Summer Reading Beyond Beach Reads

Since summers in Las Vegas are so hot, it’s a great time to stay inside and read. I saw a funny tweet from Random House the other day that said, “The CDC says fully vaccinated people can still cancel plans to stay home and read.” Good thing!

I’ll be spending a lot of my time over the next few months consumed by research about life on the Oregon Trail, and listening to Los Angeles Dodgers games, but I’m always sure to carve out non-research reading time. I’ve already loaded my Kindle with some great books.

I know that many readers love what are called “Beach Reads.” Book Riot has a wonderful definition for Beach Reads: “…escapes from reality, easy to read, captivating, and accessible to many readers.”

I love Beach Reads as much as anyone, but sometimes I use summer as a time when I can delve into books that make me ponder the world a little more deeply. Here are four of the books I’ve been enjoying this summer.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Vuong is a poet, and you can tell from his beautifully constructed sentences and vivid imagery. If you love to read lyrical, poetic language as I do, then you will love this book.

Beyond the language is a moving story about a young man learning to feel comfortable in his own skin. It’s also about the struggles of traumatized immigrants who left a war-torn Vietnam to make a different life for themselves in the U.S.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

I had this novel downloaded on my Kindle for a while, but with the release of the movie, which I want to watch, I decided to read the book first.

The Underground Railroad is an intriguing combination of historical fiction and fantasy as it ponders what it might have been like if the Underground Railroad was actually a train. I was captivated by the story.

This is exactly the kind of book I love to read–one that takes chances and creates its own rules. Whitehead uses his imagination to create a world both true to life and fantastical, and he brings us along on his inspired ride.

What Happened To You? by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey

I’ve recently started learning about the effects trauma has on brain development. This book is more specifically about childhood trauma and how it can influence our psychological development. It’s an insightful and interesting combination of the scientific aspects, as shared by Dr. Perry, and the human aspects, as shared by Oprah.

This book is the perfect companion to Oprah’s series on Apple TV, The Me You Can’t See. If you or someone you know has suffered from trauma, you may find this book particularly helpful.

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

I loved Saunders’ novel Lincoln in the Bardo, and when I saw that he had a new book about Russian literature and the power of storytelling I knew I had to read it. I studied storytelling as part of my Ph.D. dissertation, and it’s a subject I remain fascinated with.

As a long-time writing teacher myself, I love the way Saunders uses classic works of Russian literature as a way to study storytelling, and, by extension, writing. If you’re a writer or a fan of short fiction from masters of the genre, this book is a must-read.

Any Book Can Be a Beach Read

Any book can be a Beach Read if you take it to the beach! My suggestion for summer reading is simple: read what you truly want to read rather than what you think you should read.

I’m sure I’ve bought more books than I can finish in the next two months, but that’s okay. We book lovers tend to buy books faster than we can read them. I’m looking forward to spending more time relaxing with an iced tea by my side and a good book in my hands.