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ESSENTIAL BEACH READS FOR THE SUMMER by Nada Abdelkader If you’ve noticed the sizzling heat and you’re already planning your trip to your summer home, then you already know what it is. It’s time for you to let go of your worries, relax by the beach, and enjoy your beach read as you listen to the waves crash in. But here’s a thought. Why should you only get one decent book as opposed to five essential, gripping reads you’ll be burning through like lightning? Don’t worry, we’ve already picked for you the best of the best beach-reading recommendations.
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NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo Ishiguro This book by British-Japanese Kazuo Ishiguro isn’t like any other on this list. For one thing, it’s about clones. And for another, it doesn’t at all start out that way. Reading ‘Never Let Me Go’, you will find yourself introduced to Hailsham House, a British boarding school, and the children who go there. As you read about these children and their memories, narrated by an adult alum, you will find yourself lost in their world before you discover the truth.
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None of them are real and they’re all clones. And that isn’t all what the story is about, either. As you read more, you will discover that Kazuo Ishiguro also dives into the world futuristic-medical science, adult restlessness, and friendships that last lifetimes.
WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE? by Maria Semple Maria Semple outdoes herself in this novel. The perfect comedy-mystery beach read, ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette’ revolves around phobia-stricken mom and architect—the titular Bernadette—who suddenly goes missing on a family trip.
Don’t worry, though. Rather than tap into family dynamics, the novel taps into an investigation conducted by Bernadette’s daughter Bee, who collects documents like emails, magazine articles, transcripts, and the like to piece together the mysteries surrounding her mother’s life and possible whereabouts. The result to all of this lead-finding and interesting prose is a heartwarming, funny introspective look at one woman’s life and how she decided that it isn’t too late to try to discover herself one last time. 52 August 2020
