Nothing accompanies a long afternoon at the beach better than a good book. Whether it's a timeless classic or a collection of short essays, reading by the ocean's edge is one of the most relaxing activities one can enjoy on any given summer day. The following lists some of the best books to read this summer as you enjoy both the sea and the sun.
1. Modern Romance - Aziz Ansari
The Parks and Recreation and Master of None stars examines the trials and tribulations of finding your soulmate in our online and app obsessed dating culture. Ansari's wit, charisma, and hilarious personal anecdotes carry the story, as he travels from Japan to Buenos Aires on an unyielding quest for love.
2. The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls
Walls' memoir tells the story of her turbulent childhood as she and her family moved from remote desert towns to scenic mountain tops at her father's whim. Despite both dysfunctional and unconventional upbringing, Walls' love for her parents is admirable and consistently present. Her acceptance of their flaws truly is what makes her story great.
3. Eating Animals - Jonathan Safran Foer
Foer's journey into the world of factory-farming offers unsettling, yet extremely powerful details about how our meat industry operates. While Foer himself notes that the book isn't intended to be a "call for vegetarianism," it's difficult to go back to one's carnivorous ways after reading.
4. Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson
Founder, and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative, Bryan Stevenson writes of his legal work defending the poor, wrongly accused, and women and children who are imprisoned. His passion, intellect, and empathy vividly come across on every single page.
5. Yes Please - Amy Poehler
Poehler's book is chalk full of hysterical stories from her SNL years to her time as Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec. If either endeavor interests you, or if you simply want to laugh until you have tears in your eyes, this is the book for you.
6. You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery - Mamrie Hart
The title of Hart's book stems from her Youtube Channel co-founded by fellow YouTube star Grace Helbig. Both Hart's book and channel, as the title suggests, relay "boozy misadventures and tales of debauchery" mostly from her college years at UNC Chapel Hill and her time working in New York City as a bartender.
7. Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls - David Sedaris
Sedaris' collection of essays are the perfect mix of humor and charm as they capture the ridiculousness of everyday life. It's practically guaranteed that every reader will be able to relate to at least one story.
8. Not That Kind Of Girl - Lena Dunham
Despite some controversy surrounding a passage in Dunham's memoir, her collection of stories and life experiences are relatable in a very personal way. The Girls creator and star isn't scared to be vulnerable when discussing a wide variety of topics, ranging from friendship to falling in love.
9. Blasphemy - Sherman Alexie
Alexie's compilation of short stories deal with a variety of intense topics, from alcoholism to religion to toxic relationships. While not all of the stories are uplifting they all certainly carry an important lesson. Some personal favorites are “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona,” and “War Dances.”
10. I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai
Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, Yousafzai's memoir details her powerful journey as a pioneer for women's education initiatives in Pakistan. Despite facing adversity and a horrific experience of being shot by a Taliban member in 2012, Yousafzai's was and continues to be relentless in her fight for women's equality and peace.
