Beyond Beach Reads: 4 End-of-Summer Book Picks
August 25, 2015
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ― C.S. Lewis
Whether you’re lounging poolside or ducking out of the office to enjoy those extra hours of evening sunlight, there’s something about summer that makes us want to sink into a good book. This is especially true at the end of the season, when you know there are only a few more summer reads between you and—can it be?—fall. This summer has had no shortage of intriguing bestsellers, from Harper Lee’s controversial Go Set a Watchman to the newest Gone Girl-esque thriller, Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins.
Here are our top 4 end-of-summer book picks.
Z a Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
F. Scott Fitzgerald immortalized his wife and her struggle with mental illness in his masterpiece, Tender Is the Night. In this novel, Fowler dives deeper into Zelda’s incredible story, honoring how she might have told it herself. Tracing the story of this southern belle through the most famous literary scenes of the Jazz Age, Z brings Zelda and Scott’s troubled, passionate affair to life, revealing the demons that ultimately unraveled them both.
Read if: a) you enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, b) The Great Gatsby holds a permanent place on your nightstand.
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton Disclafani
In this compelling debut novel, Disclafani weaves together a story of love, self discovery, and scandal set at an exclusive equestrian boarding school during the peak of the Great Depression. Thea Atwell, the story’s fierce narrator, has been sent to Yonahlossee after a mysterious family tragedy. As Thea navigates life outside her sheltered upbringing and tests the power of her independence, beauty, and sexuality, Disclafani artfully illustrates the pains and pleasures of growing up. Showcasing a heroine with Scarlett O’Hara-like spirit, this coming-of-age tale is one to remember.
Read if you enjoyed Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep.
The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
The beloved FUG Girls exercise their wit in a new medium with The Royal We. In this fictionalized spin-off of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s epic love story, Bex, a Cornell student hailing from the Midwest, meets Nicholas of Wales, the future King of England, during a semester abroad at Oxford University. From the duo’s first encounter, Cocks and Morgan have readers rooting for the pair. Populated by a cast of creatively re-imagined characters like Bex’s twin Lacey (Pippa’s stand-in) and Nick’s troublemaking younger brother, Freddie, this story takes the concept of the royal romance, brings warmth and humanity to its characters, and spins it into a truly delightful read.
Read if a) you’re an Anglophile b) you enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Anne Shaffer.
Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari
For those who prefer to have the reading done for them, this audio book is just the thing. What better way to pass your commute than by listening to Ansari’s self-deprecating but well-researched investigation of how finding love has changed in the modern era? It’s not often that you get to hear an author annotate his own work via a stand-up-inspired reading. While the combination of humor and sociological investigation may seem a little forced at times, Ansari masterfully captures the hilarity of dating in the digital age—from breaking down the nuances of the all-important first text message to exploring the new factors that have made it harder for people to choose a life partner.
Listen if a) you enjoy analyzing millennials b) are looking for a good dinner-party discussion topic.
