Though most of us still work during the hot summer months, it is a time for us to wind down and enjoy the nice weather, vacation days, and spend time with family and friends. But, summer is also a time for us to catch up on some reading. Exploring new memoirs and biographies is a great way to get inspired and make yourself a more well-read individual who knows about the latest published biographies. Here are a few titles you should keep in mind when you’re looking for a great book to read this summer:
First, ‘Irrepressible: The Jazz Age Life of Henrietta Bingham,’ written by Emily Bingh is a must read. Bingh’s great aunt, Henrietta, rejected their family business in the early 1920s so she could live her life through a whirlwind of jazz, sex, and addiction. Her story is lively, heart breaking, and extremely engaging – you won’t want to put it down. This biography acts as a slice of American history that most readers are not used to, bringing out the often coveted troubled family life of American outcasts during an age that was seemingly ideal.
Second, ‘The Fish Ladder: A Journey Upstream’ by Katharine Norbury is an alluring autobiography about Katharine Norbury’s journey with her nine-year-old daughter as they follow a river from the sea up to its source. The tale delves deep into a wide array of human emotions, in particular grief and how we cope with loss. Norbury and her daughter began their expedition as a way to deal with Norbury’s miscarriage, but fate along the river brings them to a life-changing encounter that you’ll have to read about yourself.
Susan Hermann Loomis’ ‘In a French Kitchen: Tales and Traditions of Everyday Home Cooking in France’ is another wonderful autobiography you should read this summer that details Loomis’ life as a food admirer and cook after she one day decided to move to France upon realizing that was the best way to pursue her passions. Loomis specifies French cooking secrets that are simple, yet bring out an explosion of delicious flavors. If you’re a foodie like Loomis, this is definitely a fun summer read you can enjoy and use to perfect your own cooking skills.
‘Rising Strong,’ by Brene Brown, is the last book on this list, and perhaps the most inspirational. A great read as summer is coming to an end to get you up in spirits for the coming year. Brown teaches us not only to embrace our failures, but to use them as ways we can grow and succeed.
For more ideas on what memoirs and autobiographies you should read this summer, check out this article published by Bustle.com.