Books to Read this Summer
Summer is in full swing here in West Lafayette, IN, so now is a great time to pick up a book and relax in your apartment. Today the Collegiate Communities Blog has some suggestions for which ones you can start with this month.
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
Two girls grow up in the same London neighborhood, both obsessed with dance and Fred Astaire. One of them has what it takes to become a professional dancer; the other becomes the personal assistant to an international pop star. Identity and friendship come into play in this excellent novel by Zadie Smith.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Paul Kalanithi discovers that he’s dying of cancer in his last year of medical residency. He has to figure out what he’ll do with the time he has left — finish medical school? Write that book he’s always wanted to write? Kalanithi explores life and death as questions of mortality and meaning weigh on his mind.
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Ruthie and Lucille are raised by their grandmother after their mother’s death. When their grandmother dies, their Aunt Sylvie steps in to take her place. Aunt Sylvie is different from the rest of the town — she doesn’t seem to have much interest in keeping house, following schedules, or maintaining a reputation. When the town becomes suspicious, Lucille and Ruthie must make a choice: do they stay together or fall apart? Ruthie narrates this tale of transience and loneliness.
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Before it was a blockbuster hit, this story about genetically engineered dinosaurs kept readers captivated. Eccentric billionaire John Hammond has created a technique to clone dinosaurs, and he has a vision for creating a park to revolutionize the way the world sees these previously extinct animals. But when an employee betrays the company and shuts off the park’s power, things turn south fast. Dinosaurs are set loose and the group of scientists and mathematicians struggle to outsmart the animals fast enough to survive.
What are your favorite books to read in the summertime? Let us know in the comments. Happy reading!