Reader Crystal passed along a recent article from NPR soliciting nominations for the best beach reads ever, which they then narrowed down to 100.
What’s a beach read? NPR defines:
“When you read one, your surroundings recede, time bends and you’re transported, mesmerized, enthralled. These are page turners to be sure, but that doesn’t mean they’re brainless. This year’s list will be fiction only; any genre, any period.”
Personally I feel like the key is the page-turning part. You’re at the beach! You’re relaxing! There are distractions! The brain should not be overly taxed, but the book should still be really fun and engaging to read.
Which is why I was a littttle surprised to see NPR’s choices for the top 100, including such literary heavyweights as Dostoyevsky’s THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV and Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria Quartet.
Don’t get me wrong – I love me some Lawrence Durrell (I represent his estate in the US for crying out loud) and you should absolutely buy JUSTINE and take it to the beach or wherever else you want to read it because it’s incredible. It’s just not quite what I’d think of as a “beach” read. It’s a great literary masterpiece after all, and thus I see it more in the “lounging by the fireplace in cold weather” arena.
I think we can do better than NPR.
So. What are your favorite beach reads of all time?
I’ll start with SPHERE by Michael Crichton, CRYPTONOMICON by Neal Stephenson (NPR got that one right), and anything by Jane Austen.
What are your favorites?
Bane of Anubis says
OK – all this Harry love is rankling my synapses… As a disclaimer, I think the books are entertaining; however, I think the last several were over-written/less than ideally crafted (and I don't fault the movies for their takes). Books 5 & 6 both reminded me of Robert Jordan's later WOT books – where nothing really happens until the end. Book 7 has 200 – 300 pages of filler ("camp time") in the middle that delay, as opposed to draw-out or heighten, tension. Of course, if it's a world you love, it's easy to forgive/ignore this loose writing, but I much more appreciated her first 2 books b/c they were entertaining/exciting throughout. (And I was really looking forward to book 7 b/c it was going to be set outside of school — she had an entire world to work with, but didn't employ it)
Dana Fredsti says
Other Lisa, that is not kind. You have beaches where one can wear board shorts for surfing instead of dry suits!
It's cold and spitting fog here today. I have to wonder what inspired you to write about beach reads, Nathan. C'mon, loan me your sunlamp! I'll give it back!
Marilyn, I have a glacier read for you – TERROR by Dan Simmons! Set in the Antarctic. And that spelling just looks weird.
Athena's Little Helper says
Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb. It's a funny whodunnit murder mystery–not too heavy but still enough to keep the pages turning.
Marilyn Peake says
Dana,
Thanks so much for the recommendation. I looked up info about the book β am going to buy it. Looks fascinating!
Anonymous says
Marilyn,
You're weirding me out. Our vacation this year involved glaciers too, only we went to Glacier National Park. I didn't read this time though, I wrote. My daughters read Beastly, & Love Stargirl. Beastly has a great winter scene.
ANON 12:21
Laura K. Curtis says
Gaiman's American Gods, for sure, along with Stephenson's Snow Crash.
Laura Martone says
Ooh, who knew that today's innocent question would launch such a good discussion?
Bryan – I'm so glad to find other WONDER BOYS fans (it's one of my absolute favorite movies), and, no, it's not sacrilege to say the movie's better. There's always THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY for a good Chabon fix.
Marilyn – Yeah, the rating thing (and fixation on teenage matters) could be the issue. I have to say, after watching the sixth one, though, I'm not terribly excited about Yates directing the last two. And, can I just say, what the heck is up with TWO movies for the last book? That's as bad as KILL BILL I & II – completely unnecessary. Not enough happens in the last HP book to justify two whole movies.
Which brings me to Bane's point. Although I've been utterly sucked into the HP world, I fully agree that JKR is a lazy writer at times. All the things she introduces (like the time-turner) and never uses again… and, yes, the last book was a disappointment. My husband has, in fact, echoed your sentiments: "They spent 200+ pages in a tent, for God's sake!" He's even more annoyed than I am.
Laurel – I love Dean Koontz, too, and WATCHERS was my first taste of him, as well. Weird.
Mira – Oh, do read Wonder Boys! Just remember… it's not the movie, which might just be Michael Douglas' best performance ever.
OK, I'm done. For now.
Anonymous says
Okay…posting anon this time…because I read smut on the beach. I don't want to think or work too hard. I want to escape and relax.
Mystery Robin says
I'll add that I think a beach read can be literary (i.e. your Jane Austen pick) but should have language that's easy to get into so you can be absorbed into the book.
So, I could totally do Bronte, but not Faulkner at the beach – despite my love for Faulkner.
I think mysteries and chick lit cry out for the beach – Elizabeth Peters, Agatha Christie, Stephanie Plum – and I've been wanting to pick up Holly's Inbox – perfect beach read.
Of course, when I'm actually at the beach I'm trying to keep 3 small kids from drowning, so this is all metaphorical for me.
Mira says
Bane and Laura – re. the last HP book – I agree. It was not her best.
I'm not sure if she was just under too much pressure to get it done, so she went too fast, or if they stop editing her because she had become so big. No matter how big an author is, they need feeback.
But even tho' it wasn't her best, it was pretty darn good.
Marilyn Peake says
ANON @12:21 PM,
I'm planning to photograph. Need to quickly learn how to use my digital camera in manual mode, so that I can use it like my old 35-mm film camera. π
Anonymous says
Marilyn,
I took over 600 pictures. Have fun. As soon as I can get my family to board a plane, Alaska is my next goal.
The beach didn't agree with my oldest daughter. She's a jelly fish magnet.
Anon 12:21
Marilyn Peake says
How about HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Z. Danielewski ? Just kidding. Great book, but people on the beach might wonder why you keep turning the book around in circles, like you donβt know which way is right-side-up for reading a book. π
Marilyn Peake says
Anon 12:21 –
600 photographs is awesome! I love travel photography – one of my hobbies. Wish I could travel most of the year. π
Gay Degani says
The NPR list is interesting, but too many books that require cool air conditioning, a soft sofa, a nearby kitchen, and an acute mind.
I like my beach reading well-done, brilliant even, but not hard to follow. I want to be able to watch dolphins in the waves should they appear.
Beach to me: One of the lighter-weight mystery/thriller guys like Lee Child/Elmore Leonard/ and the other Floridian who wrote Basket Case and Sick Puppy. Excellent writing, but fun and easy to read.
Some scary books too I can only take in the bright glare of the summer sun: Afraid by Jack Kilborn is a good example.
Then there is the whole chick lit thing, "Bridget Jones" for one, "Devil Loves Prada."
The only "serious" book I want to take to the beach is Jonathon Franzen's "The Corrections" so I can walk it out into the salty water and accidently drop it on purpose.
Sorry fish.
Other Lisa says
Ooooh, I liked Chabon's "The Yiddish Policemen's Union" a lot.
@Gay, I read the Corrections. Snork!
sex scenes at starbucks says
THE TWELVE, of course, by our own Stuart Neville.
And not just cuz I like him, either.
Dawn VanderMeer says
WendyCinNYC, I love your reasons for selecting BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY–and I agree. Although they've been said, I also think THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE and Meg Cabot books are perfect for the beach. And if you're not eating while taking in the sun, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES!
Ironic about the cold weather down in San Francisco. Up here in Washington, it's SUNNY! Those of you in California (my native state) can rub in the weather most days, so I had to jump on this one. Note: it was sunny when Nathan was up here, too, so we have a witness that Washington weather can be beautiful. π
Lupina says
How about a book about a beach? I enjoyed Anita Shreve's "Body Surfing"
Erin says
Reads where I was sunburned on a recent vacation b/c I just couldn't stop: "Dark Places" and "Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn, Steig Larsson's "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and "Honeymoon With My Brother" by Frank Wizner. Others I got sucked into despite my best intentions at other times: Twilight, Harry Potter, "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner, and "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult.
Ink says
Other Lisa,
The YPU is sidling up my TBR pile. But it's a pretty big pile…
Anonymous says
Series or βcomplete worksβ make good beach projects if youβre a fast reader.
I just got introduced to John Marsdenβs YA Tomorrow series (7 books, which are followed by his Ellie trilogy). They will go fast though: they were so gripping I couldnβt put them down, but chain-read the 10 books in considerably less than a week. I could picture doing this at the beach.
I like to re-read Paul Scottβs Jewel in the Crown quartet every few years, and the beach would be a good place to do it. The quartet is followed by an epilogue of sorts, Staying On, and his biography (by Hilary Spurling) would round the project off nicely.
Other complete works projects that would be good for the beach would be Dick Francis and John Le Carre.
Another series: Sue Graftonβs alphabet mysteries.
Lupina says
Nathan, here is a follow up question that perhaps you could ask sometime soon to help someone I know…what book would you ask family and friends to have sent to you if you had to spend 2-3 months in the county jail? Said person first requested Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow"
The Decreed says
The Hobbit for nice and easy, LOTR if you wanna step it up, Frank Peretti's The Visitation, or, yes, Dan Brown's Angels and Demons.
Laura Martone says
Lupina – Why, DIFFERENT SEASONS, of course! It contains RITA HAYWORTH AND THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION – an inspiring read for anyone in lock-up. Or so I would assume.
Vacuum Queen says
After college, I was hesitant to read anything due to reading overload. Or something like that. The frivolous John Grisham brought me out of my slump and into the world of reading for fun. Fast and easy. Loved anything he wrote. Still do.
Vacuum Queen says
Oh geez….I forgot how much I loved Bridget Jones Diary as well as the Nanny Diaries. Great guilty pleasures.
Terry says
Anything that's set in a foreign country, preferably a warm climate, or at least an exotic place.
Say Crete, or Corfu, the Amalfi Coast, Spain, all with a bit of mystery thrown in.
Of course, one of the problems I find with so many of these, is that, while the locale is interesting, maybe even the plot, but the writing is pedestrian. I'd really love to read some with good writing.
I always like a good noir, beach or no.
Molly Malone says
Justine is probably my favorite novel of all time, but I have to agree that it's an odd choice for the beach. Unless that beach is on a deserted island. In which case, I would most definitely select it as a "desert island must."
Terry says
I just noticed Brandon's recommendation. Andre Aciman's, Call Me By Your Name.
I'll have to get a hold of that one.
Thanks Brandon. Just what I'm looking for.
Laura D says
For the nostalgia beaches bring out in me for my childhood, I'll pick Huckleberry Finn.
Shell says
I don't get the term 'beach reads,' since if I'm on the beach I promise I'm not reading. Maybe if I ever got to spend enough time on the beach…
But the definition NPR gives: "When you read one, your surroundings recede, time bends and you're transported, mesmerized, enthralled" belongs first and foremost to Lord of the Rings. The spring I spent reading it for the first time, everything else receded and I was transported far, far away from my front porch. However, I would gladly take the new Spellman Files with me to the beach, or an Agatha Raisin or Hamish Macbeth, and that doesn't include everything I'll think of as soon as I post this. Now if I can just get me a beach…
Sue M. says
It was the summer of 1980, or maybe 1981, and I was on my first trip to Cozumel. Ah, the smell of diesel fuel… Anyway, there was one book and one book only that EVERYONE was reading — in the airport, restaurants, and on the beach — and if you weren't reading it, well, you were totally broke and couldn't afford it. It was The Bourne Identity by Ludlum.
April Hollands says
I just read a great beach read which was, coincidentally, partly set on a beach. Mucho Caliente by Francesca Prescott. Brilliant escapism with a very down-to-earth protagonist and a hunk of a love interest.
Other Lisa says
Take 2:
I love going to Puerto Vallarta – one of the things that strikes me every time is how many people read on the beach. That's what the vacationers do, by and large. Well, that and drink margaritas. And there are all of these different coffee places and hotels that have little book repositories, either for sale, loan or trade. If you judged the state of publishing by this town, you'd be hard-pressed to see the crisis.
Crystal says
Nate – did you really say Jane Austen? I think I might be in love!!
For me, it's so hard to choose…
Lord of the Flies
The Count of Monte Cristo
Don Quixote
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Year of the Fog and No One You Know, both by Michelle Richmond (who breathes live into San Franciso like no one I've ever read!)
any of Marian Keyes chick lit books about the Walsh sisters which are all good for a laugh on the beach
My husband also just finished The Strain by del Toro which he read in like 2 days – a personal best for him, usually it takes him a year to read a book.
Anonymous says
"Cheever," Blake Bailey's John Cheever biography.
Glenda says
Well, I just came back from the beach and read three books while there. Of the three, my favorite by far was a Jane Austen twist: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOOMBIES! LMAO! I also read Cast's 5th book: HUNTED and some Christopher Moore quick reads. They're great too. CM's best is probably A DIRTY JOB.
Mary says
A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey
Ink says
Crystal,
I loved Michelle Richmond's The Year of Fog. A great San Francisco book, though harrowing. Looking forward to reading No One You Know. Very nice lady, too, which is always a bonus.
My best,
Bryan Russell
Jean says
I'm off to the beach next week with The Billionaire's Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
The Defector by Daniel Silva
Rococo by Adriana Trigiani
…but I'm a shell seeker, so I spend lots of time in the sand and probably won't finish them π
Jean
terri says
An oldie but a goodies, 'chick lit' before chick lit was cool:
"KINFLICKS" by Lisa Alther
Simply one of the most darkly sardonic comedies ever. This book is ready for a return to popularity.
For action/adventure, Tom Clancy or Larry Bond.
For horror, Stephen King (I prefer the earlier Castle Rock books, The Stand, or IT)
If something chewier is on the menu, pick a James Michener title at random. I am currently on a 6-day trip and "Alaska" is my weapon of choice.
For the romance readers, consider "The Far Pavillions" by Colleen McCullough. I don't like romances and I loved this book.
For sci-fi, I really really tried to get through and like "2012" by Whitley Strieber. Got too weird for me, but it has a brilliant and innovative premise that kept me turning pages through the first half. A true sci-fi-er should love it all the way through.
I like the history's mysteries tone of Dan Brown, even when it's pure fantasy. To me his books are like tortilla chips. Even the flakey and half-baked ones are still tasty.
Nancy Coffelt says
Cryptonomicon! I KNEW I liked you, Nathan!
I scanned the excellent recommendations and apologize if this book has already been mentioned – AHAB'S WIFE, by Seter Jeter Naslund.
If I actually get enough downtime this summer to lounge, I'm digging out GOOD OMENS.
I never get tired of that book.
Jennifer Spiller says
Okay, so I read and write Romance. I also love Urban Fantasy and Crime Novels, but I don't like to read any of these on the beach. I want to enjoy the beach. I actually prefer weighty tomes for beach reading, the type where I can read a paragraph and then just stare into the ocean thinking about it. However, on a recent cruise, I devoured Dorothy Dunnett's second Lymond book . Can't remember which one that is, but it was perfect.
Moostafa says
RELENTLESS, by Dean Koontz. It's fast paced, but it's not a thinker. My tiny little brain seems to shrink under the summer sun, so I need simple, cinematic writing.
Erika Robuck says
I just read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society on the beach. Perfection.
Jil says
Dick Francis – easy to read-about a world I know (steeple chasing) and always interesting.
A Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin. So beautifully written it can be put down and picked up at any time
Haste yee back ;-) says
The best *beach reads*…
This way to the restrooms …..>
Haste yee back π
pearlypiper says
I read "Sophie's Choice" at Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon. Another guest gave me her copy as she checked out. Couldn't put it down, my best beach read ever.
Deb says
Having read "The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love" by Oscar Hijuelos on the beaches of Hawaii, I can vouch that it was the perfect beach read. I tasted the food, I swayed with the music. The book moved me in a way it might not have had I read it in bits and pieces before bed each night. Man, I loved that book.