That’s right! Am I the only one that semi-misses having required reading during the summer? Required reading always meant an excuse to just sit in a tree and read for hours on end. These days, my trees have been replaced by hammocks but I can’t complain.
I know I posted a book list a few weeks ago but I decided to expand. Or, maybe I just didn’t have anything else relevant to post about. There’s only so much I can say about oatmeal and hummus, you know? But we love books!
So here is your mission: read, read, read. Go climb a tree, get in a hammock or just hunker down on your couch with an apple and almond butter.
The book nerd section is coming……I promise. And it’s going to be cool. All you book nerds out there will finally have a safe haven to express your true literary feelings, however weird or uncouth they are. We won’t judge you. Only ELR love.
Can you handle 10 books this summer? I hope so.
1. My Antonia (read discussion here)
I first read this book in high school and have re-read it countless times since. It’s pretty much a modern day Little House on the Prairie and makes me want to run around outside in a petticoat and a bonnet.
2. The Help (read discussion here)
One of those books I read in 48 hours…I know. I have a problem. This book was incredibly well written and the plot held me the whole time, especially with Stockett’s amazing use of Southern dialogue and character progression. Plus, she is an Alabama alum….roll tide!
3. Sarah’s Key (read discussion here)
The best book I read in 2008. Hands down. No question. I’ve recommended this to pretty much everyone I know and just thinking about it makes me want to re-read for the fourth time. I’ll admit though, I’m a sucker for World War Two tales and period dramas. I would like to be an English teacher for the sole purpose of having my class read this book. Go find it today.
Another World War Two drama with a female heroine. I loved the setting in this book (bakeries get me every time) and the two parts to the story. Family secrets + Nazi Germany. Very powerful and thought provoking as well as a page turner.
Read this book for no other reason other than it will shock the living daylights out of you. I read it all in a day with my mouth hanging open in uncomfortable awe. If anyone ever deserved to write a memoir, Jeannette Walls did. It will suck you in from the first page.
Just finished. 577 in 48 hours. Now my mom, grandma and friends are reading it as well and can’t put it down either. The book is loosely based on the life of Laura Bush and is just fascinating and enthralling in every way. This is my number one pick so far for this year…
7. Beloved.
Oh Toni Morrison, how we love you. I read this for an undergraduate contemporary lit class in college and since then, have re-read it about three times. Every time I read it I get something new from it and am equally astonished and marveled at the book’s rich complexities and lessons. Every American should read this book. Required. I mean it did win the Pulitzer Prize.
I can’t believe I’m even putting this on the list. You all should have read this by now. Everyone should have read this by now. But, if for the slim chance you haven’t picked this up yet…….do it today. And then we can discuss. That is all.
And then read this. I read the whole thing on a trans-Atlantic flight. But Kite Runner first. Yes….
Fantastic.
76 Comments
Mary
May 11, 2010 at 5:46 pmI love this idea!! Thank you thank you thank you..just one more reason for me to read this blog every day.
Alex
May 11, 2010 at 6:31 pmThis is such a great idea! I loved “The Kite Runner” and “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” they’re great additions! I will definitely be picking up “American Wife” as soon as I finish my current read.
Sarah
May 11, 2010 at 9:46 pmThis makes me so happy. There is no more wonderful feeling in the entire world than looking at someone else’s list of recommended books and thinking, “Hey, I loved that, and that, and that, and that!” The Poisonwood Bible is one of my favorite books ever, I’ve read it more times than I can count. And I just finished Beloved about a month ago (all in one night!) and have completely fallen in love with Toni Morrison. Have you read The Bluest Eye? It’s almost as good. I also read The Glass Castle and loved it, and The Kite Runner, and basically this list is amazing.
Thanks so much for your list and your blogs. I love reading them both.
– Sarah
Kathryn
May 12, 2010 at 4:06 amFantastic list and great idea!
Though I’ve read four of the ten already, I’ve just picked up American Wife on your recommendation and can’t wait to get started!
Kathryn
Red
May 12, 2010 at 6:23 amI think I’m going to have to do one of these summer reading lists too! I have a goal to read 50 books this year but my reading was so slow at the beginning of the year that I’m only on book number 9. I’d like to get through at least 15 more between now and September so I think I shall make a list in the next couple of days.
Oh and I’m going to pick up American Wife from the library tomorrow morning!
Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards)
May 12, 2010 at 7:26 amI love this, Jenna. 8-10 are some of my favorite books. I live in Africa and I didn´t read Poisonwood Bible until I got here and OH MY GOSH. I couldn´t pick up another book for over a week after I finished it because it just affected me THAT much, I didn´t feel ready to emotionally commit to another book! Everyone should read it.
I started American Wife sometime ago and never really got enthralled, but you have motivated me to pick it back up. I loved Prep!
Rachel @ Balance and Blueberries
May 12, 2010 at 9:10 amI love this. I’m going to start with American Wife. Can’t wait! Adding a trip to the library to my to-do list right after I push “submit”!
Red Head, Yellow Dog
May 12, 2010 at 2:16 pmJust ordered my antonia and american wife from half.com! (library around here is sketchy) let summer begin! I love your book selections – glass castle, kite runner, a thousand splendid suns, the poisonwood bible..such favorites of mine! can’t wait for my books to arrive.
AshleyH
May 12, 2010 at 5:09 pmI am reading The Help right now. I did not like American Wife I felt like there wasn’t much to it. I mean it was okay. It just was kind of long and boring. I did not like the ending either.
Kite runner was really good!
Love Duckie » Blog Archive » Summer Reads 2010
May 13, 2010 at 10:49 am[…] by this post by Jenna, I decided to compile a list together of my summer reads for this year. Over here in […]
Ellen W
May 13, 2010 at 12:38 pmI don’t normally comment, but I just thought this was awesome! I picked up 3 of these from the library today! I just finished reading “Little Bee” which was amazing too. Read it in two days. I think I’ll start with American Wife… I love the summer!
eatmovelove
May 13, 2010 at 3:44 pmOkay I can’t believe I haven’t read The Kite Runner after all this obvious hype LOL – it just seems like it’d be too sad and slightly disturbing (I’ve flipped through a few pages…I know, I know – not cool)…I’ll have to give it a go!
natalie berry
May 14, 2010 at 7:12 amJust clicked on this page because I finished an amazing book (Harvesting the Heart) and am soo pumped to get to go to Barnes and Noble today! I’m thinking of getting The Help. I also saw one there the other day that looked really good but can’t think of the name. I’ll keep you updated!
Teresa
May 15, 2010 at 7:59 amThanks for the American Wife recommendation. I am in the middle of a horrible delayed flight scenario (stranded for 2 days) and this book has sucked me in! It has been a great diversion from the travel mishaps.
Anne @ Food Loving Polar Beara
May 15, 2010 at 12:49 pmNumber 8. & 9. are my favourite books, I’ve read them twice and can’t get enough of them 🙂
Tiffany
May 16, 2010 at 10:57 amI just came across this list today (must have missed it when you originally posted it) and I’m really excited. I just started reading Sarah’s Key for my book club and I can’t wait to discuss it =)
Katherine
May 16, 2010 at 4:17 pmDo you have a kindle? some of the links are to the kindle edition so I wasn’t sure. I love library books!
Moni
May 16, 2010 at 5:39 pmHave you read the Red Tent? It sounds right up your alley!
Hilary
May 17, 2010 at 2:46 pmAMAZING BOOK
Lauren
May 17, 2010 at 3:06 pmFinished “The Glass Castle” yesterday! Where will we be discussing said books on the list??? 🙂
Heather @ Sugar & Spice
May 17, 2010 at 6:13 pmRight now I am reading Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. If you have not read it yet, do so – I think you might really love it!
Eat, Live, Run » Blog Archive » Tuesday Housework
May 18, 2010 at 9:42 pm[…] Book Nerd Club […]
Carolyn
May 19, 2010 at 2:30 pmHi jenna,
Love your selection of books. You should check this out-
http://www.cbc.ca/books/canadareads
every year in Canada the cbc picks a group of books and narrows down the list to a single book every canadian should read. a canadian celebrity defends each of the books in a process of elimination debate series, it’s pretty cool.
CaitlinP
May 20, 2010 at 11:43 amHaha, you sound just like me! Once I start a good book I can’t do ANYTHING else until I finish it! So glad I found this page; I’ve been looking for book recommendations. I’ve read four of your 10 and I’m going to get started on the rest today 🙂 Reviews to come!
Lauren
May 20, 2010 at 1:33 pmLet’s see…
1)My Antonia…This was summer reading in high school. I remember not liking it, but maybe I should give it another shot?
2)The Help…SO.GOOD. I read it in 3 days. I’m anxious to see how it translates into a film(they’re making a movie of it!)
3)Sarah’s Key…I literally JUST finished this….I started it last night. I read it during my lunch break….and then in between tasks at work…so good.
6)American Wife…I read it in 4-5 days. Great.
I haven’t read the others…I think I’ll start with “Those Who Save Us”. That is, once I read the other 6 books I have checked out. And I’ve read 3 already this week!
Brooke
May 20, 2010 at 3:19 pmFYI – “My Antonia” is a FREE download for Kindle. (I use the free Kindle app on my iPhone and love it!)
Espie
May 21, 2010 at 10:32 pmHas anyone read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingslover (author of The Poisonwood Bible)? I saw it in the store yesterday and had to restrain myself from buying it since finals are next week and I need to focus. Anyway, just wanted to know if anyone could give me their two cents.
Nomi O
May 22, 2010 at 6:50 amA Thousand Splendid Suns and the Kite Runner are two of my favourites! Very few books tug at my emotions as much as those two! If you like those pleeease read ‘Prisoner of Tehran’, ‘Fall on Your Knees’ and ‘A Complicated Kindness’. The third is a little different from the rest, but it is still as great!
Kathleen
May 22, 2010 at 2:10 pmI love your book list, Jenna! My inner nerd approves. I keep meaning to pick up “American Wife.” There are some great books on the list and I just requested “The Help” from the library after another friend suggested it. I also loved your other list (always looking for new things to read) and picked up “Lunch in Paris” and “My Life in France” (can’t believe I haven’t read that yet).
lisa
May 22, 2010 at 3:30 pmI really want to read “The Help.” I’ve heard great things about it.
kathleen
May 22, 2010 at 9:47 pmmy favorite WW II book is “The Tin Drum.”
Mindy
May 24, 2010 at 9:28 pmI loved The Help! It definitely takes a couple chapters to get used to the dialect, but it’s a great story.
The Glass Castle definitely has it’s shock factor. The author has a new book, Half Broke Horses, which tells the story of her grandmother’s life. Not as shocking, but great stories!
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns are two of my favorites. Excellent stories, quality writing.
I’m currently reading I Know This Much Is True. I’ve been at it for a few weeks now…it’s a bit of an undertaking at about 900 pages, but I’m halfway through and enjoying it. I am questioning if the story could have been told equally as well in fewer pages.
Allison K
May 25, 2010 at 12:02 pmI just finished “The Glass Castle.” I put any of the books on your list that I haven’t read on my “to-read” list and this was the first one available from the library, I returned it today, and just picked up “American Wife.”
Everyone, read” The Glass Castle.” it’s.amazing.
MaryZ
May 26, 2010 at 9:35 amJust finished American Wife…loved it. I stayed up reading way too late until the book was finished. Thanks for the list and I hope you continue to add to the list!
Suzanne de Cornelia
May 26, 2010 at 1:42 pmLove the list! Have been reading so much non-fiction lately–will read these this summer. When at UCLA in creative writing program loved all the fiction reading/discussions. The standout for me was a 1999 collection of 9 short stories, also a Pulitzer Prize winner ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ by Indian American author Jhumpa Lahiri. I believe it was her first book. The theme was displacement.
We have a fantastic library here in Carmel–luckily–am such a book nerd–need to get glasses and suck on the ends of my twirled hair!!
Kerry
May 28, 2010 at 7:00 pmAre any of you ladies familiar with http://www.goodreads.com ?
Check it out. It’s a wonderful resource for life-long lovers of books like us. You can review books you love, share recommendations with friends, plus see what others are reading. I’m still navigating my way around it, but so far like it.
Thanks, Jenna, for the list of books. My birthday is tomorrow and I got a gift certificate to amazon. Score! My kindle (which I thought I’d hate, but LOVE) is going to be getting a workout!
Kyla
June 1, 2010 at 10:37 amI’m in the middle of American Wife right now and IT IS SO GOOD. It’s one of those books you just can NOT put down. I can’t wait till we discuss this!
Carrie
June 1, 2010 at 11:22 am“Sarah’s Key” is one of my favorite’s so far this summer, if this is a topic you find interesting to read about, you might try “Suite Francaise” by Irene Nemirovsky
sherri
June 2, 2010 at 7:20 amjenna – you need to read girl in translation. it was so amazing i finished it in one sitting…
Tess
June 4, 2010 at 12:12 pmI bought Sarah’s Key to read on vacation and finished it in record time (such a great book which I have passed onto my mom and recommended to all my friends). I only wished I had brought more of your recommendations along with me for the trip. I am looking forward to reading the rest of your suggestions this summer. Thanks for the great list!
Becki
June 5, 2010 at 8:38 pmI’m going to admit my TOTAL nerd-dom and say: The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Yes, she’s the author of the Twilight series and yes, this book is AMAZING. Nerd right here! 🙂
Kristina
June 7, 2010 at 11:24 pmI love reading, I love nerds, I think you and I would be friends if we lived in the same city. I also read books in 48 hours. I love it… I start to miss the book when I see I am nearing the end, I don’t want it to be finished but I also cannot stop.
I will join this book club and read the ones I have not already enjoyed.
I’ll be back to review.
P.S…. I loved The Kite Runner… but could not did not want to see the movie. DId you see it?
Kristina
June 7, 2010 at 11:24 pmI love reading, I love nerds, I think you and I would be friends if we lived in the same city. I also read books in 48 hours. I love it… I start to miss the book when I see I am nearing the end, I don’t want it to be finished but I also cannot stop.
I will join this book club and read the ones I have not already enjoyed.
I’ll be back to review.
P.S…. I loved The Kite Runner… but could not did not want to see the movie. DId you see it?
Christina
June 8, 2010 at 8:37 pmI am very excited to read the help! I just finished reading the scent of rain and lighting and i LOVED IT!! i’m glad I have another great book to go to! =)
Nic G
June 9, 2010 at 9:58 amJenna,
If you love WW2 books pick up The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society set in WW2 Guernsey – an island off Great Britain. Great beach read.
~Nicole
Tiffany
June 27, 2010 at 8:43 amI second this recommendation. I picked this book up on a whim, and never regretted it!
Bergen
June 9, 2010 at 2:47 pmHey Jenna- I just found your blog and love it (and love that you’re a huge reader too!). If you’re into foodie/French books, then you MUST read Jacques Pepin’s autobiography, The Apprentice- its wonderful! Other great ones are: The Book Thief by Markus Zussak, and, if you are in the mood for some quirky British humor, anything by P.G. Wodehouse (The Code of the Woosters is a great one!). Happy Reading!
Lena
June 9, 2010 at 6:34 pmHey Jenna, why don’t we all go into this website where we can check out each other’s reads? it would be a great platform to share our reads.. just a thought..
http://www.goodreads.com
read, write, repeat
June 10, 2010 at 11:21 amAhh, I love this idea! I ABSOLUTELY miss required reading! I just finished American Wife and completely agree with your sentiments about it – it was just so fascinating, I couldn’t put it down. I know Alice Blackwell and Laura Bush are different people, but now I’m dying to find out more about LB! I posted some youtube interviews on my blog – it’s Curtis Sittenfeld discussing American Wife, and it’s really interesting, so if anyone want to to check it out, the URL is http://readwriterepeat.tumblr.com/post/681049665/curtis-sittenfeld-talks-about-american-wife
I’m also a HUGE fan of The Poisonwood Bible, it’s such a great story, and one of my recommended summer reads as well!
I read Sarah’s Key based on your recommendation (plus my dad bought me a copy…) and I have to say that I actually despised it. I thought the idea behind it was really fascinating, and I think I want to read Blum’s Those Who Save Us, but I just couldn’t stand Sarah’s Key. I found the writing trite and the main character infantile. Did anyone else find this?
Also, I LOVED The Glass Castle – my mouth was hanging open the entire time, just like you! I’m dying to read The Help, but it’s always out at my library, agh!!
All in all, I’m totally a fan of this addendum to your blog – yours is one of my favs because it combines my love of reading/writing with health food/exercise! 🙂
Mrs. Howell
June 11, 2010 at 8:34 amI am getting ready to “read” (aka listen to while on a LONG drive) Sarah’s Key this weekend. It is my book club book for this month and I can’t tell you how many people have recommended it and/or sung its praises. I am really excited!!
I just found your site and looking forward to reading more!
Lauren
June 13, 2010 at 7:46 pmi think EVERYONE should read She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. My favorite book ever! Also loved The Help & The Glass Castle.
Can’t wait to read Sarah’s Key based on your recommendations:)
Britt
June 16, 2010 at 1:33 pmI just finished The Help and I cried at the end because I didn’t want it to be finished! I loved it. As a liberal girl from the south with not-so-liberal parents from the segregation era, I could totally relate to Skeeter. Great suggestion!
Karen
June 17, 2010 at 6:39 amDoes anyone know when these discussions start?
jenna
June 17, 2010 at 7:25 amKaren,
You’ve asked several times so I feel like you must have missed somehow the first discussion. It can be found here. The wrote on that post that the next discussion would happen at the end of June.
http://eatliverun.com/book-nerd-club-discussion-1/
Karen
June 17, 2010 at 9:08 amHow kind of you to respond to my question.
Vicky
June 19, 2010 at 6:00 amHey! I love reading your blog! I just found your book page and I have such similar books on my page as well! Let me know if you read something else that is good!
Eat, Live, Run » Blog Archive » OTR
June 23, 2010 at 9:34 am[…] Book Nerd Club […]
sherri
June 25, 2010 at 8:42 amjenna- read the girl with the dragon tatoo! run don’t walk to your nearest indie bookstore or better yet reserve the series from your library. it starts out slow but that’s just a tease… there’s even a movie but it’s in limited release. i absolutely will not see a movie before i’ve read the book but i’ve been told it was a thriller. book two in the series is available in paperback and book three just came out. since you need something to lighten up the thrillers, i suggest you look up fishes and dishes (available on amazon). it’s a cookbook with seafood recipes and salty stories from alaska’s commercial fisherwomen. you’ll love it!!
Tiffany
June 27, 2010 at 8:40 amYes please read this book!
1. It’s a really good read!
2. This is the series I have to read for my physical, “real life” book club, and I’m not caught up b/c I’m too obsessed with finishing the books on this list! haha.
Kelsey @ Un-American in France
July 5, 2010 at 8:17 pmI miss required reading, too! The BEST book I ever had to read for school over the summer and by far, my FAVORITE book was Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Don’t let it’s size scare you away. I read it in less than 2 weeks because I couldn’t put it down! The follow-up, At World’s End is also amazing. The Count of Monte Cristo was also an unforgettable summer read.
Meg Wolff
July 8, 2010 at 5:09 pmI came over from Maggie’s site on a whim! Love your selections, ALL great books-you have good taste (ha!). Since I didn’t read Those Who Save Us, it’s going on my list because I totally trust you, your other recommendations are excellent. Time to go curl up with my book. I’m reading two books, Someone Else’s Daughter and Chelsea Handler’s, My Horizontal Life. I also want to read Bee.
jamie
July 9, 2010 at 9:30 amlove your site, wanted to shout “roll tide” right back at ya. i’m from alabama but don’t live there anymore, so i don’t hear my beloved team cheer all too often but i love it when i do!
keep up the good work! salud!
Jess (JessCantCook)
July 12, 2010 at 12:13 pmI’m so glad to see other people LOVE the Poisonwood Bible!! I read it a few years ago and re-read it recently and loved it all over again. Can’t wait to read the others on the list!
Ann
July 12, 2010 at 12:53 pmI’m so excited about this list. I often find myself with no time to read and then when I do I don’t know what book to read. I’m excited about tackling some of these books. I am definitely no 48 hour reader….but I have a vacation coming up that I’d like to get some reading done. Life with a 16 month old does not afford much down time, sadly. Thanks again!!!
Katelynn
July 27, 2010 at 12:42 pmJust finished the Help, and I am sad that I finished it. I did not finish it in 48 hours haha! But it was always hard to put down. I am a book nerd too, the characters become part of my life! 🙂
Eat, Live, Run » Blog Archive » ELR Book Nerd Club: Sarah’s Key
July 28, 2010 at 10:52 am[…] Book Nerd Club […]
Janet
July 31, 2010 at 6:33 pmYou might also read “The Mascot” by Mark Kurzem – It’s a biography of Mark’s Father’s life during WWII – amazing!
Jasmine @ Eat Move Write
August 5, 2010 at 3:49 pmA really great one that you could maybe do for another time is Joan Didion’s “A Year of Magical Thinking.” Fantastic, fantastic book.
Lynne
August 13, 2010 at 2:05 pmHow have I never been to your blog before? I LOVE this Book Nerd Club idea and have read 5 of these 10 books already. The Poisonwood Bible is one of my all-time favorites! I will definitely be back!!
joel
August 17, 2010 at 10:34 pmNot too many people seem to have read the Poison Wood Bible. You are correct fantastic. I liked that the narrator was changing with the books chapters, made you feel more like you were there in the jungle. For a complete change of books try “Silver Hair”
peace
lauren
August 18, 2010 at 12:44 pmAmerican Wife was great! I read it straight through, choosing it over sleep. Thanks for the suggestion! I also read Prep, because I tend to read a few books in a row by an author…umm, it’s not great. It left me with an off feeling. And I have to admit, throughout it I was thinking that it completely personified my own high school feelings, but to the n-th degree.
JW
August 19, 2010 at 12:57 pmCan I make a suggestion? The book “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers is absolutely the best book I have ever read. She is christian writer and this book is based of the story of Hosea. Please check it out Jenna if you haven’t already!
Liz @ Blog is the New Black
August 24, 2010 at 5:50 pmI just stumbled upon this list. I have read 5 of these and enjoyed them all!
cookbooks I love — Eat, Live, Run
October 29, 2010 at 5:50 am[…] given you a lengthy list of my favorite novels. We’ve even talked about a few (here, here and here) and I promise, a review and discussion of American Wife coming […]
Link Building Services
December 14, 2010 at 2:21 pmYou make blogging look like a walk in the park! I’ve been trying to blog daily but I just cant find writing material.. you’re an inspiration to me and i’m sure many others!
Carters Enterprise
June 1, 2012 at 10:40 pmlol missed a typo!