Beach Reads

Summer makes me think of soft breezes, warm sunshine, blooming flowers, chirping birds, barbecues, the scent of fresh-mowed grass and long walks in the evening. The high point of summer for many of us is our vacation, time away from everyday responsibilities, free to explore other places, bonding with those we love. 

For me the best thing about vacations is having time to immerse myself in good books without feeling one speck of guilt. Active vacations that involve hiking, white water rafting or zip lining would make reading a challenge, I suppose. Not that I do any of those things. I’m more apt to scour museums or take a cog train up a mountain, or stretch out on a lounge chair in front of the ocean with a book I can’t put down.

Want to join me? Are you willing to slip on some flipflops, grab a tote and head to the beach with me this Monday morning? I've reserved cabanas to ensure our comfort. Don't forget sunglasses, a straw hat, towel, sunscreen, beverage and snack, all things you'll need, but most of all, remember to bring that beach read you've been dying to dive into.      

                                What constitutes a beach read anyway?  

I did some online surfing—as far as I know, Sandra is Seekerville’s only true surfer—and found that some people equate the beach read with a book actually set at the beach. Others don’t care where the book is set as long as it’s a page-turner, an escape from routine. Others want to delve into literary, character-driven stories. Some would choose a classic or self-help book. Others want lighthearted stories that give their frazzled brains a vacation too. All these different ideas of what makes a beach read suggests that any book that captures and holds the reader’s attention at that moment is worthy of the title beach read.

                                        Does it matter where a book is read?

According to an article on Quartz Media LLC entitled Summer books: The psychology behind beach reads, there is something different about reading at the beach than reading at any other time. Robin Rosenberg, a psychotherapist who coaches adults with ADHD in New York and the Bay Area, says, "Vacation heightens our capacity to immerse ourselves in a good read. Quite simply, we’re more open to it." Rosenberg went on to say that in our regular lives we’re all over-scheduled, and probably stressed. In addition to that stress is the heavy “cognitive load” we carry each day—the constant need to sort and weigh information in an over-stimulated environment. “When you’re sitting on a beach, the cognitive load is very low. You have time to wonder, to let your mind wander, to be really curious, to be introspective if you’re an introspective person.”

Keith Oatley, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, suggests that vacation not only primes us for the pleasure of reading, it can also makes the reading experience more beneficial. In particular, reading literary, character-driven stories on vacation can make us more open and empathetic with others after returning to work. 

I understand and agree with all this, but I could never limit reading to just vacations and beach locales. I read every single day. Daylight Savings Time allows my hubby and me to read after dinner, giving our food time to digest, and enabling us to still get our walk in before dark. Hopefully those of us who are working full time, writing and/or caring for a family can scrape together a few minutes to read.

Any Seeker book is high on my list of beach reads. I thought it might be fun to add a few other titles so I asked these Seekers for a recommendation.  

Debby Giusti recommends 15 Minutes: Maizie Albright Star Detective, a PG-13 rated humorous mystery story by Larissa Reinhart.

  

Sandra Smith recommends Her Texas Rebel , a romance with second chances by LeAnne Bristow.

Missy Tippens highly recommends The Lady and the Lionheart, a turn-of-the-century circus romance by Joanne Bischof.

Thanks gals! These are going on my TBR list now! 

I recommend two books that I read for my book club. Neither is a romance.The first is a fascinating character study. The second is a true story that blew me away. It's a tearjerker towards the end so you might want to read this at home. 

The Two Family House by Linda Loigman, a family saga set in post-war Brooklyn that focuses on two families inextricably linked by blood, marriage, and a long-held secret.

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore is so incredible no novelist would dare dream it.

In the comments I hope you'll share the title of the book you toted to the beach today so we can all discover more great beach reads!  

What do you think makes the perfect beach read? Any particular genre? Setting? 

Share a title of a book you loved no matter where you read it.

For a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card, leave a comment. If you win, use the gift card to buy your next beach read!

I brought iced coffee, bagels and cream cheese for breakfast. For lunch I packed coolers of iced tea and lemonade (Mix the two for an Arnold Palmer.), homemade chicken salad, zucchini bread and fruit. There's a vendor near the shelter house ready to scoop a variety of ice cream flavors into waffle or cake cones for our dessert. I've got the cost covered. Don't you love cyber generosity?                                                                                                

JanetDean grew up in a family who cherished the past and had a strong creative streak. Her father recounted fascinating stories, like his father before him. The tales they told instilled in Janet a love of history and the desire to write. Janet is a two-time Golden Heart finalist, a Genesis and Carol finalist. Her Love Inspired Historical novels are also Golden Quill, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Booksellers Best, Inspirational Readers Choice Award and Holt Medallion finalists. Visit Janet at her Website: www.janetdean.net