I know you’re reading fast and furiously, and I love getting your emails about which books are making you laugh, which are making you cry and which are totally blowing you away. Here are my final 10 suggestions for the best of Summer Reading 2009. As always, I hope you’ll share your thoughts with me and remember to get up every once in a while to apply more sunscreen!
Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman – We were blown away by this true-life travelogue of Gilman and her friend, Claire, who casually set off on a backpacking trip to China after graduating from Brown University in 1986. With the idealism and cocky attitudes of the young, they ended up on a dangerous journey that will leave you shocked and grateful they survived to write about it. With her signature irreverent style and sharp insights, Gilman has written an honest, frightening and empowering memoir that should be required reading for every young female heading out of the country.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman – Reminiscent of “The Lovely Bones,” this beautiful story is told from the point of view of 17-year-old Mia, as she finds herself in a hospital bed, hovering somewhere between life and death. The difference between the two books is that Mia still has a choice to make. Her observations and questions are so raw and real – and often funny – you’re likely to experience what Oprah has so accurately dubbed “the ugly cry.” Read this book with your teenage daughters and be prepared for some heavy discussions, lots of tears and holding-on-for-dear-life hugs.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – A modern classic, this timely story takes us back to 1962 Mississippi, capturing the deep-seeded love/hate relationship between white socialites and their black maids. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Civil Rights movement, it’s an amazing slice of history based on Stockett’s own experiences. It puts this challenging period into very human terms and proves the power of women to break down boundaries, forge colorblind friendships and, literally, change the world.
The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz – Anyone who doubts that one person can make a difference needs to read this inspiring autobiography. Novogratz is the founder and CEO of Acumen Fund, a non-profit venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to help solve global poverty. Her story starts when she discovers the prized blue sweater she had donated to Goodwill, on a young boy in Africa eleven years later, with her name still on its tag. It proved to her that we are all connected in ways we can’t even imagine, and she gives us the tools to rise to the challenge.
Perfection by Julie Metz – This devastating memoir is so honest and haunting, it will literally make you gasp. As if the sudden death of Metz’ husband wasn’t enough to bring the walls crumbling down, she discovers later on that he had been unfaithful with a number of women, including a friend of hers. Metz unflinchingly shares her rage and raw emotion – you’ll want to kill her already-dead husband yourself — but what makes this book so important is Metz’ courage. She finds the strength to shatter the illusions of her seemingly perfect life, and by sharing her very personal story, becomes the voice of triumph.
Gossip of the Starlings by Nina de Gramont – There are so many horrifying aspects of being a teenage girl at prep school, and De Gramont captures them truthfully and with a stunning depth of perception that ignites this heartbreaking story. Through their attraction to everyday dramas both real and invented, best friends Skye and Catherine remind us what it is to be young and living life with reckless abandon, and the tragedy of discovering that we are not immortal after all.
The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton – This ode to friendship begins during the Summer of Love, when five housewives bond over books and beauty pageants. As they go through the next four decades together, they help each other through historical changes in both the world and their personal lives. Clayton has created characters worth caring about, and whom we want to watch over the next four decades.
The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle – Stories that deal with child abuse are often too painful to get through, but Kittle deftly balances the horror with hope and heart. The story is sensitively told through alternating chapters about each of the four family members, providing a stunning portrayal of a family in trouble. Yes, it’s disturbing, but it never sways toward sensationalism and will open your eyes about a shocking subject that may be closer to home than you’d care to believe.
The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells – As self-proclaimed Ya-Ya Sisters, we warmly welcome any new character introduced to us by the soulful Wells. Calla Lily, her latest heroine, is a strong feminine presence who transforms herself from someone desperately in need of healing to an actual healer. Her story is grounded in roots – those of her idyllic childhood and those related to the glorious hair which, according to Calla Lily’s beloved mother, is a woman’s “crowning glory.” This is a book that opens its arms wide, offering sustenance and beckoning you to settle in.
Labor Day by Joyce Maynard – Maynard has, in many ways, been the voice of our generation, and the title is hers for life with this riveting story celebrating love. Whether she’s writing in the voice of a 13-year-old boy or presenting a sketchy stranger as a viable love interest, we never question her truth. She offers us a refreshing perspective on life and love, as seen through the eyes of the son of a single mother. You will gobble down this book, read it again, then call an emergency meeting of your book club.
This post originally appeared on my former blog, StyleSubstanceSoul.
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