Beach Reading

Freshly back from our North Carolina beach vacation. I’ll write about it more later, but for now, let’s focus on one of the very best things about beach trips:

Reading.

On the sand. With the roar of waves.

Or on the deck, with an evening cocktail, the kiddos inside---washed up and sun-drenched and chilling with whatever Disney Junior has to offer.

This week, I finished (having started it at home) Ian McEwan’s The Children Act, which was smart and interesting. I liked it. It centers on a childless judge whose marriage is falling apart. Recommended.

I also read Judy Blume’s Summer Sisters, the YA queen’s foray into adult novels. Let’s just say that Judy Blume STILL HAS IT and seems to write an adolescent, angsty novel for grown-girls. Her writing just seems so effortless and unselfconscious. To boot, it’s a perfect, perfect summertime beach read. Recommended.

I read The Widow Waltz, which was less of a beachy book than I expected. Hello? A woman is on the cover, on a freaking BEACH. I think one scene takes place on the beach, and that’s in winter. However, it’s a light, fairly witty novel with some Hampton ha-ha. At times, the first-person narration of Georgia, the widowed heroine, is too deliberately snarky and the occasional line delivered without edgy sarcasm would allow a reading breath, but on the whole, I liked Georgia’s tone and humor. Do I recommend it? Eh, I’ve read better, but I enjoyed this one enough to not regret reading it. I’d probably stop short of actually recommending the novel, as it’s not really worth making an effort to obtain, but I’ll still give my mom my copy.

Finally, I started (but haven’t yet finished) Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s Dearly Beloved, originally published in 1962. Following the structure of a traditional wedding, it examines marriage, togetherness, and cultural expectation, particularly through the lens of wifedom and motherhood. So far, I’ve found it perceptive, smart, and engaging. I admire Lindbergh’s writing and gutsiness, and this book is definitely delivering so far.

Tell me, what are your favorite beach reads? I need to start planning for next year.