Summer Reading 2006

Summer must be coming because newspapers and on-line magazines are trotting out their “Best Summer Reads.”

In USA Today, John Grogan, the author of Marley and Me, says he wants to read Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma, because “he makes me question my comfortable assumptions and understand the true costs of the lifestyle choices I make."

Wally Lamb, the author of She's Come Undone, intends to read The March by E.L. Doctorow, Ted Williams by Leigh Montville and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls: "These are the books my wife has raved most about from the other side of our bed."

Here’s USA Today’s complete list.

Slate asked authors to name their favorite beach books.

Michael Chabon said he doesn’t change what he reads when he’s at the beach. He just reads more.

Ruth Reichl, the editor of Gourmet, recently devoured Hima Wolitzer’s Doctor’s Daughter. Wilma is the mother of author Meg Wolitzer (Who knew?) Now I definitely want to read this book.

Thriller writer Michael Connelly intends to read James’ Swanson’s Manhunt: The Hunt for Lincoln’s Assassin.

Other authors have this to say.

Booksense has some interesting picks for June:

They’ve recommended The Whole World Over, the new novel by Julia Glass, author of The Three Junes; Let Me Finish, a memoir by Roger Angell, Water, for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, and many more.

I’m still on my winter reading. My TBR stack from the library includes The Colony: The Harrowing Story of the True Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman; Once Upon a Day by Lisa Tucker; Sweet and Low: A Family Story by Rich Cohen.

I foresee large library fines ahead.