It’s May. IT’S MAY!
I’m excited because the month of May is sort of like the year’s Summer Preview. The great weather starts to make an appearance to remind you it’s time to make Summer plans.
What Summer is complete without some good books on hand? First on my list to read is Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. Next is LListening is an Act of Love, by Dave Isay, which is a compilation from some of the most compelling StoryCorps interviews (another reason to listen to Public Radio). I am also contemplating a re-run through the Harry Potter series just for fun, because what’s a Summer without Harry? but we’ll see.
Here are a few suggestions from my bookshelf for you- (and I’d love to get some suggestions from you to add to my list!)
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. The perfect Summer read. Completely lovely.
Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton. I love Edith Wharton’s social commentary & observations. Think Jane Austen, but with way more heartbreak.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. Love, betrayal, revenge, redemption. Think if this as your summer blockbuster. And the book is so much better than the movie.
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. You are all Anne fans, right? If not, you should be.
The Fablehaven Series by Brandon Mull. I just finished the third one yesterday! I have the privilege of knowing Brandon. He and my husband were in a comedy troupe together and Brandon tells a great story.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I recently read “Farewell Summer” the book that follows “Dandelion Wine” that Bradbury recently published. I would also recommend:
The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
These is my words by Nancy Turner
The Color Purple by alice Walker
The No. Ladies Detective agency by alexander McCall Smith
Happy reading
The Midford Series is hysterical!!!! You will find yourself laughing outloud!
You named some of my favorites.
Reading Lolita in Tehran was one of the best books I read last summer. Also, I just finished Peace Like a River and The Glass Castle, which were both amazing books. And for fun.. I love P.G. Wodehouse he’s a hoot.
Loved Suite Francaise but keep the tissues handys…especially if you read the appendix at the end. *sniff, sniff*
Oh! I just re-read Anne of GG for a lark. I love her.
I’m currently reading Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Not a light read, but a reminder of what it means to be a good scientist.
i just read age of innocence by edith wharton, and i really loved suite francaise. i have another one of hers to read, les biens de ce monde in my pile to read. its just in french, and i’ll need my dictionary for half the words!!!
Anne of Green Gables – my favorite! I also love the movies.
Other books you might want to add to your list – The Kite Runner, Great Expectations, A Severe Mercy, Emma…
i loved, really loved Glimpses of the Moon. I’m into biographies of obscure people right now, particularly Inuit/Eskimo people. Ada Blackjack was a great read – she was the sole survivor of a really poorly planned Arctic expedition. And i just started Give Me My father’s Body – the Life of Minik the New York Eskimo.
That’s a great list, you’ve convinced me that I really should read Count of Monte Cristo, it’s one of the only Dumas books I haven’t read. On my summer list is also The Poisonwood Bible (since it’s been sitting on my shelf for ages), Anansi Boys, Chocolat (again :), and Pride and Prejudice
I just finished Listening is an Act of Love a month or so ago and it is wonderful. Keep the tissues handy!
The Friday Night Knitting Club- Kate Jacobs is an excellent book, easy to read, but with strong characters that take you into their worlds.
Also, a great book for parents is Wear Clean Underwear, a legal planning guide. This is a fun, informative guide on important issues, like estate planning and establishing legal guardians for your children in the event of an emergency. The author, Neely, is also offering free legal advice and several other bonus gifts for reviewing the book on your blog. If you’re interested in writing a review, please email alicia@goaldigger.com
Another great book is a sequel to Anne of Green Gables. It”s called “Rilla of Ingleside” and it’s about Anne’s daughter. I liked it even better than the original.
Yes, yes, and yes. The slower schedule of summer is a wonderful excuse for more reading, especially when it can be done in the hammock in the yard or on my front porch.
I think my daughter is going to read Harry Potter this summer, so I might read along with her. I never finished the series–I got through the first 4 and then held off, sort of waiting for it to be finished.
I love Edith Wharton (I especially love House of Mirth), but I have neglected to discover “Glimpses of the Moon.” Thanks!
I loved Anne of GG, and horded her books when I was a pre-teen. My mother tells me I used to quote the books to her, “…and then Anne said…”
My all-time favorite summer read was Les Miserables. A good, hefty tome that provided me with hours and hours and hours of love, hate, death, betrayal, honor, good, bad, redemption. Epic.