My Summer Reading List: 2019 Edition
Update: I’ve now shared quick reviews for the majority of these books in this post. If you’re interested in any of these books, that’s the place to go to see what I thought of them!
This is the second year that I’ve created a summer reading list for myself. To be honest, it’s more like a summer reading wish list than an ‘I actually expect to read all these books’ list. But there’s something about taking the time to thoughtfully choose the books I want to read in an upcoming season that makes reading feel special and energizing. Last summer, I was able to get through a lot more books than I expected! And having the guideline of what to read next helped a TON.
You can see last summer’s reading list here. There’s a recap of what I thought of all the books I read here.
This year, for the sake of being a well-rounded reader, I broke up my list into genres and selected three books for each. If the last day of summer ends on September 23 (it does, I checked), this gives me 15 weeks to read 15 books. I wish I could say I planned that, but I didn’t! How crazy is that? A book a week is an easy reading pace for me, but only if I’m not watching too much tv. This should be a good challenge for me! 🙂
A few quick tips for getting more reading in
- Always have a book on hand. For me, this means having a book on my nightstand and a couple Kindle books I can read using the Kindle app on my phone. And also maybe an audiobook too.
- Read more than one book at once. I read different types of books during different parts of the day. Mornings are for non-fiction. Evenings are usually for fiction. This is another reason why I chose multiple genres for my summer reading list!
- For sure listen to audiobooks. They make commutes and chores so much better, plus you can cross more books off your list this way too!
- Decide ahead of time how much of a book you have to read. When you reach that point, ditch it if you’re still not interested.
- Don’t be afraid to read in bits and pieces. You don’t have to have large chunks of unoccupied time to make good progress in a book!
- Know which book(s) you’re going to read next. You can create your own summer reading list.
Any tips I missed? Please share in the comments!
Without further ado, here’s my summer reading list:
Something Fun
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
This beautiful, thoughtful novel illuminates a world turned upside down, one where the women are in charge, engaging in dangerous physical work, and the men take care of the children. A classic Lisa See story—one of women’s friendships and the larger forces that shape them—The Island of Sea Womenintroduces readers to the fierce and unforgettable female divers of Jeju Island and the dramatic history that shaped their lives.
Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson
Charming romantic comedy perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella. Charlotte Gorman loves her job as an elementary school librarian, which couldn’t be more opposite from her identical twin sister. Ginny, an Instagram-famous beauty pageant contestant, but the winning plan quickly goes awry when Ginny has a terrible, face-altering allergic reaction the night before the pageant, and Charlotte suddenly finds herself in a switcheroo the twins haven’t successfully pulled off in decades. But as she discovers there’s more to her fellow contestants than just wanting a sparkly crown, Charlotte realizes she has a whole new motivation for winning.
Small Space Style by Whitney Leigh Morris
I stumbled across Whitney’s blog the other day and thought her style was so charming. While our condo here in Arlington (589 square feet) isn’t that small for the two of us, I still feel like I could use all the small space living tips I can get. I’ve put myself on the library hold list for this one and am looking forward to flipping through the pretty pictures.
Interior design maven Whitney Leigh Morris makes living in under 400 square feet look elegant and effortless—even with a husband, baby, and two Beagles in the mix. In her debut book, Whitney shares her ideas and practices for making any tiny space efficient and stylish—whether it’s a rustic A-frame in the woods or a chic microapartment in the city.
Something Historical
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
I’ve had this book on my shelf for approximately 5 gazillion years, and have even started reading it several times. I always end up putting it aside for something lighter (literally. this book is a long’un!). I’d love to finish up this book this summer.
In this epic, beautifully written masterwork, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson chronicles one of the great untold stories of American history: the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life.
Washington: A life by Ron Chernow
Now that we live in the nation’s capital, I thought it would be really fun to read a book about each of the United States presidents. I’m not positive that I want to 100% commit myself to this long of a project yet. Reading about the 1st president seems like a good place to find out though. I picked this one because a quick google search informed me that it’s the most interesting biography about George Washington.
Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one volume biography of George Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his adventurous early years, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America’s first president. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow shatters forever the stereotype of George Washington as a stolid, unemotional figure and brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods.
John Adams by David McCullough
If reading a biography about the first president goes well, it only makes sense to read one about the second! I’ve heard about this author a lot but have never read any of his books myself. Also, I just saw someone reading it on the metro. That feels like a sign.
Something to Learn
Finish by Jon Acuff
I’ve been following Jon Acuff on Instagram for yeeeeaars. His are probably the posts I share with my husband most just because they’re so funny. But I’ve also learned a lot about business and personal development from him too. I’ve been wanting to read one of his books for a while now. Since I’m really good at starting things and really bad at finishing them, this feels like a great place to start 😉
According to studies, 92 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. You’ve practically got a better shot at getting into Juilliard to become a ballerina than you do at finishing your goals.
If you’re tired of being a chronic starter and want to become a consistent finisher, you have two options: You can continue to beat yourself up and try harder, since this time that will work. Or you can give yourself the gift of done.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
I don’t know a whole lot about this book or its author, but I DO know that it’s one of my favorite subjects. I have heard quite a few recommendations for this particular book!
Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.
Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler
To be honest, this book sort of intimidates me. It sounds way too academic or expert for me. But it’s about money and the way that people actually behave with it, which also sounds fascinating, so I’m going to give it a try!
Nobel laureate Richard H. Thaler has spent his career studying the radical notion that the central agents in the economy are humans―predictable, error-prone individuals. Misbehaving is his arresting, frequently hilarious account of the struggle to bring an academic discipline back down to earth―and change the way we think about economics, ourselves, and our world.
Something Financial
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
This book is such a personal finance classic that I’ve been meaning to read. (noticing a theme with my summer reading list?). I hadn’t considered reading it when I first heard about it because I thought it was for dads. Crazy assumption, huh? But it’s about a lot more, including challenging the assumptions and mindsets we have when it comes to money that aren’t doing us any favors.
In Rich Dad Poor Dad, the #1 Personal Finance book of all time, Robert Kiyosaki shares the story of his two dad: his real father, whom he calls his ‘poor dad,’ and the father of his best friend, the man who became his mentor and his ‘rich dad.’ One man was well educated and an employee all his life, the other’s education was “street smarts” over traditional classroom education and he took the path of entrepreneurship…a road that led him to become one of the wealthiest men in Hawaii. Robert’s poor dad struggled financially all his life, and these two dads—these very different points of view of money, investing, and employment—shaped Robert’s thinking about money.
The Simple Path to Wealth by J.L. Collins
This books comes highly recommended from Liz over at the Frugalwoods blog. Some of the things it covers I know well, like how to avoid debt and what to do if you have it. But there are a lot of topics that I don’t know much about and would love to learn about like
- understanding the stock market
- figuring out the world of saving for retirement
- whether we’ll ever need an investment advise
Fun stuff, no?
“In the dark, bewildering, trap-infested jungle of misinformation and opaque riddles that is the world of investment, JL Collins is the fatherly wizard on the side of the path, offering a simple map, warm words of encouragement and the tools to forge your way through with confidence. You’ll never find a wiser advisor with a bigger heart.” — Malachi Rempen: Filmmaker, cartoonist, author and self-described ruffian
The Millionare Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley
Here’s another classic personal finance book I’d love to have under my belt. I love the idea of people building wealth not to live super flashy lives but to love their families well and give generously.
The bestselling The Millionaire Next Door identifies seven common traits that show up again and again among those who have accumulated wealth. Most of the truly wealthy in this country don’t live in Beverly Hills or on Park Avenue-they live next door.
Something Old
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Confession. I’ve been intending to re-read this book since the movie came out. In 2014. Has it really been that long? Did you see the movie and was it any good?
The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community. Lois Lowry has written three companion novels to The Giver, including Gathering Blue, Messenger, and Son.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
I’ve heard such great things about John Steinbeck but I’ve never read any of his works. I’m really looking forward to this one.
They are an unlikely pair: George is “small and quick and dark of face”; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a young child. Yet they have formed a “family,” clinging together in the face of loneliness and alienation.
Laborers in California’s dusty vegetable fields, they hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations of a flirtatious woman, nor predict the consequences of Lennie’s unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This classic sounds like a fun summer read. I can’t believe I made it through so many years of schooling without this one being on the required reading!
At the dawn of the next world war, a plane crashes on an uncharted island, stranding a group of schoolboys. At first, with no adult supervision, their freedom is something to celebrate. This far from civilization they can do anything they want. Anything. But as order collapses, as strange howls echo in the night, as terror begins its reign, the hope of adventure seems as far removed from reality as the hope of being rescued.
Bonus Fun Books
I realized that many of my books on my Summer Reading List are non-fiction and not exactly lighthearted. Here are four more bonus books, all ideas from Anne Bogel. I put myself on the hold list at my local library for each of them. Fingers crossed one or two of them will become available this summer!
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
What are you reading this summer?
Do you have any of the same books on your summer reading list? Which of these books is a must-read and, more importantly, are there any that you would recommend I take off my summer reading list?
Happy reading, friends!
