe them to be spiritually related to one another:
- The Place of Tides, by James Rebanks (already out in the UK, coming to the US in June). The author, a farmer in England's Lake District, chronicles a summer spent on a rocky Arctic island off the coast of Norway, accompanying the island's sole resident, an elderly woman, in the ancient tradition of gathering down from the wild Eider ducks that inhabit the island.
- Against the Machine, by Paul Kingsnorth (out in September). A collection of Kingsnorth's unmissable writing about what he calls The Machine: the man-made system of technological control, surveillance, and organization that is slowly subsuming every institution on Earth and fundamentally reshaping human life as we know it in its own image.
Kingsnorth's book is high on my list as well!
Besides reading the first of the Durrells in Corfu triology while I'm in Corfu?
The books all featured in this Substack Summer Reading List look book - ALL Substack authors with books coming out in time for beach reading (including mine :)
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGnPhxNxVE/JqO1qOQR-s01DAocW1GF_Q/view?utm_content=DAGnPhxNxVE&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h31a4b2a189
I’ve started the Dorothy Dunnett Lymond Chronicles, which came up when I googled “series similar to Wolf Hall”. This feels like a good summer project.
We are away for 4 weeks - 2 at my parents’ where we’ve got a decent stash of books but our last two weeks will be a bit rural, with no car, and I suspect we’ll spend a lot of time cycling, playing games, and reading. I need to sit down with the soon to be 8 year old to make a plan for our packing. We’ve got some great read alouds waiting for us on the shelf, but I’m not sure what he wants to read. He’s a “graphic novel at bedtime” kid, which doesn’t feel super sustainable when we’ll have to pack everything (will be in non-English speaking countries).
Oh that’s a good idea. Could probably just blast through the Amulet series, which are really expensive to buy.
Ah yes, kids really blast through graphic novels! We let our kids read library copies on iPads — just so much easier that way.
I’ve also been slowly rereading Hunger Games, taking notes as I go - and read Ballad for the first time before Sunrise on the Reaping. I’ve missed so much when I first read it during my teens - it’s truly an incredible world Suzanne Collins has created!
I’m also anticipating the arrival of my Mark Twain book ☺️
Anything here is well worth your time! These are a collection of the best books I have ever read: https://www.tomwhitenoise.com/bookshelf
Been hitting the classics of late: slowly working my way through the works of Shakespeare—only a few more to go!—and have dived into Emily Wilson’s translation of the Iliad.
Also reading Philbrick’s, Valiant Ambition: Washington, Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution. Loved his book on Bunker Hill! Such a great writer. Probably read his last book on Yorktown to finish up the series.
Philbrick is amazing. All of his books are pure gold, IMO.
I'm definitely a fiction reader and recently finished Sunrise of the Reaping which I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm in the midst of rereading the Harry Potter series and am on book 5, so I hope to finish that series this summer. I intend to finish my one nonfiction read of Young Men and Fire by Norman McLean - it has been an interesting read but slow at times so I've been breaking it up with the fun fiction. If I have the time, I'll throw in the next Jack Ryan novel for more fast paced fiction.
Young Men and Fire has been on my list a long time. HP and Jack Ryan are great picks for summer.
I'm currently working on completing the International Booker 2025 long list. So far I've completed 7 out of the 12. Once I am done with that, I can read more sporadically again. I am intrigued by the idea of reading more books I own, so some titles could be Prairie Fires, Human Acts, Disability Visibility, and Stay True.
Fraser’s book is noteworthy.
I recently started reading “Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver and I have “Journal of a Solitude” by May Sarton on reserve at the library.
I'm intrigued by the Mark Twain book so I'm glad you're enjoying it. On my list are some books recommended by Ted Gioia who writes The Honest Broker:
The Master and His Emissary by Iain McGilchrist
Visual Thinking by Temple Grandin
I'm especially loving the Grandin book, as I live 30 minutes from where she lives and teaches and I was able to meet her and have her sign my book
And then, for a mental break, the next books in the Ann Cleeves mystery series.
This sometimes depends on what I’m able to find at my local bookstore, but my to-be-read stack in the next 3-4 months includes:
the last 2 books of the Stephenson’s The Baroque Cycle.
the last 2 books of the Miéville’s Bas- Lag series.
the last 3 volumes of Leon Edel’s biography of Henry James
the last 2 books of The Hunger Games and newest 2 novels.
the next 2 books of Corey’s The Expanse series (Cibola Burn and Abaddon’s Gate)
Jonathan Eig’s King
Nothing set in stone, but I might take a deep dive into early American history. I think bios of Madison, Monroe, and Marshall, along with Rights of Man and Federalist/Anti-federalist Papers.
And probably Leviathan by Eric Dolin when we go to the beach.
I loved Leviathan. And your dive into American history sounds fun!
Mark Twain is high on my list and I’m also hoping to make time to finish Les Miserables this summer as well!
Ah Les Mis is great! Enjoy.
Partly this depends on you and the next Big Read selection. For sure I will read Oliver Twist for my Dickens project and a reread of Anne of Green Gables in anticipation of our Canadian Maritimes trip this fall and on that tour I will visit PEI. I may read The Confessions of St Augustine now that we have an Augustinian pope.
Ah great idea! And Moby-Dick is going to be up next for The Big Read! Probably starting the second week of June.