Your 'summer' book

19 years ago

It is warm and sunny today, and I picked the first strawberry from our garden. I can hear a mockingbird racing through its 'top forty' list of other birds' songs, but I can't locate him because the trees are in full leaf - it must be summer!

Do you have a book that makes you think of summer, no matter when you read it? Do you have a book that you read every summer?

Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer", Eudora Welty's "Delta Wedding" and Edward Eager's "Half Magic" et al, come to mind for me. Any other titles?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

ccrdmrbks
19 years ago
oh yes-there are three that get an airing every summer.

Helen Hooven Santmyer's ...and Ladies of the Club
Rumer Godden's In This House of Brede
and
Louisa May Alcott's Little Women

They are all gloriously "fat" books, but I inhale them in great chunks in the summer evenings, leaving plenty of time for new books as well.
woodnymph2_gw
19 years ago
Books that make me think of summer -- great question!

Four that instantly came to mind:
"Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain
"The Greengage Summer" by Rumer Godden
"Summer" by Edith Wharton
"Pan" by Knut Hamsun

Almost every year, I find myself re-reading Rumer Godden's work.
Related Discussions
Best book ever for PNW gardeners whose soil dries out in summer
Q
Comments (1)
I may have looked at it, location sounds familiar. As you say most such works don't really address our conditions, talking instead about California or being written in a wetter climate - I once read one that listed Styrax japonicus as a drought resistant tree.
...See More
Take your book and burn it - with your kids
Q
Comments (4)
I love taking books with me, and usually they are John Muir or Jack London or another wildlife writer. Im not certain why you would throw the "book" in the fire, and not share it with another camper you might run into or repack it and take it back home with you for your next trip. Seems like a waste of paper. The idea of taking books and sharing them totally appeals to me. I usually get books at the library sales, just recently when camping I met a coule who just purchase a new teardrop camper, they did not have any ooks, and when their son was down for his nap, they said they weer wanting a book, so I finished my used library book on Hillary's Everest climb. They both came by just before leaving and thanked me for the book. I asked them to either pass it along or keep it in their teardrop for their next camping experience, when they can share it with another camper.
...See More
Book: 'Your Money or Your Life'
Q
Comments (11)
I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on whether it's good overall, but all I was thinking when reading this post is that the budget in question wasn't drawn very well. Insurance and routine vet bills (yearly exams, shots, and a sick visit or two) are predictable expenses that should be included in one's budget. People often make budgets that are based almost solely on their regular monthly expenses (mortgage/rent, utilities, food, etc.) and don't go any further. They don't include entirely predictable but non-monthly expenses like insurance and property taxes, and they don't include items that are inevitable but not predictable as to timing and exact amount, such as home and car maintenance, home decorating, gifts, dining, medical deductibles and co-payments, entertainment, vacation, clothing, and so on. I think that's where the expense tracking comes in. After tracking expenses for several years (hopefully using a computer program like Quicken, which makes this *so* much easier!), you can make a budget that's actually realistic. You'll know that if you're not setting aside $XXX per month, you won't have enough to cover it if, for example, the water heater bursts or the front stairs collapse. I do agree that it's important to examine purchases to see whether they're worth their weight, but if you only track expenses and never have a comprehensive budget, you'll never know it when you inadvertently let your expenses slide too high.
...See More
New Books Due Out This Summer
Q
Comments (27)
I have just asked my mum to buy "The Boy with the TopKnot: A Memoir of Love, Secrets and Lies in Wolverhampton" - Sathnam Sanghera. It's a memoir (duh) about an boy who grows up in England and looks to be really funny. Couldn't find it in the US so hoping to pick it up in person next autumn when I go to home (UK home) for a bit. This book just came out in paperback in April in the UK. Probably not much call for memoirs from Wolverhampton in the US.
...See More
thyrkas
Original Author
19 years ago
woodnymph and ccrdmrbks - both of you mentioned Rumer Godden. I am ashamed to say I have never heard of this author. I did a little looking around on line and read a short bio. Probably should put her books on my TBR summer list.
ccrdmrbks
19 years ago
absolutely!
My two favorites are the above-mentioned In This House of Brede and The Kitchen Madonna which is classified as juvenile-but isn't.
dynomutt
19 years ago
I choose Herman Wouk's City Boy, especially since most of it happens in a summer camp. Nothing like reading what summer was like for a Jewish boy living in New York in the 30s!

There's also the Harry Potter series but I think that's mostly because the new books come out in the summer and that's when I re-read the series. That being said, I guess it's not REALLY a summer book.

Oh, and how about Twain's Huckleberry Finn? I mean, it's hard not to think of summer when you read about lazily drifting aimlessly on the Mississippi on a hot, humid day.
woodnymph2_gw
19 years ago
Thyrkas, you are in for a treat, if you look into the work of Rumer Godden. She lived in both India and England. One of my favorites is "Two Under the Indian Sun" by Jon (her sister) and Rumer Godden. I also like her autobiography: "A Time to Dance, No Time to Weep." But my all-round favorite is "The Greengage Summer." (about an English family stranded in France and the mystery they encounter).
thyrkas
Original Author
19 years ago
woodnymph - I will be requesting books by Rumer Godden from the local library. I certainly hope they are available - it would be such a let down if they aren't! Thanks for the suggestion.

Related Stories

LIFE Houzz Call: Where (and What) Are You Reading This Summer?

By Stacy Briscoe

Whether you favor contemporary, classic or beach reads, do the long and lazy days of summer bring out the lit lover in you?

Full Story

132

DECORATING GUIDES 14 To-Dos to Make the Most of Summer

By Laura Gaskill

Having an agenda can be a very good thing — like when it involves hammocks, outdoor games and farm-fresh fruit

Full Story

EDIBLE GARDENS 8 Last-Minute Additions to a Summer Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

It’s not too late to get these vegetables and herbs planted for a bountiful harvest this year

Full Story

LIFE What You’re Reading This Summer — and Where

By Stacy Briscoe

Check out Houzzers’ summer reading lists and get some ideas for your own!

Full Story

WORLD OF DESIGN Houzz TV: Dream Summer Scenes Around the World

By Houzz

Take an instant vacation through a roving postcard of homes and landscapes around the globe

Full Story

SHOP HOUZZ Shop Houzz: Enjoy the Lazy Days of Summer

By Houzz

Lie back, keep cool and just relax … you deserve it!

Full Story

ENTERTAINING How to Welcome Summer Weekend Guests

By Laura Gaskill

Thoughtful touches and smart planning will help make your visitors feel at home

Full Story

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Summer Crops: How to Grow Beans

By Marianne Lipanovich

Grow your own beans for amazing variety and healthy, convenient produce all summer

Full Story

EDIBLE GARDENS How to Grow Your Own Sweet Summer Crops

By Marianne Lipanovich

This guide will help any gardener get started on growing the freshest warm-season veggies and berries for summer

Full Story

142

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Hummingbirds and Bees With These Beautiful Summer Flowers

By Annie Thornton

Roll out a welcome mat for pollinators to keep your landscape in balance and thriving

Full Story

145

Your 'summer' book

Comments (7)

ccrdmrbks

woodnymph2_gw

Related Discussions

thyrkas
Original Author

ccrdmrbks

dynomutt

woodnymph2_gw

thyrkas
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Your 'summer' book

Comments (7)

ccrdmrbks

woodnymph2_gw

Related Discussions

thyrkasOriginal Author

ccrdmrbks

dynomutt

woodnymph2_gw

thyrkasOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

thyrkas
Original Author

thyrkas
Original Author