MY ANNUAL FAMILY BEACH READS BLOG

Posted on August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 by vlaw759

As many of you know, my definition of a beach read is anything that is read while at the beach. So here we go, reads from my family beach week. This year we were twelve, ages 14-92. (For favorites of younger readers, see the latter part of this blog.)

Although a lot of required reading happened for an online master’s program in public health, I’ll spare you that list.

Without further ado, here are the pleasure reads, with comments when any were made. These fall into two categories: Brought Here and Found Here.

Brought Here

Kobe Abe, The Face of Another
Kobe Abe, Secret Rendezvous
Joanna Bagniewska, Modern Bestiary: A Curated Collection of Wondrous Wildlife
- Great collection!
Rachel Carson, The Sea Around Us
- Absolutely wonderful: beautifully written, important, highly relevant today
Dante Alighieri, Inferno
- A collaborative project by 20 fine 20th century poets presenting modern translations

Rian Hughes, XX
Rebecca Kuang, Yellowface
- Excellent commentary on race & identity, loneliness & creativity, social media & communication
I.T. Lucas, Dark Whispers from Afar: Children of the Gods Series #63
I.T. Lucas, Dark Whispers from Beyond: Children of the Gods Series #64
Haruki Murakami, Windup Bird Chronicles
Fiona Quinn, Striker
- Fiona Quinn is a local author I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing about her writing process and her Iniquus series.
Charles Soule, Star Wars: Light of the Jedi
Military Images (magazine)

Found Here

Alison James, The School Friend
- Fun mystery, an easy vacation read
John Hodgman, Vacationland
- Funny, funny, funny, AND well-written
Terry Southern, The Magic Christian
- Commentary of 1950s society, clever, but not good

For the Younger Crowd

Because my family isn’t getting any younger, I reached out to a friend for what her young relatives (ages 1 to 7) are enjoying. There’s been a bit of a theme all summer, even before they went to the beach!

Mark Teague, The Pirate Jamboree
Ken Geist, The Three Little Fish and the Big, Bad Shark
Michael Garland, Miss Smith Under the Ocean
Kim and Doug Kennedy, Pirate Pete’s Talk Like a Pirate
Eric Carle, A House for Hermit Crab
Marcus Pfister, Rainbow Fish
Melinda Long, Pirates Don’t Change Diapers
Mari Schuh, The Supersmart Dolphin
Giles Andraea, Commotion in the Ocean
Reader’s Digest Pathfinders, Sharks and Other Sea Creatures
Joanna Cole, The Magic School Bus: On the Ocean Floor
Suzanne Tate, Skippy Scallop: A Tale of Bright Blue Eyes
Betsey Chessen, A Dolphin is Not a Fish
Arthur John L’Hommedieu, Ocean Tide Pool
Seymour Simon, Incredible Sharks
Jerry Palotta, Who Would Win: Killer Whale vs. Great White Shark
Becky Weerasekera, Count With Me: Ten Pesky Pirates
Audrey Wood, Ten Little Fish
Anne Cameron, Orca’s Song

Bottom Line: “Beach read” could mean any books read at the beach or books to prepare to go to the beach!

BEACH READING REALITY

Posted on August 23, 2022 by vlaw759

Every year, recommendations for “beach reading” or “summer reading” turn up everywhere. Sometimes, it’s just a list of what’s on some famous person’s summer list (like Rashida Jones, Bill Gates, or the faculty of Harvard Law School). For example, Barack Obama’s list got a lot of attention this year, and may have given a significant boost to “Southern noir” writer S. A. Cosby’s Razorblade Tears.

But do many people really look for—or follow—such reading suggestions? I, for one, am not a seasonal—or locational—reader. And I don’t personally know such people, either.

Once again I spent a great beach week with family, thirteen people ages 13 to 91. And here—in no particular order—are the books being read.*

* The four teenagers really didn’t contribute much this year!
** Necessary when someone is enrolled in an online master’s program.
*** Evidence that a series reader was on a roll.

Bottom line: Anything can be read anywhere, any season. “Beach reading” goes well beyond the beach. What are you reading now?

Terry Pratchett’s theory on beach reading.
from **The Last Continent**

Our 2019 Beach Reads

Posted on July 16, 2019July 11, 2019 by vlaw759

I wrote about beach reads in 2016 and 2018—years when I actually spent a week at the beach.

So what happened in 2017? I was in the Rockies for a week! And somehow, writing about mountain reads just didn’t come to mind. I expect to be in the West again in 2020, and I’ll fix that! In the meantime, this was another beach summer, this time at Bethany Beach, DE.

In case you are interested, the rotation is based on the locations of my daughters—one in Connecticut, one in Massachusetts, and one in Colorado. Traditionally, meeting in the East means the beach somewhere whereas the West has meant mountains. Most of the same people come year after year, all family.

Browseabout Books sign — Browseabout Books

This year’s beach reads

This year we were 14—all family, but all individuals, hence the variety of reads! Here’s what three generations are reading during their week together.

P1: Jan Karon, IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS; Bob Goff, EVERYBODY, ALWAYS.

P2: David Jeremiah, THE BOOK OF SIGNS; Robert Ludlum, SCORPIO ILLUSION.

P3: Pearl S. Buck, THE GOOD EARTH.

The Good Earth (Fair use)

P4: Erica Ridley, THE COMPLETE DUKES OF WAR COLLECTION—seven novels and a short story.

P5: Don Miguel Ruiz, THE FOUR AGREEMENTS; Bill P, Todd W, and Sarah S, DROP THE ROCK; Nora Roberts, THE MACKADE BROTHERS; DAILY REFLECTIONS.

P6: Andy Weir, ARTEMIS; Sarah Perry, THE ESSEX SERPENT; George R. R. Martin, A CLASH OF KINGS.

P7: Jonathan Kellerman, KILLER; John Sandford, DARK OF THE MOON; DAILY REFLECTIONS.

P8: Ernest Cline, READY PLAYER ONE.

P9: Angie Thomas, THE HATE U GIVE.

P10: Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL

P11: Sharon M. Draper, OUT OF MY MIND

P12: Adam Silvera, HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME; John Green, WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON.

P13: Andrew J. Mellon, UNSTUFF YOUR LIFE: KICK THE CLUTTER HABIT AND COMPLETELY ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE FOR GOOD

P14: H. W. Brands, THE FIRST AMERICAN: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Where are you traveling this summer, and what are you reading? Let me know in the comments.

Vivian Lawry

Writer

vacation