The best list of beach reads
It should be no secret that I love to read: it’s been my favorite hobby since I was a kid. I think there’s an element of only child-ness in there: I love how easy it is to amuse yourself when you’re lost in a good book, no matter where you are. Like Hemingway said: “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” And that said, a good book is the most valuable travel companion there is!
And with summer vacation coming up, here’s an overview of my favorite reads: they’ll keep you enthralled through a long flight or a delayed flight, or on those days where your biggest problem is what beach to visit or how long your mojito is taking. I’ve grouped them rather loosely: the classics should be required reading, the ones can’t put down are exactly what they sound like, the books that keep on giving are sequel or trilogy sets and the ones on my list are the books I’m hoping to read this spring and summer. Enjoy!
The Classics
- The Poisonwood Bible (+ anything by Barbara Kingsolver)
- A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- The Handmaid’s Tale (+ anything by Margaret Atwood)
- To Kill A Mockingbird
- The Fountainhead (+ anything by Ayn Rand)
- The Good Earth
- Pride and Prejudice (+ anything by Jane Austen)
The Ones You Can’t Put Down
- The Husband’s Secret (+ anything by Liane Moriarty)
- The Girl on the Train
- Snow White Must Die
- The Boys in the Boat
- The Night Circus
The Books that Keep On Giving
- Comanche Moon + Lonesome Dove (there is also Dead Man’s Walk and Streets of Laredo, but I recommend starting with Lonesome Dove and going from there)
- Pillars of the Earth + World Without End
- The Hunger Games + Catching Fire + Mockingjay
The Ones on my List
- My Brilliant Friend (the first in a trilogy, and recommended by Garance!)
- The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (because it was a darling of all the bloggers and the New York Times when it was released, and I already have my boyfriend asking “if it sparks joy” before he buys something)
- Unbecoming (recommended by my roommate!)
- All The Lights We Cannot See (recommended by my friend Katelyn!)
- The Pearl That Broke Its Shell (recommended by my mom!)
What is on your reading list this summer? What is your go-to classic book recommendation?
p.s. bibliophiles might also enjoy the Providence Athenaeum and a visit to the Morgan Library!
