Summer is just around the corner, which means the beach, and that means you're going to be reading material! Luckily for you, I work in a bookstore, so I have access to a lot of reading material, and based on what I've read I decided to lay out a list of all the great books I think you should check out this summer. Whether it's for beach reading or sitting inside with the air conditioning on, a good book is a great way to spend your time during these free months. And so without further ado, here are the five books that I recommend the most, all completely different of course, so there should be something here for everyone!
1. "Hamilton The Revolution" by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter
Since you're about as likely to get tickets to "Hamilton" as actually going back in time and seeing the American revolution firsthand, it's a good thing that "Hamilton: The Revolution" has recently been released. This book goes behind the scenes of the Broadway hit, as well as giving excerpts from the script and background on the inspiration for the play. For Broadway junkies this is a must-have, but it's great for those ready to be converted as well.
2. "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2" by J.K. Rowling
Speaking of plays that you'll probably never get into, Harry Potter is back, I'll be at in the form of a play that's only showing in London (for now). But luckily, a book that collects the script for both parts one and part two is going to be released come July and if you ever read Harry Potter, then chances are you're begging for more. It's impossible to say at the moment whether or not if will have been worth it, but this is likely to be the literary event of the summer. At the very least, it's bound to be the highest seller. Needless to say, you're probably already planning to pick it up, but if you've been cautious about it, you'll be happy to know that everyone that has seen at least a little bit of it, says it's good. Until it comes to America, or is broadcast somewhere, this will be the closest most of us will ever get to actually seeing it.
3. "All the Birds in the Sky: by Charlie Jane Anders
If you're looking for something in the room of science fiction or fantasy, good news! "All the Birds in the Sky" is both at the same time. The first novel by Charlie Jane Anders, he tells the story of two friends, one a brilliant scientist, the other is a gifted witch. With the world that combines the tropes of both science-fiction and fantasy, it's a really original universe and one that you want to stay in while after you read the final page. If you're looking for something fun, witty, and with a lot of heart, then you've come to the right place.
4. "Fight Club 2" written by Chuck Palahniuk with art byCameron Stewart
I wasn't too excited for the long-awaited sequel to Chuck Palahniuk's classic, "Fight Club," especially when I heard there was going to be a graphic novel, which made it sound like a cheap cash in. Low and behold, I was pleasantly surprised by just how good it actually is. Picking up years after the original, it's just as dark, twisted, and unique as it was all those years ago. And the added illustrations with the graphic novel format have actually given it a great new energy that I don't think could've been achieved if it just been another book. Needless to say, if you're fan of fight club you need to read this, and if you're not, well, you should definitely read fight club first, but pick this up, too!
5. "Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right" by Jane Mayer
This is by no means light reading, and chances are you will walk away more angry than you've ever been, but dark money is an absolute must read. Chronicling the rise of wealth inequality in America, he carefully he lays out how a lot of trust in government became popular thinking, and those that are behind it. This book is dense with information, but it's presented in a very accessible way, but even if you don't know anything about finance you can still follow it. There are excerpts that range from tragic to bleakly hilarious. "Dark Money" may not be the most pleasant book you read, but you absolutely owe it to yourself to check it out.
