Summer Reading Picks for 2026

This summer’s reading list offers a fascinating variety. These selections explore flexible and engaging stories across genres, including digital-forward concepts designed to enrich your skills.

Beach Reads

Start with “Majestic Hills” by Dawn Turner, where a Black couple’s move to a white suburb turns tense. Or dive into “Tenderness” by Rowan Beaird, featuring an island wedding and a (former?) cult.

Thrilling Tales

Teddy Wayne’s “The Au Pair” has a Norwegian nanny, a death, and a romantic con. Colson Whitehead’s “Cool Machine”, the final in the Harlem Trilogy, captures 1980s New York’s real estate rise.

Self-Discovery Journeys

Kathleen Rooney’s “Man Overboard!” blends humor and self-realization. Ann Patchett’s “Whistler” evokes rekindled relationships. Elizabeth Strout explores personal history in “The Things We Never Say”.

Sports Highlights

Discover the creation of the All-Star Game in “The First All-Star Game: Babe Ruth, FDR and America at the Crossroads”. Nick Greene’s “How To Watch Soccer like a Genius” offers unexpected insights into the world’s game.

Local Cozy Mysteries

Savvy Summers, a South Side chef, returns in “Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils” by Sandra Jackson-Opoku.

Historical Insights

Timothy Tyson and Mary Williams offer a view of Mahalia Jackson’s impact in “Mahalia Jackson, Moving On Up a Little Higher”. Elise Ann Allen’s “Pope Leo XIV” provides a glimpse into religious influence.

Exploration and History

Beverly Gage’s “This Land is Your Land” revisits historical sites, while Isaac Fitzgerald’s “American Rambler” traces Johnny Appleseed’s legacy.

Speculative and Science Fiction

Paul Tremblay’s “Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep” mingles tech fears with an adventure narrative. Ben Fountain’s “Rasputin Swims the Potomac” delivers a political satire.

Memoirs and Reflections

Lena Dunham’s “Famesick” and Siri Hustvedt’s “Ghost Stories” provide poignant insights into the lives of public figures.

Urgent Reads

Jill Lepore’s “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State” brings historical context to AI’s growing influence. Nathaniel Rich’s “Cloudthief” intertwines tech and climate issues.

Fantasy and Reality

Melissa Albert’s “The Children” uncovers the mysteries of a fantasy author’s offspring. Ray Nayler’s “Palaces of the Crow” presents a WWII setting with intelligent birds.