There’s a reason reading is number 1 on our list of most popular hobbies. As our reading hobbyists know, reading allows you to temporarily escape from your ordinary life and enter in to an entirely new world. And summer is the perfect time for relaxation and escape! The weather is nice, so you can sit outside and sip lemonade. Plus, if you’re a student, you aren’t bogged down by endless piles of homework. While some students may be heading back to school soon, summer isn’t over just yet. There’s still time to squeeze in a few last minute books.
And so, without further ado, here are Not So Boring Life’s 7 Great Summer Reads:
1. A Midsummer Night’s Dream
This Shakespeare play is a summer reading classic. And no, not just because the word “summer” is in the title. Shakespeare’s hypnotic language equals a pleasurable summer reading experience, true, but A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a particularly magical read.
2. I Capture the Castle
Both funny and quirky, this Dodie Smith novel is narrated by seventeen year old Cassandra, a would-be writer who lives with her family in an old English castle. Unfortunately Cassandra’s father, also a writer, has a tragic case of writer’s block and hardly anyone else in the family is fit to work, forcing the family to sell their furniture and live in poverty. Cassandra tells their story in a light-hearted funny style–all in all an engaging summer read.
3. Harry Potter
Unless you’ve been living in a hole for the last couple of few years, you’ve probably read at least one of the Harry Potter books. If not, summer is the time to catch up. The hype surrounding the books is not without merit–they’re engaging, plot-driven, and of course, magical. Thumbs up for Harry Potter.
4. Prodigal Summer: A Novel
Yes, another novel with “summer” in the title. Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, returns her readers to the Congo in The Prodigal Summer, a book which features three different interwoven stories. Kingsolver’s descriptions of the natural world and her poetic prose make A Prodigal Summer another great summer read.
5. Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a classic so if you haven’t read it already–well, you need to. You can buy a really nice box set on Amazon for a little over $19!
6. A Walk in the Woods
Or any other book by Bill Bryson.
A Walk in the Woods is all about Bryson’s 2,100 mile walk across the Appalachian Trail. It features a bevy of bizarre characters, poetic descriptions of nature, but the best thing about Bryson’s writing is his characteristic use of humor. A Walk in the Woods is a great summer read, yes, but for funny and vivid writing, any Bryson book will do.
7. Me Talk Pretty One Day
David Sedaris is another laugh out loud author, and Me Talk Pretty One Day is arguably his most popular book. It features stories about his odd North Carolina upbringing, his quirky mom, and his career path. Like Bryson, Sedaris is a regularly funny and engaging writer so check out his other books while you’re at it.
There are dozens of other great summer reads, but hopefully this list is enough to keep you occupied for the rest of the summer!
