Books for Your Summer Reading List
It’s that time of year yet again. Schools will be out soon, it will be light until 8 p.m. and the sun will be here to stay. And with summer comes a good stretch of time to get all that reading done that you have been avoiding and maybe, just maybe, add a few more books to your growing pile. Here’s a few suggestions that would make perfect summertime reads, all of which you can find on shelves at the Lamar Memorial Library here on campus!
Non-Fiction – “She Come By It Natura”l by Sarah Smarsh
The woman. The myth. The legend. The patron saint of Tennessee, Dolly Parton has influenced so much of country music and popular culture that it’s hard not to love her. And the author of this book agrees. “She Come By It Natural” is an exploration of the impact and music of this famous female country singer, showing how her work has touched the lives of so many working-class women across the South and across the globe. If you love Dolly or you are just interested in music and its ability to speak to the masses, this is a book you won’t want to miss!
Courtesy of Grace Mathews.
Fantasy – “Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
There is a library between life and death that contains an infinite number of books, each one containing a different life. In these pages a person could see what other paths their lives could have taken if they had made different choices, and a young woman finds herself here in search of what is truly fulfilling in life. This book has received a lot of praise since it was first published, and for good reason. Not only is the writing beautiful, but so is the message behind the words — would you open the books of your life to see what might have been?
Courtesy of Grace Mathews.
Historical Fiction – “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens
If coming-of-age stories are something you like, then “Where the Crawdads Sing” is definitely a book to pick up. It follows a young woman named Kya — known to her town as the “Marsh Girl” — who lives in isolation on the North Carolina coast. Everyone thinks she is wild and dangerous, but they have her all wrong. So when two young men are caught by her mysterious allure, Kya opens herself up to their world until disaster strikes. It is part ode to the natural world, part mystery, part love story which all combine to create an unforgettable novel.
Courtesy of Grace Mathews.
Thriller – “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty
Maybe you’ve seen the show already, or maybe you haven’t yet, but either way the book is sure to fill that little hole in your heart that only a good thriller can. Three mothers meet at a crossroads of tragedy and possible murder, and things only go downhill from there. If you liked books like “Gone Girl” or “The Girl on the Train,” you won’t be able to put this book down.
Courtesy of Grace Mathews.
“The college library has a nice selection of ‘recreational reads’ in addition to works to
support classes!” said Kathi Sluder, the Cataloging and Collection Development Librarian on campus. “For summer, who doesn’t love a mystery with a dash of humor and intrigue? Big Little Lies offers all that and more. Murder, ex-husbands, second wives, mother/daughter dynamics, and school scandal. Read the book before you watch the show!”
Be sure to check out all these books and more on the Library’s New Books Blog — found at https://library.maryvillecollege.edu/c.php?g=77227&p=7933253 — and happy reading!