Few things are better than stretching out in your beach chair to read a book with the sun on your face and the waves as background music. It’s the time of year to toss some new paperbacks in your beach bag and lose yourself in a relaxing afternoon of beach reading.
We’ve put together a few suggestions and would love to hear what you’re reading this summer.
We can’t mention summertime reading without highlighting two local authors who often write about Charleston’s beaches. Dorothea Benton Frank has penned several best-selling books about our lovely Lowcountry, including “Sullivan’s Island,” “Shem Creek,” “Return to Sullivan’s Island” and “Lowcountry Summer.” Her latest book, “Porch Lights,” just came out in June and is also based in the Lowcountry.
Another local favorite is Mary Alice Monroe whose books “The Beach House” and follow-up novel “Beach House Memories” are set at the Isle of Palms. Sea turtles – another iconic Lowcountry image – also appear in some of Monroe’s novels.
About.com offers up its list of summer picks, organized by mystery, romance, young adult and books with more substance and less light-hearted summer fluff.
Oprah has revived her smashingly successful Book Club with a 2.0 version that lives on the web, plus Twitter and Facebook. Her first pick is “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, who chronicles her hike along the Pacific Crest Trail and the spiritual journey she uncovered.
Looking for more suggestions? Check out Goodreads.com, a social network of readers. Link it to your Facebook profile and see what your friends are reading and get emails of suggested books.
What are you reading? Share some suggestions with us on Twitter @traveler_mag or on our Facebook page.