The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
What’s in your beach book bag this summer?
Here we are already at our annual look at what books people are reading this summer and would recommend to a friend.
Summer reading — whether it’s on the beach, in a backyard hammock or under a tree at a park — conjures a paperback you can fold, get stained with suntan lotion (or potato chips) and is so riveting you just can’t put it down. Maybe it transports you to somewhere you’ve never been, or offers a mystery to unravel or simply entertains.
Let’s turn to my trusty “think tank” of readers for tips on summer reading. (The think tank is an email list of readers who have either asked to be a part of it or interacted with me in some way, even if it’s to disagree about a column.) After questions in recent months about life in the pandemic, single-use plastic bags, and tolls, I think everyone was ready for something lighter.
First I’ll share what’s in my beach bag before we peek into others.
One book I hoped to put there is on back order. “The Vanishing Half,” by Brit Bennett is about twin sisters in the deep South who leave home at 16; one returns years later with a daughter, the other secretly “passes” as white and does not even tell her husband. It becomes a generational story from the 1950s through ’90s. Literary Hub called it “an engrossing page-turner about family and relationships that is immersive and provocative, compassionate and wise.”
Also, I’ll be reading “Decisions,” by Robert L. Dilenschneider, founder of a New York City public relations firm, former president and CEO of Hill & Knowton, and a Darien resident.
In his 15th published book, he explores decisions by 18 influencers and explains how to apply their principles into your own decision making.
As for the escapist book I just finished, I’ll get to that at the end of this column. Let’s hear from readers.
Randy Weaver of Stratford also recommends a book about real people, “Howard Stern Comes Again,” by Stern. “It’s multiple chapters of interviews with people from all walks of life,” Randy said. “Gone is the shock jock of the young Stern replaced by a thoughtful talented interviewer getting people to reveal their thoughts on all subjects along with his journey in therapy.”
Yes, Donald Trump from 16 years ago is in it. Randy called the book “entertaining and enlightening” and one of the best non fiction books he’s read.
Along those lines, Pat Kohl of Wallingford, highly recommends “The Way I Heard It: True Tales for the Curious Mind with a Short Attention Span,” by Mike Rowe of the show “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel.
It contains stories with little-known facts about well-known people, whom he doesn’t identify until the end. An “easy read, hard to put down,” it’s “funny, surprising, inspiring, insightful,” Pat said, adding that a new four-episode series of “Dirty Jobs: Rowe’d Trip” premiers on July 7.
I was a bit surprised to see that many readers are recommending nonfiction. Maybe it’s a sign of the serious pandemic times or, given the political climate these days, a search for reality.
Mike Hodish of Bethel just finished “The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Plague in History,” by John M. Barry. “It is a great read, explaining the background to the 1918 flu pandemic, both in terms of where the medical science was at the time, as well as social and political issues that effected the world’s response to the outbreak. Not much has changed from those days,” Mike said.
He’s moving on to “1984,” by George Orwell, for its relevancy to today’s world.
Catherine Mathieu of
West Haven urges everyone to read “Chasing The Scream, The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs,” by Johann Hari.
“I couldn’t put this book down. It’s both fascinating and an eye opener and at times heart wrenching. It’s based on facts and the author did extensive research to compile it,” Catherine said. “I believe the history revealed in this book will shock all that read it.”
Thomas E. Brown of
Stamford is reading “Burn Boston Burn,” by Wayne M. Miller. As a former firefighter and retired deputy fire marshal, he was drawn to the true crime story with the subtitle “The Largest Arson Case in the History Of the Country.”
It tells of a conspiracy of nine Boston cops and a firefighter who intentionally set on fire 264 buildings over two years in the city and its suburbs. It followed Proposition 2 1⁄2 in Massachusetts that led to layoffs of hundreds of city employees, including police and firefighters.
Deborah Weir of
Greenwich enjoyed “17 Carnations,” by Andrew Morton, who wrote tell-all tales about Lady Diana and the next British rulers, William and Kate.
“How did an unattractive woman marry the king of England? Was this ex-royal couple in league with Hitler to take over the British empire?,” Deb wrote. “This one doesn’t disappoint!”
She’s also reading “1905,” by Leon Trotsky this summer, about demonstrations, violence and uprisings. Hmmm.
Thomas Witt of Middletown is turning to baseball, a summertime staple (until this season).
“Stengel: His Life and Times,” by Robert Creamer is an “excellent” biography of Casey Stengel, who managed the New York Yankees for many years.
“Stengel was such a colorful, amusing character. Even if you are not a big baseball fan it is a great read that will put a smile on your face,” Tom said. “With the tough times we are going through, a book that makes me smile is much appreciated.”
Jen Tucci of Guilford picked up “Almost Everything: Notes on Hope,” by Anne Lamott (one of my favorite authors, too) when the pandemic hit. “That was the perfect book for me to read at that time,” Jen said.
Now she’s starting Lamott’s “Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith” for her Zoom-based July book group.
A “fantastic book” she recommends is “No Ordinary Dog,” by Will Chesney, about Cairo, a military working dog paired with Chesney, a Navy SEAL, on missions including to Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan.
“The really amazing part of the book is what follows after that, the connection between Will and Cairo and how after both of them develop PTSD, they come together in retirement to heal each other,” Jen said. “It’s an amazing journey.”
Drew Tucci, Jen’s husband, is reading the newly released “A Game of Birds and Wolves: The Ingenious Young Women Whose Secret Board Game Helped Win WWII,” by Simon Parker.
It’s about the WRENS of the Royal Navy. “The author conveys the starvation of England, the desperation of survivors, including children, floating in the wreckage of sunken ships, the miserable conditions in the U-boats, and the patriotism of those marvelous young women who were so critical during Britain's darkest days,” Drew said.
For fiction he recommends the Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear, or “for laugh out loud social commentary, in a thinly disguised fantasy world anything by Terry Pratchett, but especially the Tiffany Aching stories about a very young witch who knows what to do with a frying pan.”
Aimee Suhie of New Fairfield has been going through her treasure trove of books recently and found some gems to reread.
Her favorites are “Learning to Drive,” by Mary Hays, “The Time in Between,” by Maria Duenas, and “City of Women,” by David R. Gilham.
“All these books were very different but great plots and characters well drawn,” Aimee said.
As promised, here’s my escapist book this summer: “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” by Suzanne Collins, a Newtown resident. It’s a prequel to the “Hunger Games” series, depicting 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, who would grow up to become Panem’s president, and the 10th annual reaping. It explains his cruelty and why the games started. Only in spots (the romantic pining) does it read like a Young Adult novel. It’s chilling, fascinating, and true to all of her books, a page turner.
Now that we have so many recommendations for summer reading, can we please make the summer last longer?
Jacqueline Smith’s column appears Fridays in Hearst Connecticut daily newspapers. Next week she’ll be reading at the beach, so won’t have a column. If you’d like to join her readers’ “think tank,” email jsmith@hearstmediact.com. She’s also the editorial page editor of The News-Times in Danbury and The Norwalk Hour.