Summertime is sometimes equated with picking up a good book and losing yourself in another world; a bit of escape perhaps from the day-to-day rat race that is life. You may wish to delve into a classic, or you may be more interested in the newest thriller or romance novel. Whatever your fancy, the choices are endless!

Classics

A book is considered a classic if it is written over fifty years ago and many people enjoyed it. The book has stood the test of time regarding relevance, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Mark Twain said that “a classic is a book which everyone praises but no one reads.” Whatever the case, the choices are many…here are some to choose from:

• The Good Earth – Pearl Buck
• Don Quixote – Miquel de Cervantes
• Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
• Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
• Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
• To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee
• Song of Solomon – Toni Morrison

Modern Classics

There is such a thing as a modern classic, which basically means that the book is not as old as a classic, but it’s significance is just as celebrated. 

• Another Country – James Baldwin
• Cry The Beloved Country – Alan Paton
• Catcher In The Rye – J. D. Salinger
• The Color Purple – Alice Walker
• One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

source: http://www.wcl.govt.nz/popular/fiction-classics.html

New Releases

But maybe you are not up for going back in time…that’s alright. You have your choices of new books that are released weekly…too many to name here. From the latest James Patterson thriller to Randy Pausch’s motivational self-help book, you are sure to find something that will hold your interest. Check out your favorite bookstore and pick up a book (or a couple of books!) that you can lose yourself in. Give into the joy of reading a good book, and maybe learn something new in the process!

Happy learning!