Can I just take a moment to tell you how much I LOVE list-making? Well, I LOVE it. It has taken me weeks to complete my summer reading list because summer is summer, and summer reads have to be awesome and well, the expectation is just too high for them not to be. Some of these books, are books that I have had on my list for quite some time. For whatever reason, I just feel that some of these books need the relaxed pace of summer for me to really enjoy them. Â
As you can see, there aren’t any light reads here. No beach reads really, and some of them deal with “end of the world” weirdness which I seem fascinated with at this point in my life.  All of these books are new to me with the exception of The Stand. I read The Stand when I was nineteen. That was a good chunk of time ago and for years I have recommended it to people but to be honest, it HAS been ages since I read it, and so many books (The Passage included) are being compared to The Stand that I feel that a re-read is in order. I will be re-reading the the uncut version which includes 400 pages that King was forced to cut due to cost.
Other tidbits of interest:
-
I’ve never read an Austen book and when I asked folks on Facebook which one to read first, they pushed for Pride & Prejudice.
-
I hear nothing but good things about Dorothy Whipple so I thought I’d give her a whirl.
-
I read Less Than Zero in my college days so when I heard about Imperial Bedrooms I decided that it must be read. The audio book is read by Andrew McCarthy (he played Clay in the movie), which is tempting but I think I’ll read it.
-
Thomas from My Porch raved about Elinor Lipman so that’s why she appears on this list.
-
I love the Brat Pack and grew up with them so when I read Gayle’s review of You Couldn’t Ignore Me If You Tried, I decided I had to read it.
So what do you think? Are there some good ones here? If I get through half of them, I’ll be thrilled. As you all know, summer doesn’t always mean more time. Especially for those of us that work and have kids. I’m hopeful though.
 
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan KunderaÂ
The Stand (Complete & Uncut) by Stephen King (re-reading)
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Â
Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple
Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis
Coming up for Air by George Orwell Â
Â
You Couldn’t Ignore Me if you Tried by Susannah Gora
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman
Island by Aldous Huxley
Â
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Tinkers by Paul HardingÂ
Â
The Secret Lives of People in Love by Simon Van Booy
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen
Book Chatter 
It looks like you will be having a busy summer, but as long as you enjoy reading that is what counts! I’m hoping to read Time Traveler’s Wife also, but now that I’ve seen the movie I’m not sure how that will work out for me.
I held off on seeing the movie just for that reason. I can read a book and then see a movie but usually not the other way around.
Some great choices there. I must confess I have never read a Jane Austen either. In fact the only book on your list I have actually read is The Last Town On Earth – I’ll be interested to read what you make of it.
As a book blogger, I don’t feel complete without reading an Austen. Of course, I felt that way about Moby Dick and Wuthering Heights recently and after reading them both I was left wondering why they are so highly revered.
I have TTW in my stack as well…once I get it read, then I’m watching the movie. You will enjoy P&P I think. Once you have read it, you just watch the BBC production with Colin Firth. It is worthy of obsessive watching.
If I didn’t have so many books that I really need to complete this summer, I’d read The Stand with you. I have my original copy from 1979 when I got it as a gift from a boyfriend.
Oh come on. You’re super-woman. You can find a way to get The Stand in. It would be fun to dish about it since it’s been so long since we’ve both read it.
YES! You must read Pride and Prejudice! It is amazing! I love all Austen, but P&P is definitely the best first-timer =)
I didn’t really enjoy Time Traveler’s Wife, but I’ll be interested to see what you think of it.
I was disappointed with Niffenegger’s Her Fearful Symmetry so I hope Time Traveler’s Wife is better.
I’m picking up The Stand today! Yay for joint reading!
If you get it (The Stand) today, when do you plan to start it? Are you going to get the uncut version?? I plan to read the uncut version this time around.
Lots of good ones…I loved The Inn At Lake Divine…your other choices are way too heavy for me for summer reading…but I admire the way you are going to tackle them.
Very eclectic list! I loved the movie The Unbearable Lightness of Being–can’t wait to hear what you think of the book.
The only two I’ve read are Secret Lives of People in Love and Time Traveler’s Wife.
I’m wondering how you’ll like P&P…it’s such a favorite of so many, but I couldn’t get very far.
Please don’t tell me it’s another Wuthering Heights.
Have you purchased Pride and Prejudice yet? I got it for 99 cents on my Nook!
I bought a copy at the LA Times FOB. Those cool penguin covers lure me in.
I love Vonnegut, he is my all time favorite author, so I’m happy to see you have one of his books on your summer reading list. My favorite of his is Cat’s Cradle – it is just an excellent read! Hope you enjoy Slaughterhouse-Five! Oh and I am with you on the Imperial Bedrooms read – I loved Less Than Zero and so I as soon as I heard he had a new one out centering on those characters I knew one book I would be reading this summer. Great list, Ti! Makes me think I should make a small list. Hmmm.
I read Time Traveler’s Wife a few years ago but don’t remember much of it. I am thinking about re-reading before watching the movie. Pride and Prejudice is Austen’s most popular book. So many sequels and spin-offs have been written! Enjoy your summer reads. 🙂
You’ve got some great books on there as well as some that I’d like to read too. I am not great at making lists (and even worse at sticking to them) but I love to see what others are reading.
I am looking forward to reading your reviews of Someone At a Distance and The Time Travelor’s Wife. I have not read the first one and I thought the second one was okay. 🙂
Ti…I am such a fan of Stephen King’s earlier work. It’s funny, because I’m not a real fan of horror, but I loved his books. Re-reading The Stand is a wonderful pick for the summer. I think I may steal your idea and include a couple of re-reads as well. I remember reading Slaughterhouse Five also as a youngin (lol). I would be curious to see how I felt about both of these now. Have fun revisiting these.
Good for you for reading what YOU want this summer!!! Woo hoo! And I’m glad to see “Time Traveler’s Wife” on there …I LOVED that book!
Ti….I need to tell you that I LOVE LOVED Inn at Lake Devine so much I read it twice (something I never do). I just loved that one for some reason. The Mullens book is another that I would like to read. Have fun!
What a wide range of reading you have on your plate. I hope you enjoy it all.
Great list! I always have books that I should read like some Austen classics I want to reread. I love the Inn at Lake Devine so I hope you like it 🙂
I like lists a lot too!! Your list looks great and I have been mulling around what I want to read this summer also….1/2 toying around with the idea of chucking the challenges until September and then seeing what I can get done on them until most of them end in December. We shall see…
You have great variety and I must say that Elinor Lipman is one of my authors to read for the Awesome Authors Challenge. I own Lake Devine and will probably choose that one to read.
Hmmm…now that I have Sam’s list done, I really should start on mine!
*smiles*
The only one on your list that I’ve read is Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorites. I hope you love it as much as I do!
–Anna
It looks like you have an ambitious list. I love putting together reading lists too, and I always add too many books. And I agree with you – summer seems like it would be the best time for reading as far as time goes, but somehow it’s the busiest time of the year and that makes finding time for reading even harder.
So many great choices here, but P&P is my all-time favorite! I also enjoyed Someone at a Distance, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Tinkers was a recent DNF – a case of bad timing, I think. I keep meaning to read Elinor Lipman…
I was planning a reading of The Stand, as well…..(running to check if my version is the uncut one….) after reading The Passage and hearing so many comparisons, I’m anxious to finally read it!
Not a formal read-along by any means but Jill from Rhapsody in Books and I will be starting the uncut version of The Stand this monday. Join us!
I stood at Book Soup for about 30 minutes just reading through You Couldn’t ignore me if you tried. I absolutely want to read it too. I can tell it will be an easy read for anyone who was a fan because I read a good chunk of it right then and there.
I’m a sucker for these new penguin covers too! When did they start doing these? They’re wonderful.
Molly Ringwald was at Book Soup tonight! I couldn’t go, but man I sure wanted to.
I always worry when I rave too much about a book that others will read it, not like it, and think my taste is rubbish. However, as a few of your commenters here can atest, The Inn at Lake Devine is fantastic. And a perfect summer read.
Seeing that Whipple cover makes me think I may take it off the shelf soon…
I doubt your taste is rubbish! Reading a book that has been recommended by a blogger is even more enjoyable to me because it has that personal touch attached to it.
I’m taking time this morning to catch up with everyone, sorry I’m so far behind this week… you have some great topics going on.
I hope to write my summer reading post this weekend (I have the title in the post and saved…that’s it) – I also have no beach reads on my list. I listened to Tinkers two weeks ago and can’t tell you how much I disliked it. I wanted to stop listening so make times. I’m anxious to read your review to see if there is a difference from listening to reading.
I need to reread The Time Traveler’s Wife. I loved that book.
Enjoy!
At the Festival of Books, I was lucky enough to hear Paul Harding speak and he was so surprised that his book was chosen for the Pulitzer for Fiction. He was so witty and interesting to listen to, that I went right to the Vroman’s tent to buy the book. I’m anxious to see what all the fuss is about.
I loved Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, but I know others who didn’t. Virginia Tech picked it for their common book for next year’s incoming class.
As a Janeite myself, of course I’d push for Pride and Prejudice. You might like to read it along with watching the movie. My fave is the 1995 BBC production with Colin Firth. I can see you have a great selection here. I love lists too. I just got back from a giant book sale and listed my loot. Am waiting for suggestions and inputs as well.
I adored Pride and Prejudice – finally took the time to read it this year. The Time Traveler’s Wife was excellent too. In fact, I have avoided watching the movie because I am afraid that it would not do the book justice. Looks like you have a great list. Enjoy!