Now’s the time to plan your summer reading
By Sudie Blanchard
Assistant Director
Summer months can be both relaxing and filled with activity. Whether you're staying at home or traveling, you'll want to have a summer reading list to fit your own schedule. All you need to get started is a place with a steady supply of books and ideas - and at the library, we guarantee that!
Here are some questions to think about as you plan your reading, with a few suggested titles.
Will you be spending significant time outdoors in a natural setting? If so, there are books that focus on nature or the outdoors. Try "Sojourn in the Wilderness: A Seven Month Journey on the Appalachian Trail" by Kenneth Wadness; "Fly Fishing: the Lifetime Sport" by David and Cheryl Young.
Are there places you're going to visit or you dream of visiting? Look for books about those places. We have travel guides for places near and far, from Acadia National Park to New Zealand - "Acadia National Park" by Hilary Nangle; "The Places in Between" by Rory Stewart (the author's walk across Afghanistan).
Are there some hefty tomes that you have wanted to read, but you haven't had time to tackle? We can suggest some recent lengthy books that might fit that category: "The Rebels of Ireland: the Dublin saga" by Edward Rutherfurd; "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke.
How much time will you have to read? If you won't have a lot of time to read one of those thick books this summer, read a collection of short stories. Here are some new ones to consider: "High Lonesome" by Joyce Carol Oates; "All Aunt Hagar's Children" by Edward P. Jones.
Who are your favorite authors? Have they written new titles that you haven't read yet? These are a few prolific novelists who have published titles recently: Anne Perry, Bernard Cromwell, Mary Higgins Clark, Harlan Coben, James Patterson and Alexander McCall Smith.
How about the great classics of literature? Are there some that you have missed? We can suggest some of our favorites on your next visit to the library.
Above all, have fun with your reading this summer - spice up your list with lots of different kinds of books. As the weeks go by all too quickly, be sure to make the library a frequent stop.
