Now that we have three and a half months off for summer vacation, one request that has dominated everyone's Facebook newsfeed are book requests for people too busy to read for fun during the school year. As an avid summer binge-reader, I have found great books that will captivate readers throughout the summer.
1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
A classic, this book kept me enraptured in Lizzy Bennet's sarcastic nature and her melodramatic endeavors.
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2. The Stranger by Albert Camus
This story of existentialism and murder is short, a perfect beach or plane read, and will make you think.
3. Bossypants by Tina Fey
As Tina Fey is a brilliant comedian, her anecdotes and inquiries will keep you chuckling.
4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
With fantastic prose and a controversial story, your eyes will be glued to the page as you read the tortured, and creepy love story.
5. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
This book will take you a while, but the book, about the turbulent lives of the Russian aristocracy will fly by.
6. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
This book is not a comedy, but a fascinating story about a woman who did not understand herself, and will take you into Esther's head.
7. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
When Pi Patel becomes lost at sea with a Bengal Tiger, he has to learn how to survive, and this book is an absolute page turner.
8. The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
This book, which inspired a wildly successful movie with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, describes two mentally ill people living in Philadelphia. An atypical love story, it will make you laugh, cry, and wonder.
9. Candide by Voltaire
A French satire, this book is so radical, exaggerated, and hilarious, it will keep you wondering whether Candide's optimism is true, and if "everything is for the best".
10. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This play describes the daily life and struggles of an African American family in Chicago in the 1950s, and is a beautiful story that will want to be read aloud.
11. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
This mystery is a compelling story about a curious boy trying to solve a case, which spirals into confusion.
12. Old School by Tobias Wolff
The tale of a confused teenager at an elite prep school will make you relate and want to be his friend.
13. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
This story about a man and his friends traveling through Europe will strike a chord for anyone who has had wanderlust, and will give you an interesting story.
14. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
The ups and downs of Jane Eyre's life and her relationship with Mr. Rochester will keep you close to the pages.
15. The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance
A play about a disfigured man who is consistently ridiculed, you will not want to stop reading, and will sympathize with John Merrick.
While there are many other books that one could read over the summer, these are unique and classic in their own ways, and will give new insight to readers everywhere!
