Methodologie

Summer reading lists are supposed to be about guilty pleasures. Judging by this list, some of us are guiltier than others. But we don’t judge. It’s time to put down the heavy stuff and indulge a little. Here’s what’s on our list this summer.

The Passage by Justin Cronin
Just when the Twilight books sucked the life out of the vampire genre, along comes this book to give it new unlife. But seriously, it’s a truly good book. (Suggested by Norman Guadagno)

Faithful Place by Tana French
Her third novel after two amazing previous books, French returns to Ireland for another tale of murder, drinking, and detectives. (Suggested by Norman Guadagno)

The Known World by Edward P. Jones
A story about black slave owners in the South before the Civil War. (Suggested by Reeve Washburn)

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
A story that bounces between modern-day life and World War II Paris. (Suggested by Reeve Washburn)

The Wind Up Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Explores what could become reality if genetic modification “goes bad.” Interesting postulation on genetically modified ambulatory organisms and humans, and biological warfare. We promise it’s easier to read than the previous sentence. (Suggested by Elizabeth Combs)

Omnivores Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
“Good or bad, I’m a sucker for a story about corn.” (Suggested by Dale Hart)

Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook by Anthony Bourdain
He gives high praise for those he admires and tears apart those in the culinary world he despises. The opening chapter alone—in which he graphically recalls a secret dinner where they ate a taboo meal—is worth the read. (Suggested by Marianne Blackburn)

2001: A Space Odysseyby Arthur C. Clarke
A mind-bending classic with wide appeal outside the sci-fi genre. (Suggested by Shannyn Roberts)

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
A timeless story about small-town Southern life at the turn of the last century. “This is a book that my mom, grandma, and I all read at the same time, so I hold it close to my heart.” (Suggested by Shannyn Roberts)

Innocent by Scott Turow
A great courtroom drama with interesting characters. (Suggested by Janet DeDonato)

The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris
A man suffers from an unnamed condition that makes him take random, spontaneous walks against his will. (Suggested by Minh Nguyen)

Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson
A noirish take on covert operations during the Vietnam War. Very dark, very humid. (Suggested by Minh Nguyen)

The Steig Larsson books—The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
“Super fun!” Enough said. (Suggested by Dacia Ray)

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafón
The son of a widowed bookstore owner discovers a rare novel by an obscure author—and a mysterious disfigured man who has been burning every copy he can find. (Suggested by Jen Largent)

The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
Prescriptions from the famous choreographer for turning pent-up creativity into finished projects. (Suggested by Jen Largent)

The Help by Kathryn Sockett
A great commentary about life in the South amidst the budding civil rights movement filled with sadness and humor. (Suggested by Regina Baerwalde)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A classic coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of prejudice and racism in depression-era Alabama—always worth rereading. (Suggested by Regina Baerwalde and Reeve Washburn)