☀️ Summer Reading Recommendations from Our Literary Guides
Summer Reads that Live Rent-Free in Our Heads…
Looking for summer reading recommendations? Whether you’re filling a beach bag, planning your next book club pick, or simply searching for a great novel to lose yourself in, our guides have you covered!
We asked our team to share the fiction and nonfiction books they keep reaching for and the answers ranged from timeless classics and historical fiction to cozy mysteries, literary horror, and unforgettable modern favorites.
Here are the books our Literary Pub Crawl guides can’t stop recommending.
🌊 For the Beach Bag
Stories to disappear into between swims and sunscreen.
The House in the Cerulean Sea — TJ Klune
The Thursday Murder Club series — Richard Osman
Galápagos — Kurt Vonnegut
“The Thursday Murder Club series is strictly summer comfort, which means people murdered somewhere in a quaint village (but in a fun way)” -Miranda
☀️ For Lovers of Long, Endless Summer Days
Books that somehow capture the feeling of summer itself.
Sense & Sensibility, by Jane Austen
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
The Book of Delights, by Ross Gay
🇺🇸 For INDEPENDENCE DAY
History with humor, heart, and a fresh perspective on the American Revolution.
Sergeant Lamb’s America, by Robert Graves
📚 For the Literary Classic Lover
Timeless novels that reward every reread.
Watership Down, by Richard Adams
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
“Vonnegut is one of those writers I never seem to tire of—equal parts funny, thoughtful, and quietly profound. If I'm choosing one book to revisit every summer, though, it's Watership Down. It somehow becomes richer every time I read it." - Eric
👻 For Readers Who Like Their Summers... Slightly Haunted
Perfect if your ideal beach read comes with monsters, mysteries, or things lurking beneath the water.
The Deep, by Nick Cutter
Wild Spaces, by S. L. Coney
The Terror, by Dan Simmons
The Fisherman, by John Langan
“I tend not to re-visit anything (there are too many books I haven’t read yet!), but I often find myself drawn to water-themed horror in the summer. The last couple years it was the collection The Devil and the Deep, and The Deep by Nick Cutter; this year, I just finished the lovely little novella Wild Spaces by S. L. Coney, and I’ve got The Terror by Dan Simmons packed for the beach. If I *were* to revisit a water-themed book, it would be John Langan’s brilliant The Fisherman — I envy anyone who gets to read it for the first time!” -Rob
💥 For Graphic Novel Fans
One of the most influential graphic novels ever written.
Watchmen, by Alan Moore
Why We Chose These Books
We didn’t set any rules other than choosing books we’d genuinely recommend. The result? Jane Austen, horror, Revolutionary War history, cozy mysteries, and Kurt Vonnegut. Exactly the kind of eclectic bookshelf we’d expect from a group of guides who spend their weekends introducing visitors to the writers, pubs, and literary legends of Greenwich Village.
“In observation of the 250th anniversary of the declaration of Independence, I am returning to Robert Graves book about the English view of the American revolution Sergeant Lamb of the 9th. It is two volumes Sergeant Lamb’s America and Proceed Sergeant Lamb. I find it fascinating to see an Englishman’s view of the political situation and the social norms of the American colonies. With a lot of humor and a lot of drama and a lot of history. It’s a good summer read!” -Kurt
Browse our full Summer Reading List here:
https://bookshop.org/lists/summer-reads-that-live-rent-free-in-our-heads
What’s on your summer reading list?
Tell us the one book you recommend every chance you get. We may feature a few reader picks in our next newsletter—or better yet, tell us over a pint on the tour.
🍻 Continue the Conversation in the Village
And if you’re spending part of your summer exploring New York, we’d love to raise a glass with you. Join us in Greenwich Village as we celebrate the writers, rebels, and revolutionaries whose words continue to shape the city.
Use code COMMONSENSE to save on your tickets this month.
Until next time… Happy reading, and we’ll save you a seat at the pub! 🍻📚
