It’s that time of year when the sun casts a warm, comforting glow and invites us to curl up with a book. Bookstore Plus, Adirondack’s source for all the best sellers, can help you select a vacation or staycation read based on your interests and favorite genres. If a vacation is in the works, they can also equip you with art supplies to document your trip, maps and guidebooks, totes, and more. This quote by Filling the Jars says it best, ”I like to travel in the summer, which is why I read.”
Here are our top five picks for July. Each carries a different theme, so find one that resonates with you!
1. “Happy-Go-Lucky” by David Sedari
David Sedaris is at it again—making us laugh and also showing us a darker side. In “Happy-Go-Lucky,” 18 bittersweet essays chronicle the shifts in his life, for better or worse, and deliver his honest opinions on topics ranging from the death of his father, COVID-19, and the events surrounding Black Lives Matter. With heart and humor, he speaks of aging and his partner, Hugo, while wondering how sex workers and acupuncturists were coping during the pandemic. The theme running throughout is our distrust for humankind in conflict with our desire for connection. It’s not your usual Sedaris speaking here, but his poignant commentaries will leave you with much to think about.
2. “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig
Travel with Matt Haig as he explores what it might be like if you chose another story of your reality in his best-selling novel, “The Midnight Library.” On the edge of the universe sits a library with an infinite number of books, each offering the story of your life and then an alternate one. Nora Seed has the opportunity to exchange her life for a new existence. A new career, a new relationship, a new dream. As she delves into her options, she must dig deep to decide her future and what makes life worth living. A feel-good, lift-your-spirits book!
3. “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
If you are looking for a book that speaks to matters of Mother Nature and one woman’s attempt to make a difference with her esoteric philosophy, “Braiding Sweetgrass” is for you. Kimmerer’s captivating and poetic writing draws you in, her passion for plants and animals obvious. In her introduction, she says, “I’m profoundly grateful for the privilege of carrying a message from the plants so they can do their work. I wrote from the belief that since plants are medicines, so too could tier stories be healing.” As a botanist, scientist, and professor, she believes other living beings offer us gifts and lessons, and it’s our responsibility to listen. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer masterfully relays indigenous wisdom passed along by her teachers. Each chapter shares a lesson with the culminating epilogue of returning the gift. A must-read for all who care about our changing earth.
4. “Happy Place” by Emily Henry
Pack “Happy Place” in your tote, slather on the sunscreen, and settle in for a page-turning beach read. Harriett and Wyn broke up five months ago but still haven’t told their friends. They fake togetherness to enjoy one last week at the Maine cottage, soon for sale, where they’ve been meeting every summer for ten years. Tensions are high as they both play their roles, but do their friends see through their charades and harbor secrets of their own? With wit, charm, and snappy dialogue, Henry brings her characters to life as they lie to themselves and to protect those they love most. Will Harriet, the driven resident surgeon, and Wyn, the laid-back charmer, pull it off, or is a second chance romance in their future? Get ready for a rollercoaster ride and pure entertainment from an author known as the queen of romance.
5. “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
Scientist Elizabeth Zott won’t back down. It’s the early 1960s, and she is just doing her job—brilliantly. Bullied by almost every person she works with at Hastings Research Institute, she is determined to continue her research despite the rumors, name-calling, and macho attitude. It’s a man’s world, and science isn’t for women until she meets the Nobel prize-nominated Calvin, who sees her true genius. As she battles inequity every step of the way, Zott’s feminist attitude comes with a price.
Written with wit and humor and lots of scientific jargon, Garmus takes us down the path of early discrimination, something many of us can relate to. The real fun starts when she is recruited to do a cooking show and rebels against the TV station’s protocol by calling salt sodium chloride. In an underlying way, she is paving the way for women to stand up for themselves and pursue the career of their dreams, even if they wear skirts. It’s a fast-paced read that will educate, enlighten, and inspire you.
Books never go out of style! Pick one from our picks for July or read them all. Visit your local indie bookstore and be sure to check out our events page for book club chats, Monday morning storytimes for the young ones, and author book signings. Happy summer reading!