The WSHU Summer Reading List
Thank you!!! We asked for your help and over 40 of you (not including WSHU staff!) came forward with wonderful suggestions. Recommendations ranged from fiction to non-fiction, novels to essays, with one title nominated by five people: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. So here is the first WSHU Summer Reading List: a reference guide entirely created by our community. We hope you find something here that you love—as well as moments of quiet time to enjoy it. Happy reading!
WSHU Staff Picks
See what the WSHU team is reading this summer.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder – recommended by Jacqie
A Psalm for the Wild-Built – recommended by Molly Ingram
Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives... – recommended by Casey Keith
Democracy in America – recommended by Terry Sheridan
Piranesi – recommended by Davis Dunavin
Regime Change – recommended by David Bouchier
The Correspondent, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant — recommended by Janice Portentoso
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand & Heart Life Music by Kenny Chesney– recommended by Sabrina Garone
The Only One Laughing – recommended by Cameron LiDestri
Theo of Golden – recommended by Brad Dancer ⭐ Also recommended by listeners
Listener Recommendations
Great books recommended by WSHU listeners across Connecticut, Long Island and beyond. Titles with ⭐ received multiple recommendations.
Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris — recommended anonymously
All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley — recommended by Jennifer, Deep River, CT
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall — recommended by Sylvia, Westport
American Tiger by Adam Sklonick — recommended by John, New Canaan
Any short stories by T.C. Boyle — recommended by Annie, Babylon, NY
Any book by Pete Hamill — recommended by Stephen, Huntington
Bread of Angels by Patti Smith — recommended by Nancy, Southold
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan — recommended by Sharon, Sayville
The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett — recommended by Meg
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger — recommended by Stephen, Huntington
The Cherry Robbers by Sarai Walker — recommended by Joseph, Guilford, CT
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer — recommended by Linda, Stratford
The Encyclopedia of Cultural Literacy — recommended by John, Bay Shore
The Family by Sarah Winman — recommended by Deborah, Lyme
The Gales of November by John Bacon — recommended by Joseph, Guilford, CT
God of the Woods by Liz Moore — recommended by Lindsay, Stamford
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows — recommended by Ginny, Norwalk, CT
Heart the Lover — recommended by Melissa, Bethpage
The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune — recommended by Deborah, Morris, CT
James by Percival Everett — recommended by Sharon, Sayville
Just Kids by Patti Smith — recommended by Nancy, Southold
Little Wonder by Garth Stein
The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White — recommended anonymously
Make Believe by Mac Barnett — recommended by Alexandra, Oakdale
The Measure by Nikki Erlick — recommended by Linda, Stratford
The Names by Florence Knapp — recommended by Debbie, Mount Sinai, NY, and Magdalen, Old Greenwich ⭐
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern — recommended by Linda, Stratford
Oath and Honor by Liz Cheney — recommended by Nancy, Southold
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell — recommended by Cynthia, Norwalk
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi — recommended by Jeanne, Old Saybrook
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb — recommended by Linda, Stratford
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn — recommended anonymously
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett — recommended by @cristinlfitz
The Sirens' Call by Chris Hayes — recommended anonymously
Spent: A Comic Novel by Alison Bechdel — recommended by Jennifer, Bethel
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell — recommended anonymously
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi — recommended by Rudy, Orange; Jeanne, Ocala; Claire, North Stonington; and Kristina, CT ⭐
The Things Our Fathers Saw by Matthew Rozell — recommended by Michael P., Waltham, MA
The Things We Never Say by Susan Elliot Wright — recommended by @cristinlfitz
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee — recommended by Jan Engle, Williamsburg, MI
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates — recommended by Alexandra, Oakdale
The Witches of El Paso — recommended anonymously
Whistler by Ann Patchett — recommended by Juliana, Guilford, CT
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