The temperature and humidity are finally on the rise, and that makes me want to head to the chair on the porch with a glass of iced tea–and one of my favorite summer books. But before I sit down and open it up, I want to consider what is it that feels different about that summer book. What makes this the one I choose, versus the one I might pick up after the holidays or on a chilly fall night? I know I don’t want anything too heavy, too dense, or too complicated. For me, it has to be just the right combination of intrigue, excitement and mystery, that BLT of pleasurable reading.
So what are my favorite summer reads for 2021?
I am a particular sucker for historical mysteries or a retelling of the past that gently rewires my brain. Right now, I’m enjoying Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It is a good yarn, a scientific exploration, and a fresh perspective on nature seen through a Native American lens. And the scene with the pecans stuffed in underwear is alone worth the price of admission.
Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz
I thoroughly enjoyed this short and delightful new book by Ms. Newitz. She tells the tale of four very different places—the Roman summer resort of Pompeii, a Stone Age settlement in Turkey, the ancient St. Louis on the Mississippi, and the towers of Angkor Wat rising out of the Cambodian jungle. Newitz shows us that we have an ineffable urge to come together to make unique gathering places that, somehow are also remarkably similar across time and space. The lines drawn by Newitz are incredibly astute, and the way she weaves together all these seemingly disparate facts throughout history make this one of my favorite new summer books.
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
During the pandemic, I went on a bit of an Erik Larson kick, and just finished his latest, The Splendid and the Vile, which covered a year when the world was in a different sort of crisis—the rise of Nazi Germany and what seemed the impending fall of Britain. I like the way Larson uses compelling characters and telling detail to turn a worn old piece of history into a fresh story. And I have come to trust and admire his impeccable historical scholarship.
The Guncle by Steven Rowley
This is a very funny, moving novel that’s causing a lot of buzz this year. Everyone I know is recommending this book so I gave it a shot, and I loved it. The story is classic: the main character, Gay Uncle Patrick (or GUP for short) is suddenly thrust into family life after his sister-in-law dies and his brother goes off to rehab. What ensues is a touching story of everyday characters at their best and worst moments. While this book is not my usual go-to, it was a breath of fresh air and a perfect vacation read.
The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler
When I’m not reading, I’m writing, and I like to write what I like to read. My latest book was my idea of a perfect summer book—just enough history and intrigue (to my mind at least) to keep the pages turning—and it takes place on one of the world’s best stretch of beaches, the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It is America’s oldest mystery. The story is simple: in 1587, more than one hundred men, women, and children vanished. They were part of what was to be the first English settlement in the New World. There are villains who are really heroes, and heroes who never got their due. And there is the desperate leader of the expedition who tries–against all odds–to rescue his daughter and his newborn granddaughter.
Click here to order The Secret Token
So, if you are looking for new summer books to add to your beach bag, check out The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke. It’s available in paperback from Anchor Books. Now, time for me to get back to that porch….
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Andrew Lawler is author of The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke as well as Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?: The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization. His latest book, Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City. For more, see andrewlawler.com
