Summer reading will never get old. And each summer many people look forward to the ‘best of summer books’ reading lists online and in print. As with last year and many prior years, I’ve curated a collection of these lists from a variety of publications, libraries, universities, and elsewhere.
The lists cover fiction and nonfiction; some are business and science oriented, but most represent a wide variety of subject matter. Some of the lists contain books published before this year, but most of the titles are recently published. As always, I strive for eclectic lists, including some originally intended for specific audiences, but which I believe have a wider appeal, such as those below from Behavioral Scientist, HR Exchange Network, J.P. Morgan, The Harvard Gazette, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Maryland School of Public Health.
It’s great to see that Literary Hub continues its ‘ultimate summer reading list.’ (They have also published a companion list, The 28 Novels You Need to Read This Summer.) Once again, Emily Temple, managing editor and author of the 2020 novel The Lightness, dug deep into best of lists to glean insights about their recommendations. She notes that she examined 35 lists, with 548 books; and presents a list of the most featured authors/books. The top rankings are held by Colson Whitehead, Crook Manifesto (14 lists), Ann Patchett, Tom Lake (12), and Emma Cline, The Guest (11).
The level of creativity in these books (and in many of their magnificent cover designs) is awe-inspiring. The enthusiasm of the recommendations is persuasive, and the lists are an exciting way to discover new books, new authors, and new subjects.
AARP: 32 of 2023’s Hot Summer Novels
Behavioral Scientist: Behavioral Scientist’s Summer Book List 2023
Boston Public Library: Summer Reading 2023
Entertainment Weekly: The 27 best new books to take on your 2023 summer vacation
Financial Times: Summer Books 2023
Five Books: Summer Reading – Five Books Expert Recommendations
Harper’s Bazaar: The 23 Best Summer Beach Reads of 2023
The Harvard Gazette: Choose your adventure in 20 summer reads
HR Exchange Network: 13 Books: HR Summer Reading List 2023
J.P. Morgan: Summer Reading List 2023
Kirkus Reviews: Your Summer 2023 Reading List Starts Here
Literary Hub: The Ultimate Summer 2023 Reading List
New York Public Library: Summer 2023 Picks for Adults
The New York Times: 47 books, 47 adventures: Here’s something to read for every creature you know.
NPR: Here are 19 books our critics are excited for this summer
Oprah Daily: Dive Into These Sizzling Summer Reads
Publishers Weekly: Summer Reads 2023
Shondaland: The Best Books to Read for Summer 2023
TIME: 25 New Books You Need to Read This Summer
University of California, Berkeley: Berkeley Summer Reading
University of Maryland School of Public Health: School of Public Health Summer Reading List 2023
Vulture: 18 New Beach Reads for Every Kind of Book Lover
The Washington Post: 23 Books to Read This Summer