Favorite summer reads?
I don’t know what it is about summer, but the books I read over the summer holidays are always indelibly stamped on my brain.
I can remember long summer holidays as a kid, and the books I read.
I remember being nine, sitting by a lake and reading the terrifying story of ‘Bella’, a possessed doll. It gave me nightmares, but I still couldn’t put down that book. I can remember the feel of the tree bark on my back as I leaned against a tree and read, the smell of fresh roses, the feel of my long, wet hair on my back. Despite shivers down my spine, I raced through page after page, desperate to get to the end.
How do books manage to transport us so perfectly? And why is it- for me, at least- that those summer reads are so much more powerful than others I read during the year.
Are we more relaxed? Farther removed from the daily grind? More open to powerful emotions? More likely to chuck work and abandon ourselves to a good book? Simply in a better mood?
I don’t pretend to have the answers, but I do know I go through books at record speed during the summer months.
Next week, I’ll wrte about some of my favorite reads this summer – but I’d love to hear from you, readers.
Is summertime reading special for you? Do you have fond memories of childhood summertime reading? What are your summertime reading suggestions for us? Any books you haven’t been able to put down this summer?
Happy reading!
I agree with summer time and books. There is something special in the air that also makes me more voracious. When my kids were still in school I think it was the relaxing feeling of not having to stick to our daily routine. Maybe the longer days make us also more avid.
The last book I wasn’t able to put down is The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Some passages are kind of frightening but the imagery is great and I wanted to read the end as quickly as possible. Thanks, Kimberly, for another great post.
Thanks, Evelyne! Great comments. I know Gaiman for his children’s books, but I didn’t know this adult book. Thanks to you, i’m now seeing it in the bookstores, and I’ll have to follow your recommendation and read it! Thanks for the reading tip.
You are very welcome.
Winter books are more memorable for me. Summer in Italy involves a little too much socialising and outdoorsy-ness for my liking (I’d rather be reading!) but winter hibernation means I can catch up on what I miss out on during the summer. I love reading Scandinavian crime during the winter months!
Thanks for the comment – and good point! After winter outdoor activities (especially skiing!) in cold, snowy Abruzzo, there’s nothing better than curling up by a fire in the evnings with a good book. Happy reading!
I agree with summer + book connection. I love winters though <3 currently reading Il Bel Centro based on an experience of a family in Umbrian countryside. You might enjoy!