Summer Reading

Recently, my beloved mother took me on a trip to Barnes and Noble. On that magical afternoon, I picked out my summer reading titles. Here’s what I’m planning on reading and any random thoughts I feel like including:



Truth and Beauty – Ann Patchett

As I write this, I have already finished this book. I would describe it as an elegiac memoir. Patchett writes about her long friendship with the poet Lucy Grealy. Early on, the author uses the analogy of the ant and grasshopper to describe their relationship. Ann was the sensible, maternal force in Lucy’s life. And Lucy was an unpredictable and selfish spirit in Ann’s existence. Their co-dependence drives their lives almost as much as their ambition. The tale ends with Lucy’s death from an accidental overdose after a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol befitting a poet. There is much much more to this story and I’d recommend this book to anyone. I could also go on about it for pages, but I’m going to stop here.



Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh

First of all, I was pissed to discover that Evelyn was a man. Secondly, I’m pumped to read this book. I watched the movie not long ago, and although it was good, I was so excited to read the book and learn more about the characters that I didn’t finish the movie. It comes off as prosy, but still readable.



Little Children – Tom Perrotta

This movie left me feeling incredibly depressed and a bit icky. So boy was I surprised when I picked up this novel and it was funny! Almost made me laugh out loud in a public place funny! I’m excited to dive further into this tale of dysfunctional suburbanites and their sexual indiscretions.



The House of the Spirits – Isabel Allende

This is one of those modern classics I somehow missed in my literary education. The only Allende I’ve read was her memoir of her family’s departure from Chile under the Pinochet regime. I like a good Latin American family drama, and I think this one will deliver.



Three Cups of Tea – Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin

I’ve heard many rave reviews of this book and the story of “one man’s mission to promote peace, one school at a time” should be engaging. It’s always helpful to learn about countries like Pakistan because you never know when they are going to act up and you’ll be able to display your newfound info at dinner parties and bars everywhere. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a prime example of something I only started to read but still left with enough knowledge to impress people in the current revolutionary climate of Iran. Watching Persepolis helped too.

That’s my summer reading plan. I might throw a few more in there as I come across them. Currently, I’ve finished on and started the next. I think I’m keeping a good pace. What are you reading this summer?