2013 Warwick’s Summer Reads

It's Summer, time for sun, surf, vacation and reading! Take a look at the Warwick's Staff's Summer Reading List. These are the books we are excited to share with you or are just plain excited to get our hands on. Take a look at what our diverse staff is pouring over this summer.

Adriana, bookseller: After Her by Joyce Maynard (out 8/20/13)
I love everything that Joyce Maynard writes and this one is no exception.

Heather, Marketing Coordinator: Night Film by Marisha Pessl (out 8/20/13)
Pessl’s sophomore effort (her debut was Special Topics in Calamity Physics) is a fantastic mystery steeped in horror and Hollywood mythology. Pessl ingeniously incorporates webpages, torn sheets of paper, and other items into the text, making it not only a written tale, but in a way, multimedia. I was absolutely absorbed by Night Film.

Julie, Director of Events and Community Relations: Transatlantic by Colum McCann (out 6/4/13)
You read Colum McCann because you love to read beautiful writing. I am awed by his ability to tell so much in so few words. He shows us, in such sparse and beautiful verse, that we all can survive tough and difficult periods of time. He is a master storyteller, telling this story through the voices of four generations of women. If you are already a fan of bi-planes and Irish history - what a bonus. For everyone else, it is the sheer enjoyment of reading Colum McCann's words and, in the process, he will make you a fan! I savored every last minute with this book, because I knew it would be a long time before I'd get the chance to read something by this wonderful writer. Thank you, once again, Colum McCann for giving us this treasure

John, Book Buyer: Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly, and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson (out 8/6/13)
I'm finishing up two weighty historical tomes at the moment, so I have barely dipped into Lawrence in Arabia. I really look forward to reading it for a number of reasons. First, Scott Anderson is a veteran war correspondent and an excellent writer. So far, it reads like a thriller. Second, Anderson relied on extensive primary source research, and many of the sources have only seen the light of day recently. Third, the book focuses not only on Lawrence but a small group of officers and adventurers who in many ways shaped the Arab Revolt against the Turks, and therefore had a decisive impact on the modern contours and conflicts of the Middle East. This book will make a perfect follow-up to the book I'm just finishing, Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan by William Dalrymple

Janet, bookseller: The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls (out 6/11/13)
I just finished Jeanette Walls new novel, The Silver Star. It’s about two young sisters all, but abandoned by their flighty mom, who make their way across the country to find a home with an eccentric relative in the deep South. Fans of The Secret Lives of Bees and Labor Day will love this engrossing story.

Acacia, bookseller: Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (out 9/10/13)
An absolutely stunning literary debut in the tradition of Atwood’s Alias Grace, this story follows the last days of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman to be executed for murder in Iceland. Kent brings to life the harsh landscape of the early 19th century countryside and the heated love affair that might have eventually led her to murder. A must read for anyone looking for a fresh take on historical fiction.

Camilla, Book Receiver: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes (out 6/13/13)
After being a dedicated non-fiction and history reader for a few years now, I have finally decided it is time to return to fiction for the summer. The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes will provide the perfect escapism necessary, in the format of a dark, creepy thriller. Writer Tana French loved the book but said, “It creeped the holy bejasus out of me.” French is no stranger to dark writing, and should be a sign to anyone who enjoys King, or French that this book is worth taking a look at. The plot centers around a time-traveling serial killer who leaves a souvenir with each of his victims. This modus operandi works well for many years, until one of his victims survives. While this is certainly not a light hearted summer read, it is one that will likely take hold of any reader who enjoys a thriller or mystery.

Barbara, bookseller: The Light in the Ruins by Chris Bohjalian (out 7/9/13)
This newest novel by Bohjalian is a wonderful story taking place in Tuscany at the end of WWII and ten years later. It’s got everything from romance, to intrigue, to murder. I loved it.