After a brief hiatus, I’m publishing a Summer Reads 2026. Not only that, I’m making a zine out of it, and I’m also sharing some of my favorite past reads which I think you should consider adding to your own Summer Reads 2026 list.

In 2011, I came up with my first ‘summer reads’ list, as selection of beachy reads and “good for me” non-fiction books to read between Memorial Weekend and Labor Day. I shared my list for the first time in 2014 on www.catobear.com (go there to see past full lists).

From 2014 – 2019, I dutifully shared each summer’s reading list and wrote brief reviews on each book. I came up with my lists by looking at the New York Times Bestseller list, Maureen Corrigan’s (NPR book reviewer) lists and reviews, and anything that I had seen online that looked good. Somehow in 2020, perhaps because of the state of the world, I didn’t read much or come up with a list. I returned in 2021, skipped in 2022, and again published my list in 2023 which was the last year of my full list. I did have a number of books I read and shared last year, but nothing official.

Over time, my list has become shorter, as free time seems to be much more precious these days. When I was young and had no responsibilities, my Mom would take us to the bookmobile each week and I would select the maximum number of books I could to take home and read (was it ten? 14?). I always read them all. In doing the summer reads as an adult, I normally selected between 8-10 books. This year, I am starting out with five, and if I finish all of those I can always add more.

My Summer Reads 2026

• Last One Out by Jane Harper. Harper is one of my favorite authors. Her novels take place in Australia, and often involve mysteries. This book was published April 14, 2026.
• The World Doesn’t End by Charles Simic. I love prose poetry, and would like to get back to writing some again.
• On Looking: A Walker’s Guide to the Art of Observation by Alexandra Horowitz. This non-fiction book helps to give one a new perspective on seeing things you miss regularly. It honestly sounds amazing and I can’t wait to read it.
• The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan, non-fiction. This books shares some stories from the people who survived the American Dust Bowl. It won the 2006 National Book Award for Nonfiction and was featured in a Ken Burns documentary.
• Waiting on a Friend by Natalie Adler. This new novel won’t be released until the end of May.

My Recommendations for Your Summer Reads 2026

For many folks, the idea of a summer read is a coastal romance with maybe a hint of mystery. There seem to be a number of books by Carley Fortune and Emily Henry on reading lists this summer. And honestly, in many years I’ve included books from Elin Hilderbrand and similar on my list. Who doesn’t enjoy those? But this list for you are some of my absolute favorite books, those that have stayed with me for years after reading them.

• Joyland by Stephen King. This is my favorite of King’s books. It is spooky, not scary, and takes place in a theme park in the summer. It is also fabulous on audiobook, if you prefer your reading that way.
• The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo. I just finished The Fox Wife, her newest novel and I have read The Ghost Bride as well. While the other two are very good, The Night Tiger is amazing. Historical fiction with a hint of supernatural, I felt myself transported to the locations in this book. I constantly recommend this book.
• The Burning by Tim Madigan, a non-fiction book about the 1921 Tulsa Race Riots. This book is fantastic, everything you would hope a non-fiction book could be in regard to teaching you not only about something you might not have known, but how it felt to be there. I wish high schools would require this reading in American history classes.
• Into Thin Air by Job Krakauer. This book, a first person account of the disastrous 1996 climbing season on Mount Everest, will have you (as they often say) on the edge of your seat. While there have been some criticisms of how certain real people in the book have been portrayed, I encourage you to read this and then follow up with other accounts. Into Thin Air is one of those books you always see recommended on Reddit, and it deserves the recognition.
• A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. This non-fiction memoir of a boy soldier and his participation during war in Sierra Leone also has a little controversy with some of the details, but I don’t think that impacts the powerful nature of this book. In fact, I think this should be taught in American high school English classes instead of four whole years of Shakespeare. It’s not easy reading (content-wise; it is a very fast read in terms of beauty of writing style), but I think it is one that should be on your list.
• The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore is a historical fiction book about the surprisingly recent history of leprosy homes in this country. It’s a great novel, well written, and will stay with you.
• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Everyone loves Erik Larson’s writing. It feels like a novel, and is a mix of true crime and narrative non-fiction.
• Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe. Want to learn a little more about the Troubles in Northern Ireland? This book won TIME Magazine’s Best Nonfiction Book of the Year. The audio book is also excellent.
• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. This novel was one I heard reviewed by Maureen Corrigan in 2011 and I had to read it. Fifteen years later, I still think about it monthly. You can feel yourself in the setting along with the characters. It is unexpected, and fantastic.
• American Fire by Monica Hesse is amazing. It’s one of those books that I always recommend to everyone. It is non-fiction that reads like a novel, and I featured it in my Three Books mini-zine as well as on my website.

Do tell me what’s on your reading list for this summer, and let me know if you have read (or plan to read!) any of my recommendations. Happy reading!