Summer Reading List & Notes

Each June I marvel at the fact that I have a job that affords me the opportunity to end a cycle, refresh my mind, and freshly begin again in September.  One of the ways that my mind refreshes itself the most is through getting lost in reading and being outside, so each June I revel in the creation of my summer reading list.  My last day of school is June 20th, as I'm taking a day off to travel for a wedding shower in the great state of Ohio, and I'm participating in 2 of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Projects summer institutes, which will end on July 5.  Technically my days of freedom start July 6th, but it does take over an hour to commute up to Teachers College, so I plan on getting lots of reading done that way, too.  After that, you'll find me in the park.  

Reading conclusions of summers past can be found here, if you're looking for books I've already written about.  Or, feel free to join me in reading some of the books below.  Outside of my book club, these are unintentionally overwhelmingly female and modern.  Also, as a note, I decided that for summer reading, I could take a break from my New Years Reading Resolution, and could purchase new books.  

Southwest Ohio Ex-pat Former English Majors Summer Book Club: 

Two of my great friends from home and I decided to read together this summer.  We each picked a different book for a different month of summer

June: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

July: Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

August: The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon

Fiction: 

These come from the on-going list I keep on my phone from whenever I am wandering through a bookstore, a habit I highly recommend for those times when you have no idea what to read next or in an attempt to curb an out-of-control book buying habit :)

The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler (I've been on "Lost Generation" reading kick lately)

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (from an imprint that brought me Elegance of a Hedgehog and A Novel Bookstore)

Mystery Books for my August Travels (& an e-book trial run): 

There is something wonderful about having a mystery read while stuck in airports or when flying across the Atlantic (!).  I am also trying something new with these titles and borrowing my fiancee's e-reader in my first-ever attempt to not add 15 pounds of books to my suitcase weight.  I will probably add my August book club choice on it as well.  It's best to travel prepared, you know? I'll write more about my e-book experience upon return, as it's bound to be a bit hard for this lover of turning paper pages.  I'm also trying to encourage public library e-book check out with my students in the fall, so I need to be able to speak knowledgeably by then!

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

The Stone Cutter by Camilla Lackburg

Nonfiction: 

Though I'm generally heavy on the fiction, I like to mix it up and I'm pretty excited about all of these

The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan (Lately I can't get enough of history)

When I Was a Child I Read Books by Marilynne Robinson (the description of this book of essays sounds perfect)

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt (because I adore her)

Young Adult (this could be a bit ambitious, but that's a good way to plan for reading, right?)

I try to stay somewhat informed about what my students are reading, be full of recommendations, and be knowledgeable about the young adult literature world.  This summer's stack has the widest variety ever, from 50 Cent's novel to a transgender protagonist, to nonfiction picture books and collections about people who helped change and shape the world.  The only one missing is Wonder by R.J. Palacio, because I may have already pulled it from the stack and started it! 

Happy Summer Reading!!