Sizzling Summer Reads
Summertime begs for a literary respite. An ideal day for me includes a comfortable chair preferably situated by some form of water, (ocean, lake, river, tub — I’m not picky), with some form of a refreshing libation, (tiny umbrella optional), and, of course, a really good book just waiting to be read. Here’s what’s on my list:
Having recently heard a reading by this author at a writing conference, I’m hooked on Smith and her definitive Southern prose. Influenced by Mark Twain, The Last Girls tells the fictional story of four women who reunite on a trip down the Mississippi River. Tragedy, mystery, and tangled friendships weave a tale of reunion and perseverance.
Certain books stand out as seasonal reminders of my life and Conroy’s brilliant semi-autobiographical novel takes me back to the beach one summer when I first read this gorgeous book. Why gorgeous? Conroy gives the reader everything possible in the human range of emotions in this sometimes hilarious, sometimes tragic, and consistently inspiring account of his teaching experience on Yamacraw Island off the coast of South Carolina. I never tire of this work and, accordingly, pull out my tattered copy as the balmy temperature rises.
This book is a collection of her political profiles, yet it is her personal essays in the latter half that deeply resonate with me. “The Halloween of My Dreams” captures Williams’s devastating awareness of spending one last holiday with her young children before succumbing to cancer. She avoids clichés in simply elegant language that haunts me still.
I’ve come to adore poetry rather late in life, and just a sampling of her emotionally intense poetry leaves me wanting more. Although not her most current work, The Wild Iris lends a seasonal structure beginning in spring and ending in late summer, so the signs are all there to soak up this collection that earned her the Pulitzer Prize.
First-time novelist and local CFCC Professor Ron Cooper takes us on the journey of a philosophy professor coming to terms with his past and present. Witty, funny, and already widely praised since its spring debut, Hume’s Fork packs a brilliant punch of compelling observations on life, love, marriage, philosophy, and even professional wrestling. I’ve often said reading Hume’s Fork is like having a conversation with John Kennedy Toole, Pat Conroy, and Noam Chomsky all at once. Pretty soon, others will be adding Ron Cooper’s name to their literary comparisons.
And rumor has it there’s another book coming out this summer about a boy named Harry…
Anyone heard of it?
