Our summer reading lists—short introductions to important, highly readable books—are extremely popular. What better time to finally get acquainted with the basics of economics, or philosophy, or history? Or if that sounds too much like hard work, how about a gripping, page-turning novel that you can't wait to get back to? Whether you're in a deckchair in your backyard or have finally made it further afield, a holiday is always better (in our view) if you're glued to a good book.
The Best Romance Books To Read In Summer 2023, recommended by Katherine D. Morgan
If you’re dreaming of some steamy summer loving this season, then do we have book recommendations for you. Katherine D. Morgan—bookseller, romance editor, and fan of happily-ever-afters—selects five recently published romance books to pack for the summer of 2023.
Notable Novels of Summer 2023, recommended by Cal Flyn
New novels are piling up ready for summer 2023—but which of them should go straight to the top of your reading list? Five Books deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of some of the most notable fiction titles of the season, including eagerly anticipated novels from Emma Cline and Naoise Dolan, plus a fictionalised account of the making of a blockbuster movie by Tom Hanks.
The Best Summer Mysteries, recommended by Caroline Crampton
If you’re about to jet off for a relaxing vacation, you might be looking for a page-turning detective story to keep you enthralled on your sun-lounger. Here, Caroline Crampton—creator of the popular podcast Shedunnit—recommends five classic murder mysteries set in glamorous summer holiday locations.
The best books on Summer, recommended by Melissa Harrison
Temperatures ratcheting, tinderbox conditions, a pressure cooker atmosphere… summer is a handy literary shorthand for rising tensions. But in the natural world, summer is a quiet time when the flowers die back and the fruits and seeds are ripening. Here, Melissa Harrison—the novelist, nature writer and podcaster—recommends five of the best summer books, for those who like to read in step with the seasons.
The Best Economics Books to Take on Holiday, recommended by Daniel Hamermesh
In this latest book, Spending Time, distinguished labour economist Daniel Hamermesh looks at how we spend time, our ‘most valuable resource.’ Here he suggests books worth spending your valuable time on this holiday, including an introductory economics textbook.
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1
Beyond Weird: Why Everything You Thought You Knew about Quantum Physics Is Different
by Philip Ball -
2
Hello World: How to Be Human in the Age of the Machine
by Hannah Fry -
3
Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore -
4
The Order of Time
by Carlo Rovelli -
5
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
by Adam Rutherford
The Best Science Books to Take on Holiday, recommended by Jim Al-Khalili
The Best Science Books to Take on Holiday, recommended by Jim Al-Khalili
Aah, the holidays! Time to lie on the grass and read the latest novel. Or are you looking for something more demanding? Physicist and popular science author Jim Al-Khalili, who has just written his first sci-fi thriller, Sunfall, suggests some highly readable science books for those who prefer their holiday reads to be nonfiction.
The Best History Books to Take on Holiday, recommended by Suzannah Lipscomb
Which history books are ideal to take on holiday, authoritative and yet entertaining? We turned to historian Suzannah Lipscomb—whose most recent book, The Voices of Nîmes, uncovers the lives of ordinary women in Languedoc in early modern France—for her top five.
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1
Socrates in Love: The Making of a Philosopher
by Armand D'Angour -
2
How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer
by Sarah Bakewell -
3
The Complete Philosophy Files
by Stephen Law -
4
The Prince
by Niccolo Machiavelli -
5
The Path: A New Way to Think About Everything
by Christine Gross-Loh & Michael Puett
Philosophy Books to Take On Holiday, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Philosophy Books to Take On Holiday, recommended by Nigel Warburton
Sea, sun and Socrates: what more could you want for the perfect holiday? Our philosophy editor Nigel Warburton, whose own book has had considerable success as a beach read, unveils his philosophy book holiday reading list.
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1
Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
by Jesse Q. Sutanto and narrated by Eunice Wong -
2
Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER
by Farzon Nahvi and narrated by Aden Hakimi -
3
I Have Some Questions for You
by Rebecca Makkai and narrated by Julia Whelan and JD Jackson -
4
The Survivalists
by Kashana Cauley and narrated by Bahni Turpin -
5
Pineapple Street: A Novel
by Jenny Jackson and narrated by Marin Ireland
Best Audiobooks of 2023 (so far), recommended by Michele Cobb
Best Audiobooks of 2023 (so far), recommended by Michele Cobb
As summer kicks off in the northern hemisphere, it’s a great time to relax and listen to a good audiobook. Michele Cobb, publisher of AudioFile magazine, shares her favourite new audiobooks from the first half of 2023—from cozy mysteries and beach reads to the memoir of an ER doctor during Covid.
The Notable Novels of Summer 2022, recommended by Cal Flyn
If you’re looking for a new book to keep you entertained or intellectually excited over the summer break, we’ve got you covered. Five Books’ deputy editor Cal Flyn offers a round-up of the notable new novels of summer 2022, from snappy debuts and fantasy epics to the latest book from the most recent recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature.