Summer is the ideal season to read a new book because of the lengthy days and the absence of assigned readings. Whether read by the pool or while flying, these seven books from The Daily Texan are excellent additions to any summer reading list.
Written by Eve Babitz, Black Swans
In this enjoyable book, the quintessential cool-girl Eve Babitz encapsulates the spirit of California in the 1980s and 1990s. The nine stories in the anthology cover a wide range of topics, including aging, jealousy, learning to tango, and the shifting landscape of Los Angeles. Babitz immerses readers in her glitzy yet approachable universe with every narrative.
Jack Kerouac’s On the Road
Jack Kerouac’s semi-autobiographical masterwork, On the Road, explores the Beat Generation and is the ideal road trip read. The novel captures all the pleasure and thrill of a summer spent traveling and discovering new locations, following the free-spirited Sal Paradise on his several road journeys.
Written by Truman Capote, In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood is the only book true crime aficionados need to read. The small Kansas community of Holcomb is in shock after the murder of the well-known Clutter family. Truman Capote’s six-year-long work is a must-read page-turner that chronicles the killings and the fate of the convicted.
Letters from Franz Kafka to Milena
Letters to Milena chronicles the correspondence between Franz Kafka and translator Milena Jesensk, which was sent over a three-year period. Their relationship was limited to the written word and they only met in person twice. Fans of romance will appreciate Kafka’s honest, unvarnished longing, which departs from his often eerie manner.
The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoevsky
If you have a lot of spare time this summer, try The Brothers Karamazov, a heavy Russian classic, instead of doom-scrolling. The complex love triangles between three brothers and their father are described in Dostoevsky’s well-known book. This courtroom drama, praised for its philosophical quality, provides an ideal examination of Russian literature and human character.
J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories
Even though many people have read J.D. Salinger’s best-known book, Catcher in the Rye, explore Nine Stories, a lesser-known but no less fascinating work. As the title implies, the collection includes nine short stories written by Salinger between 1948 and 1953, including well-known pieces like For Esm with Love and Squalor and A Perfect Day for Bananafish. Readers can see the full range of Salinger’s abilities in Nine Stories.
By Gabriel Garc a M rquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
In One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garc a M rquez takes readers on an intergenerational journey through the stories of the Buend family, who live in the town of Macondo. This chronicle is a fun and educational book that combines magical realism with allusions to actual occurrences like the Banana Massacre of 1928. After completing the book, students can also view the original text at the Harry Ransom Center at UT.
