During the school year most of tend to excuse our lack of motivation for reading on our own terms. Understandable. After experiencing that oh, so satisfying feeling of recycling all of your photocopied journal articles from the course of the semester, why not feed your soul by engaging in some good, old-fashioned for pleasure reading this summer.
Below is a list of five reccomended reading-for-pleasure books.
1. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (1953)
You’re probably familiar with Salinger’s style, as you most likely read The Catcher in the Rye at some point in high school. Whether you liked The Catcher in the Rye or not, you will surely find this book intriguing. As the title suggests, Nine Stories is compiled of nine short stories, making it the perfect read for lounging by the pool or traveling to and from your internship or job this summer.
2. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (2000)
Sedaris presents the reader with an extremely detailed version of his memories. He leads the reader on a journey from some of his earliest childhood traumas, so to speak, to a pleathura of his early adulthood experiences. With a dark sense of humor and a unique flavor of self-deprecation, Sedaris’ sharp tongue will not disappoint.
3. The Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway (1986)
Into subtext? Look no further. The Garden of Eden—which Hemingway worked on for 15 years—takes place on the ever-enchanting French Riviera (swoon). The Bournes, a newlywed couple vacationing, meet Marita whom they both fall in love with. The catch is that only one can of the Bournes have her. The text focuses on themes of gender roles, androgyny and sexual exploration.
4. A Separate Peace by John Knowles (1959)
A coming-of-age story in its truest sense, A Separate Peace takes place at a boy’s boarding school in New England during the early stages of World War II. The novel depicts the relationship between two friends, Gene and Phineas. Over the course of the summer—which doubles as a metaphor for the war—the boys experience a series of events that causes them to come out the other end as changed individuals.
5. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf (1925)
Mrs. Dalloway is a necessary read for women in their twenties. The book focuses on two main characters—Clarissa Dalloway, a woman in her early fifties, and Septimus Smith, Clarissa’s former suitor. Both characters tell their stories through the use of internal narratives and memories. Clarissa reflects on her past experiences focusing on her youth and Septimus narrows his thoughts to his time during the war. Heavily layered with themes of mental illness, femininity, homosexuality and existential issues, Mrs. Dalloway has become highly regarded as one of Woolf’s best-known works.
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