Summer is around the corner and, hopefully, that means some well-deserved vacation time for you. Whether you’re the type to relax in a hammock with a book or chill at the beach sipping mai tais reading a book, the important thing is that you have time to read!
How do you make damn sure you enjoy this time? By read only the best, most recommended books from a source you trust. Welcome to Aoide’s first list of summer “Must Read Books.” We hope to make this an annual tradition and welcome reader feedback.
Please note that there are a handful of books that were not published recently but still merit inclusion because of their cultural impact. Great literature grows voluminously every year and – unless you’re a speed-reader with a penchant for industrial-grade espresso – it’s impossible to stay caught up. That’s where I come in.
What qualifies me to endorse these books for a magazine like Aoide? I mean, besides an English degree from a purported cow college and having my head stuck in a book since I was old enough to stick it anywhere. Mostly because I write for a living, know the editor, and have bills to pay. But I like to think it’s also because of my impeccable taste.
Nevertheless, enjoy your reading time this summer.
Fiction
![The Midnight Library [Book]](https://aoidemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/the-midnight-library-book.jpeg)
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Everybody has regrets. Nora has millions. Little ones like not saying “hey” to a friend at a crosswalk, to enormous ones like choosing to become a marine biologist or a rock star in her brother’s band. After a suicide attempt, Nora finds herself in a different sort of library. Every book on every shelf contains a single regret. Each time she selects a book, she chooses a life for herself minus that regret that she gets to live out. Was her life better for going to Australia or did her choices have a butterfly effect on the people in her life? Only The Midnight Library has the answers. Everyone can relate to this novel. Unless they’re sociopaths. Then, not so much. But for those capable of empathy, The Midnight Library can be a great read and a cathartic experience.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Any time a regular guy gets put into an incredible, but impossible situation that could change the destiny of the planet – I just gotta know that story. Project Hail Mary is just such a tale. Ryland wakes up aboard a broken spaceship millions of miles from earth with two corpses and can’t even remember that his name is Ryland. And, it turns out, he’s not alone. There’s an alien stuck in an identical predicament close by. Can the two overcome everything to fix their spaceships and return to their home planets in time to save them? You’ll have to read the book to find out…unless you feel like leaving the heat for the AC of your local multiplex. Project Hail Mary, the film, is killing it in theaters now.
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
Nuri is a beekeeper who lives in Syria with his wife, Afra, a renowned artist. They live rich, picturesque lives until the bombing and devastation of the civil war intrudes. They have no choice but to leave their home and make their way to the United Kingdom, where an uncertain future awaits. Nuri is sustained only by the knowledge that waiting for them is his cousin Mustafa, who has started an apiary in Yorkshire and is teaching fellow refugees beekeeping. Set at the outset of the Syrian civil war in 2011 and through their 2015 refugee crisis, The Beekeeper of Aleppo has all the tangible emotion of a true story, but that’s the mark of a brilliant writer. The sorrow is as palpable as the joy in Lefteri’s tour de force that will find your heart strings and pull, cueing old Neil Diamond songs. While the novel is a quick read, the emotions it elicits from readers will linger on.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabriele Zevin
Sam and Sadie are childhood friends who haven’t seen each other in years. When they chance upon each other at a subway stop, the pair decide to team up and create a video game. Tomorrow takes readers through the many lives our characters lead while creating award-winning video games for the masses – spanning the country from Harvard to Venice Beach in the coming thirty years. Sam and Sadie are partners, but not intimate. Intimate, yet not lovers. Yet, this is a love story that examines the nature of creativity, identity, disability, and failure. As a bonus, readers will gain a top-level view into how modern video games are created. Sam and Sadie produce both dizzying successes and bottom of the barrel losses, the two feel very differently about each other over the decades. Although they are very different people, they share a through-line in their lives – each other.
The Russian Debutante’s Handbook by Gary Shteyngart
The novel and its title bear slim resemblance. Tagging the book as simply a comedy does it little justice. The title is an attention-grabber, but if you’re looking for legit instructions, keep looking. Author Gary Shteyngart never fails to deliver hilarious stories that highlight the absurdity of most things life related. The novel follows Vladimir Girshkin, who his mother calls him “little failure,” to work at the Emma Lazarus Immigration Absorption Society. Joined by a Russian mobster, Vladimir decides to take a journey of “unrelenting lunacy” from New York’s East Side to Prava to the eastern European Paris of the ‘90s on a quest to solve the problems of his immigrant charges. An immigrant’s story at heart, I wasn’t expecting to laugh…but laugh I did. The Russuan Debutante’s Handbook is one of the most hilarious books I’ve read in my life to date. The only possible exception would be another book by Shteyngart called Absurdistan. Follow this author. I’m expecting more great books to come.
The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Never in the history of the Dominican Republic (going back to the time of Columbus) has one man endured so much trauma from the world, so much torment and abuse to get laid. Nothing about that sentence is intended too funny. The novel tells the story of a family that had been living under a curse (called a fuku) for generations. Wonderous Life shares the family history of the Diaz curse while introducing the reader to Oscar, the protagonist of the story, who is physically hard to look at for several triggering reasons. His personality around girls, then women, left much to be desired. But he’s earnest in his desire to be just like everybody else, to belong in a community – any community – be it fantasy gamers or his own family. But he is consistently turned away by everyone in his life, who are embarrassed by him. Oscar is the perennial outsider until the narrator begins his tale. Written from the evolving perspective of Oscar’s sister’s ex-boyfriend – who rooms with Oscar for a year to teach him social skills – this novel brings its own empathy. This is a heartwarming and heart wrenching novel at once. Diaz makes Oscar so repulsive, so unlucky, so rejected – he becomes so relatable that you want to give him a hug or lend him a cup of common sense. This novel was an emotional rollercoaster ride to read. It’s a good thing I dig carnival rides.
To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
In an alternative universe, the American civil war ends quite differently. In 1893, the United States becomes six different territories and history diverges. Some territories are free states while others maintain their commitment to slavery. Some are democracies while one is a kingdom, but all are a weak remnant of the formerly great nation. During this time, a man has difficulties accepting a proposal from another man and behaves against everyone’s expectations. Even his own. In 1994, AIDS runs rampant in Manhattan as we’re introduced to a young Hawaiian man hiding his childhood from his much older, wealthier partner. Come 2093, the continent has gone fascist and a scientist grandfather does everything he can to save his granddaughter. These three stories are told in New York and center around a single family living in one of the last mansions in Washington Square. It’s impossible to give Yanagihara enough kudos for the way this novel comes together while managing to tear you apart on the inside. It’s another novel that refuses to leave my mind, one that I will definitely need to read again someday.
House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
This is one of the “must read” books I warned you about. I won’t lie to you. This can be a hard read. But if you consider yourself a bright person, you can make it through. The important thing is not to skip the footnotes. Do not skip the footnotes! The appendices and colored words are important, too. That’s where you’ll find most of the action in House of Leaves. This book is one-of-a-kind experimental. The important people in publishing call it “meta fiction.” That is, a novel that brings multiple sources – including itself – to bear to tell the complete story in a way that is difficult to appreciate at first. But it’s totally worth pressing on because what Danielewski does in this novel is nothing short of create an entirely new genre of fiction. What’s it about? Beats the hell out of me. That said, it was a fun and interesting read and so unique and dynamic in style that it’s worth a first read. Maybe someday I’ll give it a second.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James
On December 3rd, 1976, just days before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert to ease political tensions in Kingston, seven gunman stormed The Singer’s house – ultimately killing Marley and decimating his family. This novel is to Jamaica what the film JFK was for America: a conglomeration of lies, half-told truths, Kingston Gangsters, and, yes, the CIA telling their own versions of a tale we know to be true. In A Brief History of Seven Killings, Marlon James brings us to a very different Jamaica than most resort goers know – a cross between extravagant foreign wealth building mansions in the foothills and DIY homebuilder using only cardboard and a piece of tin to erect their houses. Seeing that from the ground level with eye toward the conspiratorial, James gives us the gift of his understanding of his culture. If for no other reason, read this book for the writing, the colloquialisms, the sense of being there, of looking over the narrator’s shoulder.
Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
No summer reading list is complete without a good murder mystery that you can really sink your teeth into and, as usual, Anthony Horowitz delivers. From his early days writing Midsomer Murders for the BBC to his House of Silk (a Sherlock Holmes mystery), he can’t help but keep readers guessing. In Close to Death, readers meet the worst neighbor in the world – Giles Kenworthy. Obnoxious as they are toxic, his family drive loud gas-guzzlers and forever throw parties that last until morning. His kids have zero respect for other’s property. It follows that Giles neighbors can’t stand him. When he turns up dead with a crossbow bolt through his neck, no one is really all that surprised. Detective Daniel Hawthorne is on the case and a veritable Sherlockian he is – but Giles case stumps him. How do you solve a murder when everyone has the same motive?
The Complete Novels & Short Stories of Sherlock Holmes Vol I and II by Arthur Conan Doyle
If you’re one of those people who have watched every episode of Sherlock and are now on to Young Sherlock, reading the original canon unsullied should be a priority for you. These two books contain every story Doyle ever wrote starring his most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. One of the nice things about reading this book is that the reader is treated to all of Doyle’s stories as they were published at the turn of the twentieth century. Plus, there are many more than the four original stories here – all ten Holmes “novels” are included. Two volumes were required to include all of them all – otherwise, the single book would be quite heavy with stories. Carry one book at a time and get ready to see our hero take on his every original case and villain in its original editorial form.
The Intergalactic Interloper
Ollie can’t get his shit together. His life is running in so many different directions that when he spies a two-headed turtle from outer space on a nearby rooftop, he wonders if he’s lost his mind. His friends think so. When Ollie’s cat goes missing, his bandmate, Zara, helps him play sleuth and track down his loveable feline. Together, they follow a trail of clues that leads to – well, I don’t want to spoil it for you. This is a very short, very funny book. Delas Heras does a sly job as narrator, saturating the story with her humor while reporting the character’s thoughts and actions. The world needs more people who appreciate the absurdity of life and are comfortable enough to laugh in the face of reality! This is the second shortest book in our list, so if you choose books based on length, put this one on your list.
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Thanks to Stan Lee and the creatives at Marvel, the world of the Norse Gods has become more familiar and meaningful to people than the best-selling Bible. Relying heavily on mythology for characterization, subtext, and backstory, and on good looking actors to represent them – they’re as lyrical as they are allegorical. Odd and the Frost Giants takes the reader out of the cinematic universe and gives us a well-illustrated story instead. The tale follows Odd, a young Viking boy (whose name means “lucky”) who has recently been orphaned. When he rescues a trapped bear, Odd’s destiny improves. The bear is a God trapped in human form by an evil frost giant who conquered Asgard. To release the gods, our young hero must reclaim Thor’s hammer. Ostensibly written for a younger audience, like most mythology, it can be enjoyed by anyone with an imagination.
Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon
Every list of “must read books” should include a title by Michael Chabon. He does such an amazing job of empathizing with his characters that you can’t help but share in their every day lives, their dramas, their traumas, successes, and vindications. He takes the twists and turns of life that we might expect and kicks them up a notch. Archie and Nat are longtime friends, bandmates, and co-owners of Brokeland Records. Their wives, Gwen and Aviva respectively, are legendary midwives. Together, they struggle to keep the businesses open and the families together. Things don’t get easier when Archie’s long-lost son appears. While Brokeland Records is constantly on the verge of bankruptcy, the midwifery business was going strong – until its partners are tested to the limit. Chabon captures the emotions of his characters from the dizzying heights of joy to the depths of bankruptcy and potential divorce.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, new translation by Michael Katz
If not the greatest, then The Brothers Karamazov surely is in the top ten list of greatest books to read before you croak. It is, unquestioningly, one of the great masterpieces of Russian literature. The Brothers Karamazov is a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and triangular love story between a paterfamilias Karamazov and his three sons. It’s also a philosophical and theological novel that wrestles with the deepest human questions. It’s also a vivid painting by Dostoevsky of the culture and life of Russia in the nineteenth century. If that wasn’t enough of a buildup, then I encourage you to watch the movie version starring William Shatner (yes, Captain Kirk with his original hair). This novel is worth your time and attention – even if you can’t read it in a single sitting.
The Award by Matthew Pearl
Ambitious writer David Trent finally gets his break after winning a major literary award, becoming a new shing star. His fame attracts Silas Hals, a famous writer celebrity who befriends Trent. Everything seems great. That is until the wicked Hals draws Trent into a horrific nightmarish world of uncontrolled ambition, deception, intrigue, and murder. Best-selling novelist Matthew Pearl masterfully spins an intricate web in another gripping thriller.
Non-Fiction
The Book: The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding Civilizations
The Book earns its place on the list and the right to its title, because in the time of an apocalypse, it’s the only book you’ll ever need – because you’ll be too busy remodeling the world to kick back with War and Peace. Comprehensive, step-by-step directions to doing everything from the basics, like making a fire and a cup of coffee (seed to espresso takes 5 years!) to the complex, like building a suspended bridge and reinventing electricity. The Book is filled with charming illustrations that make construction of each item seem less daunting. This is not a book for hardcore DIY prepper types, rather for those who see the whimsy in building something from nothing. Readers can jump to any section they require or, if civilization really has come to an end, start from the very beginning.
One Day, Everyone Will have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad
On October 25, 2023, after the attack on Israel and the subsequent bombardment of Gaza, Omar El Akkad put out a tweet, “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.” It has been viewed over 10 million times. In this brilliant work of non-fiction, the author, a reporter on the War on Terror, Fergusen, climate change, Black Lives Matters protests and more, El Akkad has concluded that everything the West promises is a lie. This book chronicles his experience coming to terms with his “breakup with the west.” No matter where you light up the political spectrum (or not), this is a book about humanity and what needs to change for America to become the place we were raised to laud. This is the book for a world torn asunder.
Of Time and Turtles by Sy Montgomery
This book is an invitation to slip into turtle time – the sacred, eternal time of daylight, darkness, and seasons. But there’s nothing slow-paced about the turtle rescue and rehabilitation stories by Sy Montgomery, who jumps on board with Turtle Rescue League to write this book. Their motto is to “never give up on a turtle.” This book humanizes turtles in a way that allows any reader to understand the damage being done by pollution, climate change, soil erosion, et al. Of Time and Turtles shows readers how much their lives could improve if they took a beat and learned to appreciate the little things…albeit, slowly. I’ve given this book as a gift to family members and it never fails to elicit a few tears, and a modicum of hope.
Warhol by Blake Gopnik
If you’re a die-hard fan of Andy Warhol, you probably already own this book, which is excessively lengthy, if well-bibliographied. If you’re looking for a simple intro to the man and his works, try Wikipedia. Beyond being well-researched and well-sourced, author and esteemed art critic, Blake Gopnik interviewed and quoted interviews with Warhol that would almost be embarrassing were his name not the title of the book. The depths and dimensions of the man are explored more than they are clearly defined, but somehow that makes the picture more vivid. In many ways, Warhol adds to the mystique behind the man. In others, it can be like watching sausage being made, canned, and printed. You can’t help but walk away from this book with a thorough understanding of the mid-twentieth century New York art and music scenes.
Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything by Michio Kaku
You’ve seen him on How the Universe Is Made and practically every other science show that mentions physics. If Neal Degrass Tyson isn’t explaining astronomy to you, chances are it’s Michio (as my wife and I call him) Kaku explaining physics. In his latest book, Michio explains how quantum computing will change the world. From more efficient vehicles, lifesaving drugs, cheap fertilizer, and a second Green Revolution to discovering the origin of the universe, the quantum computer will solve problems we didn’t even know we had. Beyond being a cheerleader, Michio waxes philosophical on the pros and cons of what each supposed benefit brings the planet. His vision of the future is more utopian than the dystopian to which we’ve become accustomed. This optimism goes a long way in making Quantum Supremacy a compelling, yet easy to read book that leaves you feeling smarter when you finish than when you started.
Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux
Wild, unconventional, and scandalous, French painter Paul Gauguin, was known for influencing Van Gogh, Matisse, and Picasso while living a wild, unconventional, and scandalous lifestyle. Or at least that’s the story we’re told. In the first book on the artist in thirty years, biographer Sue Prideaux, disproves all the myths of Gauguin using the latest evidence. A compassionate study that is brilliantly readable and highly praised by all the leading literary pundits. Her book is thoroughly and impeccably researched, it begs the question – how many more historical “truths” are we blindly accepting?
The Fate of the Day: The War for America, by Rick Atkinson
Who said history isn’t thrilling, readable, and enjoyable? Pulitzer Prize winning history writer Rick Atkinson does just that and more in his second volume of his trilogy on the American Revolution, the years of 1777 to 1780. He brings history to life and transports the reader to another time and place. You will get up close and intimate with George Washington. The narrative covers detailed military and diplomatic history. It follows the continental Army under Washington as it navigates between survival and defeat. Offering comprehensive accounts of major battles, such as Saratoga, Brandywine, Monmouth, and Charleston. This is a must for every history buff and even for the rest of us.
