Non-Beach Reads

Summer is upon us and what better way to enjoy summer than to lie in a hammock with a cool

breeze, a nice cold lemonade and a great book. But which book?

There are definitely books that you are more apt to read in the summer. They are usually

lighter, happier and carefree. Last year I decided to veer in a different path and I read those

books that people said were “must reads”.

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for more Summer Reading or Beach Reads

 While on vacation I packed my kindle and a few of our 50 cent sale books that just so happened

to be on my “must read” list. The flight was a long one so I was able to read How The Garcia

Girls Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez in it’s entirety. The girls and their parents flee the

Dominican Republic in 1960 and arrive in NYC where the girls embrace the culture including
the English language and bell bottom pants earning their parents disapproval. I left the book on
the plane for the next passenger to enjoy. First day on the beach, I began the Guernsey Literary

Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows. This was an absolutely charming

book but not exactly the carefree reading you associate with summer. A writer uncovers a letter

and begins a correspondence with the people of Guernsey. Her life and her writing become

entwined with people she has never met. When I finished that I embarked on Cutting For

Stone by Abraham Verghese. This is the story of two twin brothers orphaned when their mom

dies and their father disappears. The author leads you on the brothers journeys from birth to

adulthood from the poor villages of India to NYC. Yes, It is a fabulous book but it is not a

beach read not to mention how much space it took up in my bag!! Oh I forgot to mention, my

kindle is full of those cozy mysteries about quintessential towns, cheese and flower shops and

culinary delights. Easy reads but is murder really a fun summer read?

I realized I was doing my summer reading homework while on vacation. My children hadn’t

packed their required summer reading for school but it appeared I had. During one of our

sightseeing excursions, we came across a quaint town with a great little coffee shop, and an

even better new and used bookstore. Blissfully I selected books native to the area as well as

true beach reads. Soon I was immersed in a world of beach barbeques, drinks with quaint

umbrellas sticking out of them and true summer fun.

I’ve learned my lesson. This year when we head out for vacation I will pack the newest book by

Taylor Jenkins Reid ~ One True Loves, and perhaps a Dorothea Benton Frank. I will save

those “must reads” for the fall when the children go back to school and we can all do our

homework together. Of course, I sure hope our vacation includes at least one new bookstore to

peruse.

~ Ann-Marie Sieczka

      June 17, 2016