The Weekly Covet: The Best Books to Read This Summer

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Once a week, we ask our editors to share the items they've been loving or lusting after—whether it's a new skincare product we're dying to try or a travel essential we can't live without. Consider "The Weekly Covet" your editor-approved wish list for beauty, travel, fashion, and everything in between.

The Story of Art Without Men

"I’ve been following Katy Hessel’s Instagram (@thegreatwomenartists) and excellent podcast for some time, so I cannot wait to sink my teeth into The Story of Art Without Men, a 500-page tome celebrating the work of female artists—both known and unknown—from 1500 to the present." —April Long, Beauty Director

Happy Place

"There's nothing I love more than reading a rom-com on the beach in the summer time. And when I want to do just that, I turn to Emily Henry. Her latest, Happy Place, is a bittersweet love story set on the coast of Maine with the perfect amount of drama, friendship, and love." —Ana Osorno, Social Media Editor

Parachute Women: Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, and the Women Behind the Rolling Stones

"More than 60 years after The Rolling Stones formed, the band is still touring and its members have aged from garden-variety rock 'n' roll bad boys to become éminences grises of the archetype. But perhaps more fascinating than the Stones themselves are the women who helped create them. In her new book Parachute Women, Elizabeth Winder tells the tales of Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, and Anita Pallenberg and the invaluable contributions each made to creating the world's biggest band. Pack this in your beach bag and you're nearly guaranteed—sorry!—satisfaction." —Adam Rathe, Deputy Features Director

Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America's Revolutions

"Today's cynical fights over school curriculums are not the first of their kind. As Mattie Kahn makes clear in her important new book, Young and Restless: The Girls Who Sparked America’s Revolutions, elected officials and their enablers have politicized the classroom throughout history. At every step, Kahn reminds us, they have been met by courageous young women unafraid to march, protest, and raise hell for progressive change. It is beyond encouraging, downright inspiring, to see the tradition continue. A couple of years ago, Florida governor Ron DeSantis, then beginning to lay the groundwork to seek the Republican presidential nomination, passed a discriminatory law during Pride month banning transgender girls from participating in school sports. It was a 13-year-old girl who led the charge to challenge the constitutionality of the legislation, and she's not giving up. Just this March, as this book went to press, her attorneys fired back when the state sought to have the case dismissed. To put it in legal terms, nice try DeSanctimonious!" —Erik Maza, Executive Style Director

Business or Pleasure

"I cannot stop raving about Rachel Lynn Solomon's newest romance, Business or Pleasure, which follows the complicated relationship between a ghostwriter and the washed-up actor who hired her for his memoir. It's sexy and tender, and filled with authentic Jewish representation and frank discussions of mental health." —Emily Burack, News Writer

Chef's Choice: A Novel (Chef's Kiss)

"To me, a great summer read brings you joy, and this sweet trans romance about a Luna and Jean-Pierre, who pretend to be dating in order to impress Jean-Pierre's wealthy celebrity chef grandfather, brought a smile to my face over and over again." —Lauren Hubbard, Contributor

The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall of J.Crew

"Looking for a riveting beach read with substance? I cannot more highly recommend Maggie Bullock’s The Kingdom of Prep: How J. Crew Changed What We Wear and How We Shop. Part fashion history, part cautionary tale, Bullock’s deep dive into the retail giant’s trajectory is smart, fun and enlightening—and may prompt you to put that old chambray button-down back into rotation." —April Long, Beauty Director

Lie With Me: A Novel

"A lost love that defines all others and a spontaneous run-in with someone decades later who resurfaces those memories. Philippe Besson captures the experience in Lie With Me with beautiful precision and a tragic ending. Ask the few passerby who may have saw me shed a few tears in Central Park." —Isiah Magsino, Style News Editor

Bogie & Bacall: The Surprising True Story of Hollywood's Greatest Love Affair

"I always enjoy a love story to read on a relaxing summer day, and a non-fiction version is icing on the cake. I'm looking forward to reading Bogie & Bacall, a book detailing the complex relationship of Humphrey Bogart & Lauren Bacall." —Hannah Morrolf, Fashion Assistant

Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media

"When the Hollywood writer's strike is over, the story of the epic brawl between the American explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook over who discovered the North Pole will make for a fine film adaptation. The Covenant meets Master and Commander. Until then, we have Darrell Hartman's thrilling new book." —Erik Maza, Executive Style Director

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty

"Anderson Cooper and historian Katherine Howe team up in this fascinating chronicling of one of the most powerful families in America - the Vanderbilts. The book takes a personal approach for Cooper, as it's his mother's side of the family. A great summer read!" —Dania Ortiz, Fashion and Accessories Director

The Guest: A Novel

"Hamptons as the backdrop, an enterprising twenty-something call girl on the run, the parties, the mansions, the malaise. What better recipe is there for a perfect summer read than The Guest, the second novel from The Girls author Emma Cline?" —Leena Kim, Editor

The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control: A Path to Peace and Power

"Next up on my reading list is Katherine Morgan Schafler's The Perfectionists Guide to Losing Control. Not only am I excited to find out what kind of perfectionist I am, but I'm keen to see how I can make small changes to live a happier and more fulfilling life, per Schafler's guidance on the path to empowerment." —Roxanne Adamiyatt, Deputy Digital Lifestyle Director

Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms (A Flower Dictionary)

"I've been obsessed with Karen Azoulay's Flowers and Their Meanings: The Secret Language and History of Over 600 Blooms ever since I bought it a few months back. Want to learn more about buds and blooms? Not only is this book a treasure trove of information and fun facts—it's so beautiful to look at too. And thanks to Azoulay's expertise, I'm crafting floral poems and messages with my bouquets." —Roxanne Adamiyatt, Deputy Digital Lifestyle Director

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