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The week before last I wrote about setting up a summer of joie de vivre—and one of the great summer pleasures for me is reading books.
Not reading stuff on my phone on my commute, not listening to informative podcasts (which I also do love). Not reading articles that I have to read for work or research…reading BOOKS. Books with stories and plots and characters and big ideas and other perspectives and other worlds.
The summer when my baby was turning one, I found myself clawing back toward a life that included some pleasure and mental health elements for myself. And interestingly one of the best parts of my day that summer was spending 20-30 minutes reading a novel.
Reading had as much—or more—of a positive effect on me that anything else that I did that summer. It made me just…feel…good?
I love reading—I have always loved reading—but since I had a kid I had to start scheduling in time to read, the way I had to schedule other things that feel good.
And guess what—research bears out that reading books is good for us. Studies found that reading reduces stress by almost 70% (more than having a cup of tea—but I say hey, why not both?) Another study found that reading can actually lower blood pressure and reduce muscle tension (which definitely cannot be said about scrolling social media).
So what are you reading this summer, and what should I add to my summer reading list??
I’ll go first: An ideal summer read for me is female-forward character-wise, ideally written by a woman, and written fairly recently (like within the last 10 years). Bonus points for epic sweeps, inter-generational narratives, and deep dives into niche fields of study. Fiction and non-fiction welcome.
Here are some of the books that have set me on fire the last few summers, any recommendations in this vein are much appreciated! (Also, I recommend reading these books if you haven’t!)
The Elena Ferrante novels, of course, which sustained me for quite some time. (Much of my summer reading quest is simply answering the question, “What do I read now that I have finished the Ferrante novels??”)
So far this summer I’m reading “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin and I’m obsessed, just like everyone said that I would be. Like, I’m going to get back to reading it as soon as I’m done writing this :)
BTW: most of my best reading recs come from my bestie Shauna Summers who, as a book editor, literally reads books for a living. She gives great recs and updates on her books all the time on her Instagram account, @shaunalinka. Many others come from my friend @shaylafrandsen also has impeccable taste and reads about 1,000 books a month and posts clever reviews and commentary on them.
Happy summer reading for pleasure, and leave your recs below!
Love this and thanks for the amazing recs. I just got back from vacation and my best day was the day my kid asked if we could stay inside and just read! Her with Harry Potter 4 and me with Rebecca Makkai’s The Great Believers which was so incredibly well-drawn, moving, funny, tragic and life-affirming even as it describes communities and people devastated by the AIDS crisis and the neglect of politicians and our health care system. Cannot recommend highly enough!
Oh, I can't wait for that day (when E can actually read)...what a dream! And Harry Potter 4 was my very favorite one!! What a treat. Thank you for the Great Believers rec, I have not read! Maybe we can swap :) I feel like we just need so many stories of hope and resilience and humor right now :)
Yay! You look so content on that deck on a sunny day (what a great book cover). I'm going to check out Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Thank you for the reminder to sit down and read. I forget how much I enjoy holding a real book and that wonderful feeling of getting lost in the pages. I had no idea it's proven to help us de-stress. I'm going to tell everyone I know!
I was truly so content! In fact I miss that deck right now. BUT! I am still lugging Tomorrow everywhere with me, including on the subway right now, bc I can't put it down. I think you would really like it bc it's all about creating stories!
I love reading! It was also my way back to myself after becoming a mom in 2021. I just read and loved One Two Three by Laurie Frankel. Thanks for sharing your recs - Tomorrow was SO GOOD!
Tomorrow is soooo good! I'm abut 3/4 of the way through and I can already tell I'll be sad when it's over! I am, at this moment, shlepping the heavy hardcover all over town in my handbag bc I can't put it down. Thank you for the One Two Three rec, I had not heard of that one!
Ah, you're the second person to recommend Cloud Cuckoo Land in the last week--I think it's a sign!
And I've read parts of the Argonauts but thanks for the reminder that I really need to read the whole thing.
I read Matrix and Groff's first book, The Monsters of Templeton. But Fates and Furies was my favorite--like one of those books that just blew me away. if you try it I hope you love it!
Yes! I recently got back into reading again. I would consider myself a “reader” and “book lover”, but the consistency of which I read daily always seems to come and go in waves. And there is something about summer that makes me want to devour a good story…!
I started reading “The Cloisters” by Katy Hays.
I picked it up at BN the other week and have been enjoying it so far. I was first drawn to it because it takes place at The Cloisters(an extension of The Metropolitan Museum here in NYC) and Fort Tryon Park area, which is where I live. I was interested to see how my neighborhood and NYC would be depicted. The story is reminiscent of one of my favorite books, The Secret History by Donna Tartt (which I highly recommend)!
Thank you for this article- reading for pleasure is such an important part of Self Care for so many of us that we sometimes forget to prioritize. I’m definitely going to try one of your recommendations once I’m finished with my current book!
Um....the Cloisters and the Secret History?! I am sold. Now I'm also dying to see how the neighborhood is depicted. And also I'm one of the people who loves The Secret History the best of Tartt's books even though I know the Goldfinch is like the magnum opus. Thanks for this!
Love this and thanks for the amazing recs. I just got back from vacation and my best day was the day my kid asked if we could stay inside and just read! Her with Harry Potter 4 and me with Rebecca Makkai’s The Great Believers which was so incredibly well-drawn, moving, funny, tragic and life-affirming even as it describes communities and people devastated by the AIDS crisis and the neglect of politicians and our health care system. Cannot recommend highly enough!
Oh, I can't wait for that day (when E can actually read)...what a dream! And Harry Potter 4 was my very favorite one!! What a treat. Thank you for the Great Believers rec, I have not read! Maybe we can swap :) I feel like we just need so many stories of hope and resilience and humor right now :)
Yay! You look so content on that deck on a sunny day (what a great book cover). I'm going to check out Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. Thank you for the reminder to sit down and read. I forget how much I enjoy holding a real book and that wonderful feeling of getting lost in the pages. I had no idea it's proven to help us de-stress. I'm going to tell everyone I know!
I was truly so content! In fact I miss that deck right now. BUT! I am still lugging Tomorrow everywhere with me, including on the subway right now, bc I can't put it down. I think you would really like it bc it's all about creating stories!
I love reading! It was also my way back to myself after becoming a mom in 2021. I just read and loved One Two Three by Laurie Frankel. Thanks for sharing your recs - Tomorrow was SO GOOD!
Tomorrow is soooo good! I'm abut 3/4 of the way through and I can already tell I'll be sad when it's over! I am, at this moment, shlepping the heavy hardcover all over town in my handbag bc I can't put it down. Thank you for the One Two Three rec, I had not heard of that one!
Oh I read this one in a few hours https://thisbookchangedmylife.substack.com/p/48-memoirs-of-a-woman-doctor-nawal
and this is most definitely my fave book for at least the last 5 years
https://thisbookchangedmylife.substack.com/p/41-marzahn-mon-amour-katia-oskamp
Oh how lovely, thank you! The cover alone on this first one is a beauty !
Thanks for all of these recommendations. The only one on your list I recognized was The Sum of Us, so a lot more to look into.
I am reading The Covenant of Water, Abraham Vergese, a very long book which will take me the whole Summer.
Love your list! I love female forward page turners:
Plowed through Lauren Groff’s other books Matrix and Arcadia - need to read Fate and Furies!
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr was an incredible journey.
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews was ultimately sad, but quite funny and beautiful along the way.
The Fourth Child by Jessica Winter was poignant.
Re-reading The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson now that I am a Mom. Not a page turner but so
brilliant how she weaves the personal with the theory. Makes you work (and feel smart because of the effort).
Ah, you're the second person to recommend Cloud Cuckoo Land in the last week--I think it's a sign!
And I've read parts of the Argonauts but thanks for the reminder that I really need to read the whole thing.
I read Matrix and Groff's first book, The Monsters of Templeton. But Fates and Furies was my favorite--like one of those books that just blew me away. if you try it I hope you love it!
Yes! I recently got back into reading again. I would consider myself a “reader” and “book lover”, but the consistency of which I read daily always seems to come and go in waves. And there is something about summer that makes me want to devour a good story…!
I started reading “The Cloisters” by Katy Hays.
I picked it up at BN the other week and have been enjoying it so far. I was first drawn to it because it takes place at The Cloisters(an extension of The Metropolitan Museum here in NYC) and Fort Tryon Park area, which is where I live. I was interested to see how my neighborhood and NYC would be depicted. The story is reminiscent of one of my favorite books, The Secret History by Donna Tartt (which I highly recommend)!
Thank you for this article- reading for pleasure is such an important part of Self Care for so many of us that we sometimes forget to prioritize. I’m definitely going to try one of your recommendations once I’m finished with my current book!
Um....the Cloisters and the Secret History?! I am sold. Now I'm also dying to see how the neighborhood is depicted. And also I'm one of the people who loves The Secret History the best of Tartt's books even though I know the Goldfinch is like the magnum opus. Thanks for this!