Summer Reading Guide: 10 Books to Pack in Your Suitcase

Summer is still a while away, but it is never too early to start building your reading pile. We have selected ten titles designed for vacation enjoyment: light but with substance, entertaining but with lasting impact.

Captivating fiction

1. The Eight Mountains — Paolo Cognetti

A brief and luminous novel about friendship between two very different men, set in the Italian Alps. Perfect for reading in the mountains, but also at the beach. Strega Prize 2017.

2. A Gentleman in Moscow — Amor Towles

A Russian count sentenced to house arrest in a luxury hotel for thirty years. Elegant, funny, and surprisingly moving. One of those novels you are sad to finish.

3. Moshi Moshi — Banana Yoshimoto

Japanese delicacy in its purest form. Three stories about loss and the ability to rebuild. You read it in an afternoon and remember it for weeks.

Short essays for the hammock

4. Infinity in a Reed — Irene Vallejo

The history of books told as an adventure. If you have not read it yet, summer is the perfect time. If you already have, it is one of those that deserves a reread.

5. In Praise of Slowness — Carl Honore

A manifesto against rushing that makes perfect sense on vacation. Short, accessible, and full of ideas that make you rethink your pace of life.

Classics that never age

6. The Old Man and the Sea — Ernest Hemingway

One hundred pages that contain everything you need to know about literature. Brief, powerful, perfect for a summer afternoon.

7. Chronicle of a Death Foretold — Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Another brief gem. Garcia Marquez turns an announced crime into a dazzling reflection on destiny, guilt, and community. You read it in two hours.

Thriller and suspense

8. The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair — Joel Dicker

Six hundred pages that read like three hundred. A literary thriller with more twists than a mountain road. Ideal for those endless beach days.

9. The Girl on the Train — Paula Hawkins

Addictive and well-crafted. A psychological thriller that will not let you put the book down until the last page. Perfect for a long trip.

For younger readers

10. Wonder — R. J. Palacio

A book that parents and children can read and then discuss together. Auggie's story is universal and moving. Recommended from age 10 and up, with no upper age limit.

A final piece of advice

Do not stress trying to read everything. Summer is for enjoying, and sometimes the best book is the one you leave half-finished on the nightstand because you would rather watch the sunset. The important thing is to always have one nearby, just in case.

All these titles are available at Libreria Carletes. Stop by to pick up yours before the holidays begin.