Letter 150: Book Girl Summer, Vol 5
When we rejoice in summertime reading
Our fifth Book Girl Summer is here!
Many, many of our conversations revolve around books. What are you reading? Did you enjoy such and such book? What are you planning on reading? Below you will find some of our recommendations for the summer. Have you read any of them? Join the conversation and tell us what you are reading in the comments below!
Hot tip: Bookshop is offering free shipping during their Anti-Prime Sale (July 8-11) so stock up and help support independent bookstores instead of mega-yachts. —Anita & Molly
And just in case you want to check out our past Book Girl Summer Lists:
Anita
This Is Happiness by Niall Williams
This novel is set in the quiet Irish town of Faha in County Clare and told by an old man looking back on his teenage years when electricity first arrived, and he encountered his first love and loss. That's the set-up, a simple premise. But it's too simple, really, because what this book contains, besides happiness, is everything in life. Love, laughter, the wisdom and patience of a long marriage, life in a small town, regrets, memories, coming of age, patience, nature, aging, acceptance and denial....you get the idea. There are memorable quotes on every page, lyrical writing, and a plot that moves along at the speed of life. Meaning not much happens until it does. And when it does, you are right there beside them all. This may not appeal to readers who prefer their books to have a faster pace, but I was enthralled by Faha, this time and these quirky people.
The Whole Language by Gregory Boyle
Barking to the Choir by Gregory Boyle
Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle
If you are searching for some inspiration for yourself and for the world, check out any of Father Gregory Boyle’s memoirs about Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention program in the world. With humor and tenderness, drawing upon Sufi poets, mystics, the gospel and the spirituality of the Jesuit order of which he is a member, Boyle reminds us of our unshakable goodness and what is possible when we treat everyone, EVERYONE, with dignity and kindness. There is a lot of God talk here, but it’s the best kind of God talk: inclusive, healing, loving. Boyle posits that only compassion, kinship and tenderness can and will solve our complex social dilemmas. You will laugh and cry as you learn about the “homies” and all they have to teach us.
Kate
Following a woman’s solo trip through a hot summer in Athens, this book is uniquely and entirely itself. Unlike any book I’ve read before, the disconnected line of characters is vague and lacks emotional depth. But, their abrupt revelations of relational perspectives are insightful and compelled me to read them over and over again. Through these vaguely developed characters, Cusk connects the mundane to the profound. Typically, my kind of page-turned requires a deep character development and narrative, but Cusk embodies the reader as an audience among the characters in a way that keeps you enthralled and interested.
Coexist: A Collection of Poetry by Kate Robinson
Who would I be if I didn’t recommend my own books?!? If you didn’t already know, I’m a two-time self-published poet! Starting in middle school, I published my first book Inside Her Mind in 8th grade. It is incredibly raw and a direct insight into my mind as a 13-year-old (hence the title). At that time, poetry was my way of understanding who I am. My second book, Coexist, explores who I am in relation to this big, complex world around me - how I coexist with my environment. I published Coexist last September. My last summer was spent cultivating it, so I hope you can enjoy reading it this summer! ;)
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Everything I Know About Love is something every 20-30-year-old woman should read. I read it at 16, but that’s my consensus. It feels as if you’re reading the journal of a woman as she figures out who she is from her 20s to 30s. It encapsulates romantic relationships, friendships, and the art of loving oneself through all phases. Alderton sheds light on the reality of being a young woman in today’s society with humor and sentiment. It is overall nostalgic and reassuring. It’s as if you’re reading a journal, but a best friend’s advice as well.
Molly
Thanks to my dermatological nurse practitioner, Lauren, I went through a pretty serious Ali Hazelwood phase this winter. One book led to the next, and before I knew it, I had devoured Bride, The Love Hypothesis, and Love Theoretically. Note that the spice factor is high on all three, but they are also quick reads if you need to disconnect your brain from, say, the news or other heavy topics surrounding us these days. Ask most twenty and thirty-year-olds, and they will probably share that they’ve been through their own Hazelwood phase. I did enjoy the sharp, intelligent female protagonists and the inside baseball academia call-outs. Hazelwood’s work is perfect for summertime — have fun!
I do love a memoir (those 2022 recs are still so solid three years later!) and this one did. not. disappoint. Like any incredible storyteller, I still think about this book even though I finished it months ago. Amy Griffin writes an incredibly honest and vulnerable unpacking of an experience that is difficult even to fathom, let alone write about. This book asks the reader to consider what we do with our truths, where we put them and how we share them with others. I canceled plans to stay home and finish this book, unable to put it down for two days. I commend Griffin on her bravery and am grateful for what her offering will do for future generations who carry the weight of their own hidden stories.
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Many of you have probably already heard about or read this book. Book clubs everywhere are dressing up in their old wedding gowns and talking about the great plotlines, sharp characters and unique twists in this book. I will note that this book was initially difficult for me to get into, and I had to make several attempts. It took my best friend texting me, saying: “I knew you would have a hard time getting into it, but trust me: you are going to love this book.” With that nod of encouragement, I stuck with it and was so grateful I did. This story contains valuable lessons and heartfelt truths that I think many of us can recognize in ourselves, just a little.
With gratitude,
Anita, Kate & Molly
P.S. What have you read this summer and loved? Share with us in the comments!
Adding all of these to the list of summer reads! Thank you TLC. Let the bookshelves keep on growing...
Thank you my reading gurus for all of the recs. All have been added to my Goodreads queue. Except for "Everything I Know..." as I have already read it and concur with Kate: a heart-echoing and press-into-your-best-friends-hands kind of book.