Books to Add to Your Summer 2021 Reading List

These long summer days provide us with the perfect opportunity to dive into a new book.

“[The Anthropocene Reviewed] explores how our lives could shift in an instance … He’s looking at emotional chronology, which is a really interesting thing to think about.” — Jenny Brown, Editor of Shelf Awareness, on John Green’s book

Listen: Shelf Awareness Editor Jenny Brown’s summer reading recommendations.

Guest

Jenny Brown is the senior editor at Shelf Awareness, a newsletter about books and the book industry.

Brown’s first pick is “Remote Work Revolution” by Tsedal Neeley. The book explores the acceleration of remote work brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the challenges associated with working from home. “She talks a lot about how to be inclusive with members of your work team, how to make everyone feel heard, and also a lot of things that are applicable to conversations we’ve been having about diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Brown says. 

She also suggests “Three Simple Lines” by Natalie Goldberg. In it, Goldberg examines the history and importance of the haiku. “[The book] is part memoir, part travel log, part meditation and writing guide, as she makes a pilgrimage to Japan to visit the sites of importance to the great haiku masters,” Brown says.

Brown also recommends that readers pick up John Green’s “The Anthropocene Reviewed.” The book is a collection of 44 essays that detail the advances of modern-day society and our evolving relationship with the world today. Brown says the book explores “how our lives could shift in an instance … He’s looking at emotional chronology, which is a really interesting thing to think about.”

Pride picks:

— “The Chosen and the Beautiful” by Nghi Vo

— “One Last Stop“ by Casey McQuiston

— “Cack-Handed“ by Gina Yashere

— “Razorblade Tears“ by S.A. Cosby

Audiobook recommendations:

— “The Dutch House“ by Ann Patchett, narrated by Tom Hanks 

— “The Year of Yes“ by Shonda Rhimes

— “Becoming“ by Michelle Obama

— “Talking to Strangers“ by Malcolm Gladwell 

New in paperback:

— “Luster“ by Raven Leilani

— “Notes on a Silencing“ by Lacy Crawford

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Annamarie Sysling’s picks:

— “Crying in H Mart“ by Michelle Zauner 

— “Ongoingness: The End of A Diary“ by Sarah Manguso 

— “Outlawed“ by Anna North

— “Infinite Country: A Novel” by Patricia Engel 

— “The Book Of Delights“ by Ross Gay

Related: Poet Ross Gay Discusses How The Pandemic Has Given “The Book Of Delights” New Meaning

Picks from local bookstores

Pages Bookshop Picks:

— “Malibu Rising“ by Taylor Jenkins Reid

— “Six of Crows“ series by Leigh Bardugo

— “The Anthropocene Reviewed“ by John Green

— “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley

Related: Angeline Boulley’s Debut Novel, “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” Is a Thriller With Heart

Source Booksellers Picks:

— General Nonfiction: “Wilmington’s Lie“ by David Zucchino 

— Biography: “The Dead are Arising“ by Les Payne 

— Poetry: “Postcolonial Love Poem“ by Natalie Diaz

— History: “Franchise“ by Marcia Chatelain

— Fiction: “Night Watchman“ by Louise Erdrich 

Additional titles from Source:

— “An Atlas of Extinct Countries“ by Gideon Defoe  

— “Leap of Faith“ by Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed

— “Footnotes“ by Caseen Gaines 

27th Letter Books Picks:

— “Terminal Boredom” by Izumi Suzuki

— “Data Feminism” by Catherine D’ignazio and Lauren F. Klein

— “Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia P. Manansala

— “Scorpionfish” by Natalie Bakopoulos