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Sunscreen? Check. Swimsuit? Check. Poolside reading? Hmm. You may need to pay a visit to the Writer’s Block book shop and stock up. The celebrated Downtown store has exactly what you need: Thousands upon thousands of new books and a discerning staff that’s probably read most of them. The crew was kind enough to share their summer reading picks with the Weekly, along with a few words on what makes each of them the right read for this superheated season.
Dream State by Eric Puchner
“I really enjoyed this large-scale, evocative novel following the intersected destinies of two families in and around a summer house in Montana. It’s frequently funny, ultimately moving and is written with an unfussy elegance that recalls Ann Patchett and Elizabeth Strout.” –Drew Cohen, co-owner
Hellions: Stories by Julia Elliott
“Hellions is the best short story collection I’ve read in a while. Elliott experiments with different types of horror in every story, from the fantastic to the domestic. Anyone who has spent a summer in a rural Southern town can recognize the collection’s harsh shadows, overbearing sun, and buzzing air.” –Maegan Smith, program director
The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
“Nothing quite says ‘beach read’ like a novel that dissects the intrapersonal psyche of mother-daughter relationships. But don’t worry, it does take place on a beach. Leda, a mother, daughter and divorcee, spends her summer months on the Ionian coast reflecting on her familial ties. Her observations and judgments, of herself and those around her, sting. Like a fresh sunburn, it’s impossible not to feel.” –Maria Gibbons, assistant manager
Popisho by Leone Ross
“A gorgeous, affecting, and timeless romp through a magical Caribbean island, set over the course of one day, and following a cast of unforgettable characters. The language is lush, the imagery powerful, and the antics hilarious. I can’t recommend it enough.” –Charlie Joy, events coordinator
Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld
“Normally, it’s impossible for me to read a story collection from front to back (and often it’s inadvisable), but the stories in Show Don’t Tell are so fun and brimming with life, it’s hard to turn away. The characters in these stories are real—deeply flawed, often unlikable—but Sittenfeld paints them so vividly, it’s impossible not to empathize.” –Monica Barrett, store manager
Sky Daddy by Kate Folk
“Just your classic love story between a young, discontented woman and a Boeing 747. Sky Daddy is totally bizarre and hilarious, but even when I was laughing I was filled with a sense of dread—the same kind I get during turbulence.” –MB
The Spoils of Poynton by Henry James
“This is my favorite off-kilter Henry James recommendation, written during the all-too-brief sweet spot between his conventional mid-career novels and his excessive ‘poetic masterpieces.’ It’s a hilarious comedy-of-manners following a snobbish art collector trying to dissolve her son’s engagement to an uncultured lady jock—with predictably disastrous consequences.” –DC
Sour Cherry by Natalia Theodoridou
“Sour Cherry is an ambitious gothic story that doesn’t rely on the novelty of being a Bluebeard retelling to remain interesting. Between lush prose and textured characters, it kept my attention even during my least favorite parts.” –MS
Tedward by Josh Pettinger
“Published by Fantagraphics and created by Philadelphia cartoonist Josh Pettinger, Tedward will take up 40 (absurd) minutes of your summer. This graphic novel contains a series of mini comics starring blockheaded Tedward on his ridiculous and naïve adventures through the city (spoiler warning: outdoor saunas and indoor orgies included). And if you’re seeking similar content on a regular basis, consider subscribing to Kuš!, a Latvian comic periodical.” –Miriam Borgstrom, bookseller
The VampireTapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas
“The Tor Essentials series revives older and out-of-print genre classics and Charnas’ novel from 1980 represents the epitome of this project—a fascinating exploration of the vampire myth through the lens of evolution, anthropology and psychoanalysis. An intellectual page-turner, and a great introduction to Charnas’ work.” –Nicholas Russell,
bookseller
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