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Business Insider
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Dive into these six summer reads, recommended by BI's editors
Happy Fourth! Your cookout's soundtrack may sound a little bland this season since there's no song of the summer. Waaaah! Here's why there's no new bops. While you're here, subscribe to Defense Flash, BI's new guide to the latest innovations in military strategy, defense tech, and more delivered right to your inbox every week. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here here. This week's dispatch Poolside page turners After the cookout, and the party, and the drinking, and the water play, you'll be yearning for some quiet time. And if you're like me, that means curling up with a good book. There are plenty of old and new summer reads to make you forget about going back to work next week. I asked six of our editors at Business Insider what their favorite reads are. Here's what they said: Jamie Heller, Editor in Chief: I just finished " The Bee Sting" by Paul Murray, and I mostly couldn't put it down! In this family saga set in Ireland, Murray develops consuming characters and keeps you in suspense, all with a writing style that's distinct but also easy to follow and enjoy. I highly recommend it! Bartie Scott, Deputy Editor, Economy:" Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett makes a great summer read with its whirlwind romance and heartwarming mother-daughter dynamics. While the material is sweet and whimsical, Patchett's writing is high quality, and if audiobooks are more your style — or if you're picky about narrators — it's worth knowing that Meryl Streep reads this one. Bryan Erickson, Executive Creative Director: I am rereading " Capote's Women" by Laurence Leamer because much like the series, "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans," once was not enough. I identify with Truman's scarf-wearing escapism, and am slightly obsessed with the NYC that came before me. Paige DiFiore-Wohr, Deputy Editor, Freelance: If you're looking for a suspenseful, twist-filled story about friendship, betrayal, and redemption, " The Drowning Woman" by Robyn Harding is the book for you. The story follows a once-successful restaurant owner who's now living out of her car as she encounters a rich socialite who's about to change her life. Nothing is as it seems, and no one can be trusted. I finished this thriller in less than a day. Tracy Connor, Standards Editor: I devoured " Pineapple Street" by Jenny Jackson by the side of a pool last summer, relishing every twist in the tale of a rich New York City family grappling with relationship, parenting, and personal problems. It's a modern and sharper version of the delicious epics I used to sneak from my parents' bedstand in the 1970s. Joe Ciolli, Executive Editor, Markets and Investing:" Our Band Could Be Your Life" by Michael Azerrad is a compelling look at how independent musicians forged their careers in the pre-internet era. Thirteen chapters dive into 13 bands who developed crucial networks for the music and touring industries we know today. I don't even like most of the bands, but it's still the best music book I've ever read. BI may earn a commission if you purchase through our links.
Chicago Tribune
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
One for the Books: If May showers have you looking for spring flowers, check out these Naperville Public Library reads
Spring has sprung, and so have our books! Celebrate the season with one of our Amazing Book Challenge categories: Books in Bloom. Pick up an iris-istible book featuring a flower on the cover. These floral finds span every genre, from murder mysteries and blossoming romances to poetic reflections and more. Whatever you choose, these reads are sure to leaf you rooted in inspiration and blooming with new ideas! And check out the full list of recommendations and see the other categories at 'Tom Lake' by Ann Patchett Recalling the past at her daughters' request, Lara tells the story of a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance, which causes her daughters to examine their own lives and reconsider the world and everything they thought. 'The Haunting of Alejandra' by V. Castro Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her family, she plays familiar roles — wife, mother, daughter — but none of them see the darkness consuming her. In her despair, she is haunted by the ghost of a weeping woman in white. Therapy leads Alejandra to explore her past and the life of the birth mother she never knew. As she uncovers the tragic legacy of the women in her family, she realizes the ghost is La Llorona, a vengeful spirit from Mexican legend who has haunted generations. But Alejandra has inherited more than pain. She carries the strength of her ancestors, and she must use it to break the cycle and banish La Llorona once and for all. 'By Any Other Name' by Jodi Picoult As a student, Melina Green was crushed by a harsh review that shattered her confidence. Ten years later, she finishes her most powerful play yet — about her ancestor Emilia Bassano, England's first published female poet and rumored Shakespeare muse. Fearing rejection, Melina's friend submits the play under a male name. In 1581, Emilia, raised in privilege but with no freedom, secretly writes while serving as a courtesan. In this dual-timeline tale, both women defy the odds to make their voices heard, even if someone else takes the credit. 'Blood Like Mine' by Stuart Neville On a snowy Colorado night, desperate single mother Rebecca Carter swerves to avoid an elk and gets stranded with her daughter, Moonflower, who's hiding a dark secret. When a stranger offers help, Rebecca refuses, but the brief encounter shatters the fragile life she's tried to protect. Now, hunted by a ruthless predator, Rebecca must fight to save her daughter from a fate worse than death. Meanwhile, across the country, FBI agent Marc Donner finally gets a break in a chilling serial killer case he's pursued for years. 'The Museum of Failures' by Thirty Umrigar When Remy Wadia left India for the U.S., he carried with him a deep resentment toward his distant mother. Years later, he returns to Bombay to adopt a child — and to see his ailing mother one last time. As he helps her recover, a mysterious photograph unearths long-buried family secrets, forcing Remy to confront his past and reevaluate everything he thought he knew about his parents. 'The Museum of Failures' is a moving story of regret, reconciliation and the healing power of empathy and forgiveness. 'Gardening Can Be Murder' by Marta McDowell Gardens — with their deadly plants, sharp tools and hidden corners — make the perfect setting for murder. Yet their role in the mystery genre has often been overlooked. In 'Gardening Can Be Murder,' author and gardening expert Marta McDowell uncovers the deep roots gardens have in crime fiction. Blending cozy and hard-boiled, classic and contemporary, McDowell explores plant-loving detectives, poisonous plots and sinister settings, showing how gardening continues to inspire mystery writers and their most chilling tales. 'I Was Told There'd Be Cake' by Sloane Crosley From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions — or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character who aims for the stars but hits the ceiling. 'I Was Told There'd Be Cake' introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.
