We like to think summer reading gets better with age! Our staff is always reading something new (for leisure or for the WFDD Book Club), and so we asked our staff for their recommendations and we have eight books that we think you'll love too. Whether you like to dig into a murder mystery, romance, or some thoughtful nonfiction, we hope you can find a book to enjoy this summer!
The Appeal - Janice Hallett
"It's a British murder mystery revolving around a community theater production, and is told almost entirely through emails and texts. The mystery is fine, but the real fun is in how the author, in a tour de force, draws and defines her characters through email writing styles, which we tend to wear like masks.”
Recommended by: Neal Charnoff, Morning Edition Host & Reporter
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out - Amanda Ripley
”An eye-opening book that clearly lays out the counterproductive thought patterns we all get trapped in and why. She also shows how doing counterintuitive things — and doing them well — allows us to break free from these patterns, and engage with people we disagree with in productive ways as opposed to winner-take-all shouting matches.”
Recommended by: David Ford, Reporter & Host
Sea of Tranquility - Emily St. John Mandel
"Just finished this astounding book and might start it all over again. Absolutely gobsmacked. It will make you think deeply about what it means for something to be real—and whether it even matters—and the poignancy of time and place. Beautifully written, moving, gripping. Highly recommend.”
Recommended by: Molly Davis, Assistant General Manager
Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair - Pablo Neruda
“I'm particularly fond of the WS Merwin translations, which adhere to the cadence and sentiment of the original language pretty faithfully. Sometimes it's just nice to unwind on a summer evening with a tiny bilingual book of love poems!”
Recommended by: Sonsera Kiger, Listener and Donor Services Manager
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
“I could not put this book down. The dry-witted, quirky and imperfect characters kept me turning the page.”
Recommended by: Julien Patton, Listener and Donor Services Coordinator
My Life in France - Julia Child
“Let Julia Child whisk you abroad this summer by reading My Life in France. I highly recommend this book for insight into her time abroad, vivid recountings of memorable meals, a peek into her lovely relationship with Paul, and just so much wit. Bon appétit!”
Recommended by: Bethany Chafin, Assistant News Director
Happy Hour - Marlowe Granados
"Summer in New York City! This story follows our main character as she heads to the city for a few months to live and work with an old friend. Tension grows as they confront race, class, and what they're going to do when summer ends. The story is fun and fast, but insightful."
Recommended by: Jay Sauerman, Marketing Manager & Host
Kafka On The Shore - Haruki Murakami
“A 15-year-old runaway boy trying to avoid fate, an old man who talks to cats — it's a metaphysical page-turner.”
Recommended by: Adam Bennett, Production Coordinator & Host
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