Revisit 10 old favorites for summer reading
When Shreveport friends asked for a book recommendation for their mom recently, I sat down and dashed off a list of a dozen and a half. Then realized they intended me to send only one. Blush.
That exercise reminded me of how many great older reads are worth a new look, charming books that make you cheer for the characters and maybe put you in a good mood on a hot day. I was surprised to recall how I felt when I first discovered these titles, brand-new at the time and now often bestsellers and films. (Yes, the book is better.)
For this list, I chose fiction, all relatively “clean” in language and situations, books easily available used or through libraries and a couple of stories that adults might read alone or with youngsters. While I’m generally drawn to life-affirming books (no horror, few brutally sad endings), I also like novels with enough tension to keep me turning pages—relationship conflict and/or plot suspense. I love to laugh when reading and don’t mind shedding a tear or two.
Here are 10 old faithful novel ideas to keep you company this summer:
“84 Charing Cross Road,” Helene Hanff, 1990. One of my all-time favorites. A charming short love story about books, written as letters between a woman in the U.S. and a bookshop owner in the U.K. (I was surprised to note that two of the books on my list are epistolatory novels, written in letter form.)
“News of the World,” Paulette Jiles, 2017. Set in 1870, it is about an elderly widower who delivers a 10-year-old orphan to her family after a 400-mile journey. This entertaining book has the feel of the Old West—and lots of action and heart.
“The Secret Life of Bees,” Sue Monk Kidd, 2002, an emotional, deep coming-of-age story set in 1964 about a 14-year-old girl who has been abused and finds love and acceptance from sisters. This book tackles the topic of race and friendship in a powerful way.
“Anne of Green Gables,” L.M. Montgomery, 1908. The classic children’s book, about a mischievous 11-year-old orphan, is enjoyable for all ages. (Be warned: This book will make you want to visit its setting, Prince Edward Island, a delightful Canadian province filled with tourist spots tied to the book.)
“The Testament,” John Grisham, 1999. Lots of book lovers have a favorite Grisham novel, and this is mine. It’s legal suspense, of course, but it’s also an adventure story with a strong theme of redemption. (For current fiction, I’m listening to Grisham’s “The Boys From Biloxi,” released last year, and enjoying it. Conflict abounds.)
“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,” Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008. A wonderful novel set in the aftermath of WWII, also composed of letters from one character to another, about a writer who forms a bond with residents of Guernsey Island.
“Tangerine,” Edward Bloor, 1997. An unusual choice perhaps but this is an awesome middle-grade book that is a sports story about soccer but also addresses bullying, racism and even environmentalism. Years ago in Florida, my teacher husband’s middle school read this book together and students complained when the day’s reading time was over. The newsroom where I worked liked it so much that many on staff read it too.
“Tending Roses,” Lisa Wingate, 2001. This is the debut gem from Wingate, also the author of the international bestseller “Before We Were Yours” and NYT bestseller “The Book of Lost Friends.” “Tending Roses” is a sweet story, drawn from memories of Wingate’s own grandmother, about a young family who learns to slow down and enjoy life more during a family crisis.
“Love is a Wild Assault,” Elithe Hamilton Kirkland, 1959. If you enjoy historical fiction with a regional flair, grab this story of Harriet Potter and her heroism during the battle for Texas independence and life as “the bravest woman in Texas.” (Don’t be put off by the title.) For a field trip, visit Potter’s Point, an unincorporated area on Caddo Lake with monuments to Potter and her husband, about 45 miles northwest of Shreveport.
“Patty Jane’s House of Curls,” Lorna Landvik, 1996. An unlikely pick, but this is a warm story about women in Minnesota and how friendship help us through crises. This book was recommended to me by avid Bossier reader Sarah Leachman, an example of how a friend’s recommendation is almost always enjoyable.
Yes, of course I have more recommendations, but this should get you through the weeks till fall begins. Feel free to email me your favorites. Happy reading!
Columnist Judy Christie is the author of 18 books, including the fictional “Gone to Green” series and the nonfiction “Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children’s Home Society,” now in its fifth printing in trade paperback. Co-authored with Lisa Wingate, it is the true sequel to Wingate’s bestselling novel “Before We Were Yours.” For more about Christie, see www.judychristie.com or follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JudyChristieAuthor.
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Revisit 10 old favorites for summer reading
