Whether you are headed to the beach, the pool or simply hiding indoors to beat the heat, we think cracking open a book might improve your summer.
Check out some book recommendations from members of the 四虎影院 staff.
Eric Aasen - Managing Editor, 四虎影院
Full disclosure: I鈥檓 a Disney addict (especially the history and the amusement parks). I love how Walt Disney built an empire that鈥檚 a part of the American social fabric.
So, naturally, I was interested in reading by Richard Snow, which focuses on how Disneyland came to life. (四虎影院鈥檚 Krys Boyd shared the book with me; she interviewed the author for a conversation on Think.) What surprised me was how engrossed I became as I read Snow鈥檚 narrative; his writing is vivid. Many Disney experts already know Disney鈥檚 life story, but Snow tells the history in such a way that we鈥檙e meeting Walt for the first time.
My big takeaway: We get an honest look at Disney鈥檚 efforts and learn of the countless setbacks along the way; still, Disney persevered. Disney鈥檚 Land is a breezy read, perfect for the summer 鈥� and it will make you want to wish upon a star or book a trip to Disneyland (or Disney World or one of the Disney cruises 鈥�). At the very least, you鈥檒l want to go down a rabbit hole (a la 鈥淎lice in Wonderland鈥�) to learn more about the genius behind Mickey Mouse.
Galilee Abdullah - Assistant Producer, 四虎影院
I鈥檓 recommending two books: something new that I鈥檓 currently reading, and an older book that I鈥檝e read several times.
is a new graphic novel that brings history that has largely gone ignored to the forefront. And Wake does a great job of showing how history鈥檚 past continues to live on in our current reality. The black-and-white artwork makes me think of another great graphic novel I鈥檝e read called; it鈥檚 about the history of slaves rebelling against Portuguese colonists. Everyone should read more graphic novels/comic books鈥specially ones by Black authors! 馃槉
My second recommendation is one of my favorite books from the greatest writer to ever grace this planet: Toni Morrison!
is such a heartbreakingly beautiful novel. The first time I read it in my youth, it really changed my life. It鈥檚 not a light-hearted story, but it does have summer vibes! The book tells a love story on an imaginary Caribbean island, with references to colonialism and slavery. Books like Sula tend to be required reading at lots of schools, but Tar Baby is my favorite example of Morrison鈥檚 mastery of writing and language. Every time I read it, it鈥檚 a magical experience.
Sam Baker - Senior Editor and Morning Edition Host, 四虎影院
Being the host of Morning Edition at 四虎影院 means my workday begins around 4 a.m. And from then on, most of my time is spent reading and delivering news. So, with that in mind, lighter fare reading on an iPad is about all I can handle after hours. (Forget a hard copy!) That's how I came to by Cicely Tyson.
That being said, Tyson鈥檚 life was hardly "light fare". Instead, her life's story is compelling and dramatic. Tyson's had a stellar film, television and stage career despite facing obstacles of racism and sexism.
But honestly, the real reason I was drawn to this book definitely has to do with some of the indelicate details of Tyson's romantic relationships. I mean, who wouldn't want to find out how anyone could survive two relationships with Miles Davis, including marriage the second time?
Stephen Becker - Senior Producer, Think, 四虎影院
I started reading Chris Bosh鈥檚 because I was planning to interview the former NBA player in a tie-in to the book's June release.
Since this was scheduled as a quick interview, my plan was to read enough of it so I could ask a few intelligent questions and then move on. But as I dug in, I found the future hall of famer鈥檚 advice for athletes with big dreams to be applicable even to those of us whose shot at athletic glory is long past.
At the top of the list: 'think through what your 鈥渨hy鈥� is for what you are doing.'
In his world, it鈥檚 鈥淲hy am I getting up before dawn to work out? Why am I stretching my body to its limits?鈥�
According to Bosh, the answer to those questions can鈥檛 be to find fame and fortune and prove all the doubters wrong. Those can be secondary benefits, but the 'why' has to be tied to some purpose that transcends those ideas.
It can be easy to walk through life鈥檚 daily tasks without much thought as to why we show up every day, but this book pushed me to think through why I do what I do. Who says summer reading has to be light?
Anne Bothwell - VP, Arts, Art&Seek
For years, I spent much more time reading about food than actually cooking it. (Laurie Colwin, Edna Lewis, Calvin Trillin, and MFK Fisher would be at the top of my playlist.)
That all changed during the pandemic. Planning and making a delicious dinner became one small thing that I could do to ground myself while the world spun; it was one guaranteed good thing about each day. It's a habit I hope I'll carry forward.
Julia Turshen's gave me great 鈥� and easy 鈥� recipes for comfort food, like "Shredded Pork in the Spirit of Cochinita Pibil," decadent and cheesy kale, and fishcakes made with ricotta and potato chips. (Don't knock it until you try it!) This summer, I'll try some lighter dishes: a corn salad and a range of creative salad dressings.
Another plus: there鈥檚 more to read than just the recipes. The book鈥檚 salted with thoughtful lists, from conversation prompts to use around the dinner table to reflections on what Turshen learned as a private chef.
Krys Boyd - Host & Managing Editor, Think, 四虎影院
George Saunders has been a frequent and much-welcomed guest on the Think show: he first joined us in 2017 to talk about his Man Booker Prize-winning novel , and returned to talk about his novella, and his non-fiction book on writing, .
I love Saunders鈥� distinct voice as a writer: full of humor, empathy, and deep pathos. So this summer, I鈥檓 treating myself to the audiobook versions of his earliest short story collections, and . Many of these stories take place in bizarre workplaces or vaguely magical parallel universes where Saunders鈥� lowly protagonists try earnestly to follow rules that never quite make sense. They are so recognizably human and vulnerable and imperfect, but often achieve a kind of nobility 鈥攔ising (or descending) as required by the surreal circumstances in which they find themselves.
Both these collections are voiced by the author himself, and Saunders is nearly as gifted a performer as he is a writer. My intention had been to download these and save them for a trip I have coming up where I鈥檒l be driving a lot, but I couldn鈥檛 quite resist getting started and now I鈥檝e listened to them all the way through. I will look forward to replaying them on the road.
Keren Carri贸n - Photographer/Videographer, 四虎影院
I鈥檝e always loved coming-of-age books, but never found that any resonated with my upbringing and culture the way did. In this book, the main character is 17-year-old Emoni Santiago, a teenage mom of Afro-Puerto Rican descent, trying to find her place in the world while the odds are stacked against her. She finds her passion for cooking using her grandmother鈥檚 recipes, adding her own twists and a little bit of 鈥渕agic鈥� to her food 鈥� which ends up taking her to some pretty amazing places.
This book, full of magical recipes and a compelling narrative, is a great summer read for teens and adults alike.
Fun fact: This is my signed copy of With The Fire On High from Elizabeth Acevedo herself. 馃ぉ
Stella M. Ch谩vez - Immigration and Demographics Reporter, 四虎影院
Two of my picks for this summer are by Isabel Wilkerson and by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I鈥檓 always drawn to narrative non-fiction writers and Wilkerson is a pro at it, weaving history with current events in a compelling way that makes you want to keep reading.
I chose to read Caste because I like to be challenged when I read. In this narrative, she describes what she sees as a hidden caste system in America and explores the links to India鈥檚 caste hierarchy and Nazi Germany. I鈥檓 not very far along, but so far it鈥檚 a fascinating read.
Because Caste delves into some heavy topics, I wanted to find a book that would help me escape. Several friends recommended the fictional tale Mexican Gothic and from the reviews I鈥檝e read, I can鈥檛 wait to dive in.
It鈥檚 been described as a reimagined gothic horror novel 鈥� a genre I鈥檓 not usually drawn to. But I couldn鈥檛 resist a book that鈥檚 about a mysterious 鈥渋solated mansion in 1950s Mexico鈥� with the main character described as 鈥渁 glamorous debutante, more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing,鈥� but who鈥檚 鈥渁lso tough, smart and not afraid.鈥�
Apparently, I鈥檓 told, I鈥檓 in for a ride with this story.
Courtney Collins - Senior Editor/Projects, 四虎影院
I read several summers ago, on an international flight, in a single sitting. I opened the book and didn鈥檛 close it until the bitter end.
It鈥檚 an absolutely horrifying work of fiction. John Ajvide Lindqvist has been called 鈥淪weden鈥檚 Stephen King,鈥� but I found Little Star a tad more unsettling than some of Mr. King鈥檚 creepiest tomes.
If you鈥檙e intrigued by the story of a baby found in the woods who eventually lands on the stage of an international singing competition, read on! But buckle up, it all goes terribly wrong.
Gripping and well-written, Little Star is the perfect summer scare for fans of the horror genre!
Christopher Connelly - Reporter, 四虎影院
I've chosen two books to recommend. The first is a novel that I first read when I was 14 years old: When I picked up a copy of by Octavia Butler. I thought the cover looked interesting. And as soon as I started reading, I became an obsessive fan of Butler鈥檚 brilliant, visionary writing. I read and re-read all of her books over and over.
Dawn is a science fiction novel, but don鈥檛 let that stop you: Even after decades, Butler鈥檚 fantastical stories provide valuable real-world insights. I鈥檓 excited to start again with Dawn this summer because it鈥檚 slated for a TV treatment helmed by Ava Duvernay.
My second recommendation is a nonfiction book that's been lauded by the New York Times and dozens of other news outlets.
Even the footnotes tell stories in Matthew Desmond鈥檚 A sociologist by training, Desmond follows eight families struggling to stay housed in Milwaukee, focusing in on the devastating consequences of evictions, the industry that surrounds them, and the shifting patterns in American life that have made evictions a frighteningly frequent phenomenon.
It鈥檚 the most richly reported book I鈥檝e ever read, stunning in its detail and humanity. It鈥檚 an eye-opening read that you can鈥檛 stop thinking about.
Domini Davis - Assistant Digital Producer, 四虎影院
is a lovely coming-of-age story that, yes, involves ghosts. And it鈥檚 so much more. This trip down memory lane avoids the nostalgia trap and examines what memories are, where they come from 鈥� but most of all how memories change. It鈥檚 a perfect summer read that will warm 鈥� and break 鈥� your heart.
Rick Holter - Vice President/News, 四虎影院
For me, summer is for fiction 鈥� and most years, I dig back into at least one of my all-time faves.
This year鈥檚 the 30th anniversary of Jane Smiley鈥檚 masterwork, . I鈥檓 a kid born on a dairy farm, so her story 鈥� the travails of an agricultural family in decline 鈥� hit home. And then when it became clear she was retelling Shakespeare鈥檚 King Lear, complete with some serious skeletons in the closet, I was thunderstruck.
I know, I know 鈥� it sounds like some sort of wonky academic exercise a wannabe novelist dreams up at the Iowa Writer鈥檚 Workshop. (Which it kinda was: Smiley, born in L.A., spent almost a quarter-century studying, writing and teaching at the University of Iowa and Iowa State.)
But the story is so evocative, the characters so real, the family secrets so deep and dark 鈥� you can almost feel the wind crackling through the desiccated cornstalks.
This summer, I can鈥檛 wait to be blown away again.
Bret Jaspers - Reporter, 四虎影院
by Justin Fenton starts with a long view of policing policy in Baltimore, Maryland 鈥� the circumstances that preceded the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.
And the bulk of the book chronicles the evolution and eventual downfall of the corrupt police unit known as the Gun Trace Task Force. Fenton is a reporter at the Baltimore Sun and his book is an easy, gripping read. His dedication to the city is incredibly inspiring.
Gabrielle Jones - Digital News Editor, 四虎影院
My summer reading recommendation legendary actor Cicely Tyson鈥檚 autobiography Just As I Am.
When I received this book, the 96-year-old was preparing to resume making the rounds to promote it. By the time I cracked the cover, she鈥檇 passed away.
Her death created a hole in the hearts of many, like a piece of cultural wisdom and Black pride was lost. Lucky for us, Ms. Tyson left behind the legacy of her film and stage career, and the words of wisdom tucked between this book鈥檚 pages.
The inside cover quotes Ms. Tyson as saying 鈥�Just As I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with glitter and garland set aside.鈥� This book goes beyond an intimate portrait of the icon鈥檚 life. It offers us an account of 96 years of Black celebration and struggle and a real-world account of navigating racism and sexism in America with the sort of power, poise, and grace that was unique to Ms. Tyson.
If you鈥檙e looking to step into the shoes of another and have a sensory experience of their life in the same way that a public radio driveway moment makes you see the world through someone else鈥檚 eyes, this is the summer read for you.
Sylvia Komatsu - Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer
I often call a special friend when I鈥檓 trying to figure out why people think and act the way they do. She recently gave me a copy of psychologist Catherine Sanderson鈥檚 latest book, , and it鈥檚 high on my summer reading list.
An exploration of moral courage 鈥� understanding the psyches of bullies and bystanders and how each of us can learn to be better and braver 鈥� is always relevant. And given the ongoing divisions in our country, this book seems especially timely.
Alejandra Martinez - Reporter, 四虎影院
I picked up by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio from my local public library the weekend before the partial collapse of a 12-story condominium building near Miami on June 24. Officials in Miami-Dade County have confirmed that at least 94 people are dead and more than 200 people are unaccounted for.
It seemed like a horrifying coincidence that once I started reading news reports from Florida about the tragic event, I was also reading Cornejo's book about undocumented immigrants.
In this book, she writes from a place of shared trauma, memories, and pain. Cornejo portrays day laborers, housekeepers, construction workers, and deliverymen as the "second responders" of the U.S. In times of crisis, it is those who usually hide behind the shadows that rise up and get to work. Cornejo's first example of this was immigrants helping in search-and-rescue efforts after 9/11. My thoughts automatically turned to what happened in the city of Surfside near Miami. I wondered, "how many immigrants there signed up to help in this tragic disaster?"
The Undocumented Americans is part memoir, part reporting, and part "creative nonfiction" as Cornejo describes it. The book shares many stories of individuals living in America without rights. I appreciated Cornejo's brutal honesty and rawness. It hit close to home in many ways. I鈥檇 highly recommend this book, especially for those like me who need to be humbled and reminded of our privilege so we can be better allies and advocates for undocumented people.
Hady Mawajdeh - Digital Engagement Reporter/Producer, 四虎影院
I'm currently reading a nonfiction book called by Peter Moskowitz. And considering the housing issues in North Texas, I'd recommend you check it out.
The book visits four cities that have experienced gentrification, and it takes you into the homes of families that can no longer afford to live in neighborhoods they've lived in for generations. It's heartbreaking. But it also shines a light on the vicious practices of "remaking" a city.
If you're looking for something a little bit lighter, I'd recommend a novel called . It's a comedy told through the perspective of Balram Halwai, an Indian village boy turned mogul. The White Tiger follows Halwai from childhood into adulthood and along the way, you see how his perspective on hard work, capitalism, and Indian politics evolve.
One of my favorite quotes from the book has to do with Halwai's perspective on the caste system in India and why many never challenge it.
鈥淕o to Old Delhi, and look at the way they keep chickens there in the market. Hundred of pale hens and brightly colored roosters, stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them.They know they are next, yet they cannot rebel. They do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with humans in this country.鈥�
Halwai's observation is pretty crass, and a little dark. But when you read the prose within the story, you can't help but find this character to be anything by charming.
The book also won a Man Booker Prize 2008 and it was adapted into a film in 2020. The film's screenplay was nominated for an Oscar. (But the film has nothing on the novel.)
Corrie MacLaggan - Statewide Managing Editor, The Texas Newsroom
Public libraries are BACK, and I鈥檓 trying to make up for all the times I couldn鈥檛 visit last summer.
My most recent library find is , by Hala Alyan. I couldn't put down this new novel about a Lebanese-Syrian-American family living in several cities, including Austin, and their secrets. I picked up the book because of the Texas connection, but the vivid scenes in Beirut 鈥� in the streets, in a seaside cafe, and in a cherished home adorned with almond trees 鈥� were the ones that swept me away.
Elizabeth Myong - Assistant Digital Producer, 四虎影院
It鈥檚 hard not to love Maya Angelou鈥檚 writing 鈥� it鈥檚 so unpretentious and powerful, pithy and honest.
And reads almost like a collection of poetry, though it鈥檚 actually a compilation of musings and short stories about different topics like maintaining your power as a woman, style and stepping back.
I love how you can flip around to different chapters depending on your mood and what topic you鈥檙e most interested in on any given day. At a time when the fatigue of the last year is settling in, this book has brought me a lot of joy, inspiration, and verve to carry on.
Haya Panjwani - Breaking News Reporter, 四虎影院
As a self-proclaimed expert in sappy romance novels, I tend to gravitate towards stories that take a spin on the classics. While 鈥淪ex and the City鈥� may not be a literary classic, it still aches the hearts of every romance fanatic, and by Rajaa Alsanea does just that. It鈥檚 spicy, it鈥檚 glamorous and it opens your eyes up to the lavish life of the Saudi Arabian elite women.
I鈥檓 also someone who tends to break their new year's resolutions every year, but I鈥檝e committed to myself that I鈥檒l try my best to achieve one this year, that is -- reading 50 books by the end of the year. I鈥檝e hit 30, and I think that's a pretty good progress point! Apps/websites like Goodreads help hold me accountable.
Other books I recommend reading but don鈥檛 have hard copies of are by Emily Henry, and the trilogy by Helen Huong. All hail sappy romance!
Ana Perez - Assistant Producer, Think, 四虎影院
I love a good psychological thriller 鈥� and this book series doesn鈥檛 disappoint. is the third installment in the by Caroline Kepnes and my 2021 summer read pick!
Just like the Netflix series, the book is highly addicting, entertaining, and a bit frightening at times. Kepnes鈥� writing reads like a TV show filled with twists and turns and a bit of humor.
It鈥檚 a book (and book series) I highly recommend!
Miguel Perez - Reporter/Digital Producer, Art&Seek
I think that to be a first-generation Mexican American means to be in constant search of equilibrium. Our cultural heritage is celebrated and highly commodified in the United States, while our ethnic identity has often been vilified and delegitimized. It can get complicated figuring out your place here.
I often have a lot of questions about the duality of my identity, about how to foster community away from my motherland, and about how to preserve and add to my cultural heritage. That鈥檚 why this summer I鈥檓 going to read Octavio Paz鈥檚 in the hopes of getting some clarity for myself.
The Nobel laureate and poet examines the Mexican identity through several lenses, and he touches on the impact migration, colonialism, death, and politics have had on that shared identity. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檒l be a fun read, but it will be a necessary one!
Miranda Suarez - Fort Worth Reporter, 四虎影院
As a kid, I used to spend my summer vacations digging into the biggest fantasy books I could find. I still crave epic stories in the summertime, so I鈥檓 recommending by Robin Hobb.
It鈥檚 the beginning of a series following the life of FitzChivalry Farseer, the son of a prince who is raised to become a royal assassin. Hobb writes fascinating, complicated characters, and is adept at twisting old fantasy tropes to make them feel new again. You will also cry a lot.
If you like Assassin鈥檚 Apprentice, there are more than a dozen other books in this world, so your summer reading list is set.
Micaela J. Rodr铆guez - Managing Producer, Podcasts at 四虎影院
To me, summer means stone fruit. Enter , which encourages home chefs to experiment with the beloved fruit.
What I like about this book is that it isn鈥檛 just 100 peach dessert recipes, but instead includes everything from sweet (the Dutch baby is a winner) to savory (snapper and peach crudo 鈥� sounds suspicious, is delicious).
Everything in this cookbook is approachable, delectable, and sometimes even controversial 鈥� like the peach and jalape帽o cornbread.
Jerome Weeks - Senior Arts Producer-Reporter, Art & Seek
If you haven鈥檛 encountered Mick Herron鈥檚 series of novels, then you鈥檝e missed the best of British espionage fiction since the heyday of Len Deighton and John le Carr茅 in the 鈥�60s and 鈥�70s.
Herron鈥檚 yarns are about a dumping ground for intelligence service screw-ups. Working out of a derelict London building called Slough House, these are the 鈥榮low horses.鈥� They鈥檙e assigned pointless tasks to make them go away. But their chief is a drunk, darkly shrewd, and foul-mouthed Cold War veteran who knows where the bodies are buried 鈥� because he planted a few himself.
Le Carr茅 was the master of the backstory, the unraveling histories of personal deceits and class-based loyalties of the Oxbridge-educated men and women who鈥檝e run and betrayed British intelligence. In contrast, Deighton (at his best: The IPCRESS File, Funeral in Berlin) created a more coolly sardonic, working-class portrait of the same world.
Combine Deighton鈥檚 cultural satire with le Carre鈥檚 sensitivity. Then add wicked humor and a fast-paced feel for contemporary, computerized counter-espionage 鈥� a feel for how frequently we鈥檝e been chasing our own shadows. What you get are some deeply entertaining thrillers. I鈥檝e read all 10. This summer, I鈥檓 re-reading them in chronological order.
Bill Zeeble - Reporter, 四虎影院
We heard Walter Isaacson speak at the DMA a few years ago when the book came out and got a copy 鈥� so unusual since, like, I don鈥檛 pay retail. But Nicole wanted to read it too. Isaacson signed it. Writers are allowed to make money.
Why this? We鈥檝e been to Vinci, in northern Italy. I鈥檝e seen the famous, visionary inventions and sketches of da Vinci, that have always fascinated me, along with the rare, famous paintings, including the Mona Lisa (always at a distance of what seems like several football fields).
After I finished a novel last month, I decided to tackle this large, heavy nonfiction volume 鈥� rare, because I usually read nonfiction for work (news articles and such) and novels at home. da Vinci鈥檚 a millennial phenom 鈥� meaning, to me, he鈥檚 kinda that once-in-a-thousand-years kind of genius. And I鈥檇 not read any bio of him before. I remembered we had this book, so there you go. I read it before falling asleep 鈥� nothing unusual there.
I always look forward to picking this book up, to see what I learn next.
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