These 10 Books Will Get You In The Mood For Summer

We’d like to clear the air about what makes a great summer book. The “beach read” — those delightful romps with pastel-hued covers — tend to get all the attention. And while they’re great, there are so many other ways to tap into the vibe of the season. Think: a dishy memoir, filled to the brim with insider tea, perfect for sipping drinks by the pool; or coming-of-age fiction, featuring private-school drama that reminds you of your own; or even a classic mystery, served up in cozy audiobook form so you don’t even have to do anything — just let it wash all over you like the breeze from your AC unit.

Still need some help packing for your next trip? Bustle asked some bona fide bookworms for their recommendations, from actor-readers like Pauline Chalamet and Gillian Jacobs to authors like Lili Anolik and Aminatou Sow. Happy reading!

You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again by Julia Phillips

It’s the ne plus ultra of slash-and-burn memoirs. Julia Phillips, the first woman to win an Oscar for producing (The Sting, 1973), tells you everything you ever wanted to know. About Hollywood and about everything else. Here’s how obsessed I got: Julia picks up a hot young stud junkie boyfriend after she wins her Academy Award. She gives this boyfriend a pseudonym, “Jeremy.” I knew two things about Jeremy: that he’d been on the cover of Playgirl and that he was an extra in a movie called The Big Bus. So I cross-referenced, winnowed down, figured out his real name (Greg Johnson), and then bought his Playgirl (March 1976) on eBay for six bucks. His full-frontal centerfold is in my office in a gold frame. Ooo baby. — Lili Anolik, author of Hollywood’s Eve and Didion and Babitz

Outline by Rachel Cusk

Outline is a great way to start the summer. Yes, the protagonist flies to Athens (the dream) but it’s in her deep discussions with others that the real voyage takes place. — Pauline Chalamet, actor

Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

It’s summer 1985 and there are seemingly no adults around to supervise 15-year-old Benji and his brother Reggie. These two affluent teenage brothers spend their summer vacation in the idyllic Hamptons-adjacent beach town of Sag Harbor. Over the summer break, they cross paths with various classmates from their fancy Manhattan prep school, and you’ll want to read all about it. — Aminatou Sow, writer and interviewer

Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

This book had me cackling with its speedy dialogue and modern pace. Margo is a lovable protagonist who anyone can get behind rooting for. I adored this creative plunge into the mysterious world of OnlyFans — hilarious and heartwarming. — Tinx, influencer and author of Hotter in the Hamptons

Out of Sheer Rage by Geoff Dyer

Out of Sheer Rage is a great beach read because the topic at hand is high-minded laziness. (Vacation mode?) That’s not what the book jacket tells you, and it’s certainly not implied by the title — and yet, the author whiles away his time, often in beautiful or ideal settings. Tormenting himself, basically, for not working. I guess I’d be remiss if I didn’t spell out that the book is about Geoff Dyer trying to write a book on D.H. Lawrence, but do not let that dissuade you! (Geoff Dyer probably doesn’t remember me, but I had a drink near him for five minutes once and then I went right out and read this book. Some people are as good on the page as they are in person. What a novel idea.) — Kaitlin Phillips, publicist

How to Weep in Public by Jacqueline Novak

My favorite books are the opposite of self-help books, and yet help more than any self-help book could. This is one of those. Jacqueline Novak is brilliant. — Cazzie David, author, director, and actor

A Year on Earth with Mr. Hell by Young Kim

This was one of the sweatiest, hottest books I’ve read in a long time. It’s so New York, so fashion, and so unapologetic that Young Kim has become a sort of hero to me now. — Vanessa Hong, creative

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Audiobooks are so nostalgic for me — some of my fondest childhood memories are of listening to a great mystery on a road trip with my mom. So unsurprisingly, I compulsively listen to them now. Hot tip: If you have a library card, you can download the Libby app and listen to as many Agatha Christie mysteries as you want — for free! — Gillian Jacobs, actor

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan

This book absolutely swept me off my feet and held me in its arms the whole way through. The Three Lives of Cate Kay has true, aching, make-you-cry-in-your-bed-while-reading-it romance. It has mystery. It has heart and wit and an ending that left me wanting more. This book is filled with so many different ingredients, but somehow Kate Fagan mixes them all together into a perfect literary pie. I promise you will not want to put this book down. It should be everyone’s summer read. — Zosia Mamet, actor and author of Does This Make Me Funny?

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

This is the only book from my high school lit syllabus I actually read. (Sorry, Mrs. Wheeler! I loved and still love you girl!) Published in 1899, The Awakening follows Edna Pontellier: a wife and mother who experiences an intense bout of suburban unrest. It's sexy, melancholy, one of the original works of feminist literature — and it's just over 100 pages long. After reading this book, any stroll into the ocean will feel like an homage to Kate Chopin. — Mary Beth Barone, actor