5 Great Books To Read This Summer! | Guest Post

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Today's post is a guest post by Cassie from Culturecoverage.com

I hope you enjoy seeing some of her favourite books! xx

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5 Great Books to Read This Summer

I live by the idea that summer reading should be totally enjoyable—be it an adventure read or something a little more fantastical, any summer literature pick should be jam-packed with imagination, laughs and characters that turn into personal heroes.

So for this list I’ll skip all the summer favorites with a long history of being culturally relevant and give you five titles that will make you feel great. From excellent travel essays to childhood classics that have just gotten better with time, these picks are sure to add mystery, madness and fun to any summer adventure. 

1.     “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” by Neil Gaiman

From the famed British writer that brought us “Stardust” comes this short novel with the same degree of otherworldliness but in a decidedly different journey. When an unnamed character travels home to attend a funeral, he meets people and memories of events that happened many years ago but still haunt and shape him today.

As the book combines both the real and the surreal, our nameless protagonist revisits one of his most defining friendships with his neighbor Lettie, her family, and their backyard pond and the incidents that unfold around them. For fans of Madeline L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” Gaiman’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” builds on the suspense of a parallel universe invading our own and culminates with the truth about how hard it can be to rediscover the things we forget as we get old.

2.     “The Happy Prince and Other Tales” by Oscar Wilde

Wilde may be by one of the most famous writers of the English language, but that doesn’t mean reading him is akin to your high school language arts class. Instead, this delightful tale (written for the younger set but equally loved by all) is a collection of five shorts: “The Happy Prince,” “The Nightingale and the Rose,” “The Selfish Giant,” “The Devoted Friend,” and “The Remarkable Rocket.” They all include typical Wildean charm and wit while also highlighting key lessons that every person is better for learning.

With a great audiobook on YouTube read by the wickedly talented Stephen Fry, it’s perfect for listening to on a road trip with the whole family, no matter where you wander. For international travelers, just grab a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to use on any of your mobile devices before charting course to your next destination; it’ll allow you access no matter where you’re headed to next. 

3.     “Allegheny Front” by Matthew Neill Null

Matthew Neill Null charts this collection of short stories in the Allegheny region of the Appalachian Mountains for an adventure into the lives of the people and wildlife that lived there. Delving into a particular set of history, Null takes down the unique and little-known stories of a region that would eventually come apart due to fracking, mining and burning coal.

Winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize for short fiction, “Allegheny Front” may not be your lightest of reads, but it certainly will be one of your fastest. The devilish storytelling of the West Virginia author is both lyrical and devastating, painting a picture of his homeland that one will not soon forget.

4.     “The World’s Largest Man” by Harrison Scott Key

If laughing is your favorite way to read, then Key’s “The World’s Largest Man” is exactly the book for you. Starting with his childhood and winding all the way to his present, Key outlines his rural Southern upbringing and the figure that defined his childhood: his father. Some pages will make you laugh and some will make you cry, but it’s the authenticity of this tale that will keep you coming back for more.

With hunting trips with his brother and father, to making cupcakes with his mother and reading in secret, this body of work is one readers from all walks of life will sympathize with and praise as one that is as funny as it is truthful about relationships and the journey of growing up.

5.     “Voyager: Travel Writings” by Russell Banks

What better beachside read than a travel compilation? In “Voyager: Travel Writing,” Banks reflects on a lifetime of traveling and writing as he has traipsed across the world. From Scotland to the Caribbean, this wonderful book contains individual essays that are always grounded in their location and then expand to include the narrator’s own trials and tribulations in relationships, emotional growth, and the responsibilities around him.

Throw in the courtship of his fourth wife, limitless incidences of going after one’s wants and desires, and a deep understanding and reverence for a particular place, and you’ll understand the draw of Banks’ writings to any lover of reading and travel.

These books come from every genre: essay, fantasy, memoir, and children’s books; and that’s what makes this a summer reading list so great and diverse. So pick a title and start there—there’s not a bad one to choose!

About Me: Cassie Phillips is more than just your average reader—she’s a self-diagnosed bibliophile, and she’s not looking to be cured any time soon. From historical dramas to fantasy adventure series, she’s open and welcome to all great reads and loves to write about them for CultureCoverage.com. She hopes you enjoy this list of great summer reads, and if you have any suggestions of additional titles, comment below!