Hey there, readers! As the kiddos head back to school next week, I’ve been reflecting on these ~12 weeks of summer, which have felt both incredibly fast and intolerably long depending on the day and week. Part of that reflection, naturally, has included looking over what I’ve read and enjoyed the most. Here are my six favorites, split evenly between fiction and non-fiction:
I read pretty widely in non fiction. This year I liked Outlive by Peter Attia, nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and The Plantagenets by Dan Jones (I have several more books by Jones on my to read list). What are your recommendations?
Oh man, thanks for these, if you have more feel free to share, I also read Outlive and Nothing to Envy and loved these, do you have an overall list of probably 5-10 more recs? Seems we have the same taste.
My recs would be: Rome's Last Citizen, There Are Places in the World Where Rules are Less Important Than Kindness, Spellbound, The Molecule of More, The Order of Time
I really liked Mike Duncan's The Storm Before the Storm and Hero of Two Worlds. One of my favorite biography series was Edmund Morris's three part bio of Teddy Roosevelt. I also really liked Into Thin Air, A Walk in the Woods, The Scout Mindset, The Coldest Winter, Four Thousand Weeks, A Team of Rivals, and Living with a Seal.
This is one of those series that simply gets better the more times you read it. Not that you asked, but I suggest committing to read the 1st 3 books to get a feel for O’Brian’s immersive description of the early nineteenth century and to see the development of his major and minor characters. Also, don’t let the nautical jargon get you down. If you don’t know what a jib or a backstay is, then keep reading. O’Brian does a masterful job explaining the critical terms/concepts while adding still more complexity and depth to his primary and secondary characters. Happy Reading!
I love the Aubrey Maturin books too. I read and listen. If I start one I’ve read before I keep reading as there is always something I missed or will enjoy again
The Postcard, Hello Beautiful, The Whispers, and Tom Lake have been my favorite reads this summer (so far)! I’m looking forward to reading The Covenant of Water and Alice Hoffman’s new book later this month. It’s still summer for several more weeks...I’m not rushing it to end!!!
I enjoyed My Own Country. Working in medicine (I'm a PA) and being schooled during the early stages of the HIV epidemic, I found some of the stories heartbreaking.
Ten Caesars: Roman emperors from Augustus to Constantine by Barry S. Strauss: a super readable yet comprehensive book about something I’ve always been interested in.
Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley: a delightful light read that was perfect for reading outdoors while watching the kiddos.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton: I love polar exploration stories!
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis: Wow. Just wow. I will have to read this again soon.
The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary Schmidt: listened to this as an audiobook with the kids on a road trip, and it’s fantastic!
Slow reading summer for me, sadly (though a lot of that has been taken over by Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so I’m not that sad. With that said, I really enjoyed Fleishman is in Trouble and am about halfway through Age of Vice and have loved it so far.
Fiction - The Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
Nonfiction - Rocket Men by Robert Kurson
Also I don’t normally read self help books, but I really liked Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks
Seems like we have similar tastes. Which other non-fics would you recommend?
I read pretty widely in non fiction. This year I liked Outlive by Peter Attia, nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick, The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, and The Plantagenets by Dan Jones (I have several more books by Jones on my to read list). What are your recommendations?
Oh man, thanks for these, if you have more feel free to share, I also read Outlive and Nothing to Envy and loved these, do you have an overall list of probably 5-10 more recs? Seems we have the same taste.
My recs would be: Rome's Last Citizen, There Are Places in the World Where Rules are Less Important Than Kindness, Spellbound, The Molecule of More, The Order of Time
I really liked Mike Duncan's The Storm Before the Storm and Hero of Two Worlds. One of my favorite biography series was Edmund Morris's three part bio of Teddy Roosevelt. I also really liked Into Thin Air, A Walk in the Woods, The Scout Mindset, The Coldest Winter, Four Thousand Weeks, A Team of Rivals, and Living with a Seal.
Those are *great* books! I've not read Arthur's book, but I enjoy his work in The Atlantic. I'll check it out!
The Rachel Incident
Life's Too Short
I Could Live Here Forever
The Whispers
Hello Beautiful
The Five Star Weekend
This is How I Lied
The Chateau
Mad Honey
All Favorites of mine this summer! Looking forward to Covenant of Water, for my book club :)
The Founder's Speech to a Nation in Crisis
I Could Live Here Forever is on my list too! Haven't seen too many people talking about it...I had the biggest book hangover after finishing that one.
Haven't heard of it! Added to my list.
The Wager by David Grann----interesting contrast to Endurance in the way the crew pulled together in one and disintegrated into factions in The Wager
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles---a genuinely enjoyable book with great characters
Towles is just the best. He has a new story collection coming this fall!
The Count of Monte Cristo.
That took my whole summer but it was worth it!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I LOVED the Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, the Majority by Elizabeth Silver, and Pageboy by Elliot Page.
Translated works: the Postcard by Anne Berest, both Madame Victoria and Party Wall by Catherine Leroux
Audio: The Wager by David Grann, Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, and Pageboy
Glad to hear about Luminaries! I've seen it around plenty but haven't heard from many *real* readers about it. I'll check it out!
Captain James Cook by Rob Mundle
Thomas Jefferson’s Education by Alan Taylor
The Aubrey-Maturin Series by Patrick O’Brian for the umpteenth time (Love these books!)
I have the first three Aubrey-Maturin books waiting for me on my shelf! I'm moving 'em up on my list. :)
This is one of those series that simply gets better the more times you read it. Not that you asked, but I suggest committing to read the 1st 3 books to get a feel for O’Brian’s immersive description of the early nineteenth century and to see the development of his major and minor characters. Also, don’t let the nautical jargon get you down. If you don’t know what a jib or a backstay is, then keep reading. O’Brian does a masterful job explaining the critical terms/concepts while adding still more complexity and depth to his primary and secondary characters. Happy Reading!
I love the Aubrey Maturin books too. I read and listen. If I start one I’ve read before I keep reading as there is always something I missed or will enjoy again
I will always be grateful to O'Brian for giving us these two characters and all these books. They stand up to rereading over and over again.
The Postcard, Hello Beautiful, The Whispers, and Tom Lake have been my favorite reads this summer (so far)! I’m looking forward to reading The Covenant of Water and Alice Hoffman’s new book later this month. It’s still summer for several more weeks...I’m not rushing it to end!!!
Just got Tom Lake from the library. :)
The Covenant of Water - Abraham Verghese
Tom Lake - Ann Patchett
The Postcard - Anne Berest (Translator Tina Kover)
My Own Country - Abraham Verghese
I enjoyed My Own Country. Working in medicine (I'm a PA) and being schooled during the early stages of the HIV epidemic, I found some of the stories heartbreaking.
I haven't read Verghese's non-fiction, but I certainly want to!
And there've been a few mentions of The Postcard, but I wasn't familiar with it before this thread. I'll add to my list!
Also Cutting For Stone by Verghese is wonderful. That was my first by him.
Definitely the best-- Demon Copperhead.
Covenant of Water
Chemistry Lessons
Nobody's Fool (not a new book)
Demon Copperhead is high on my list.
Do you like me, have a connection to Appalachia? My maternal family is from that region so I could relate to it personally.
The Coddling of the American Mind
The Chronicles of Narnia
Empire of the Summer Moon by
Dominion by Tom Holland (the historian)
Coddling is amazing; one I pull out and go back to from time to time.
The Righteous Mind is also great!
YELLOWFACE by R.F. Kuang is the perfect book of summer!
I also devoured FOURTH WING by Rebecca Yarros, because I can’t avoid a book with THAT much hype.
Haha I've avoided FOURTH WING so far exactly because of all the hype. I never quite trust that much excitement! Glad you enjoyed it though!
Ten Caesars: Roman emperors from Augustus to Constantine by Barry S. Strauss: a super readable yet comprehensive book about something I’ve always been interested in.
Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley: a delightful light read that was perfect for reading outdoors while watching the kiddos.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton: I love polar exploration stories!
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis: Wow. Just wow. I will have to read this again soon.
The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary Schmidt: listened to this as an audiobook with the kids on a road trip, and it’s fantastic!
Great selections here! I've heard fun things about Parnassus but haven't read it myself.
Endurance, Alfred Landing
The White Darkness, David Grann
I'm sensing a theme! :)
Slow reading summer for me, sadly (though a lot of that has been taken over by Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom so I’m not that sad. With that said, I really enjoyed Fleishman is in Trouble and am about halfway through Age of Vice and have loved it so far.
I've heard Zelda is pretty epic. :)
David Copperfield
Did you happen to read it along with Demon Copperhead? I've been thinking of doing this.
I read it in anticipation of my Book Group reading Demon Copperhead
I've been thinking of doing this as well.
Couple of the best so far...
F- only time will tell (JArcher)
NF- Finding Meaning (DKessler)