Nothing says “Summer” like a cold drink, a sandy beach, and a good book. Who better to give suggestions on books to read these hazy, lazy days than the people for whom books are a big part of life?

Book sorters for the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library and C.H. Booth librarians gave some thoughts to their favorite summer reads, and shared their recommendations.

In the book room on the lower level of the C.H. Booth Library, volunteers with the Friends sift through thousands of donated books. There will be plenty of books at the Annual Book Sale, July 11 to 15 — just as summer peaks — and there will certainly be several of their favorites, said volunteers on Monday, May 11.

Denise Kaiser is looking forward to reading life stories of ordinary people, when the business of the annual sale has subsided. “I received Humans of New York by Brendon Stanton for Mother’s Day. He’s a photographer who interviews people on the street, and it includes photographs that really capture the people. That’s my next book,” she said.

Jane Gatenby, Linda Doyle, and Carol Benson suggested mysteries and thrillers for entertaining summer reading.

“I like books by David Baldacci and Sarah Peretsky,” said Ms Benson, “and Michael Crichton is another favorite author. Baldacci writes thrillers, and Peretsky writes mysteries.”

“Currently, I’m reading the latest book in a series by Laurie King, Dreaming Spies,” Ms Gatenby said. “It’s sort of a reimagination of Sherlock Holmes,” she said of her recommendation.

The Shadow of the Wind is not only a mystery, but also about books, said Ms Doyle. It is the first book of a mystery trilogy by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, and she has already begun reading the second book, The Angel’s Game. For some light summer reading, she suggested any of the books by Liane Moriarty, including What Alice Forgot and The Husband’s Secret.

Eleanor Zolov found Sophia Loren’s autobiography, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: My Life, to be a light read, and thought it would be ideal for sultry summer days. “I would recommend The Orphan Train [by Kristina Baker Kline] as a good book to read this summer, though,” added Ms Zolov.

The Pages Of History

History lovers may share an interest with Jack Hickey-Williams, whose attention has been grabbed by books about art stolen by the Nazis during World War II. “There are several out there, and I’m reading two,” he said. Salt Mines and Castles, The Orpheus Clock, and Rescuing Da Vinci are among the books dealing with this topic.

Millie Anderson’s summer reading list also leans heavily toward history. “I will be reading The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York [by Robert Caro], and Hitler [Ian Kershaw]. Hitler is two volumes: 1889–1936 Hubris; 1936–1945 Nemesis,” said Ms Anderson. “I was born in Brooklyn, worked in Manhattan and have a continuing love affair with the city,” she said, “hence The Power Broker. Regarding Hitler, I’m fascinated by his rise to power.”

“I’m going to recommend a favorite book of mine, for both young people and adults,” said Carm O’Neill. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak is a wonderful book for summer reading, she suggested.

Working in the children’s department does not mean the librarians read only children’s literature. Mimi Morin recommended some “good reads” for this summer — The Traitor’s Wife by Allison Pataki, First Impressions by Charles Lovett, Ordinary Grace by William Krueger, and First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen.

“Some titles I’m looking forward to reading,” said Ms Morin, “are The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak, A Long Time Gone by Karen White, Early Warning by Jane Smiley, and The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty.

“As someone who commutes more than 45 minutes each way to work, I would like to put in a plug for audio books,” said Children’s Librarian Lana Bennison. “I’ve enjoyed listening to books by Tana French, Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy, and currently I’m in the middle of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon,” she said. Ms Bennison recommended the website audiofilemagazine.com that reviews audio books, saying, “A well written book is enhanced ten-fold by skillful narration,” and added the reminder of the library’s collection for audio books on CD, and the ability to download audio books to personal devices.

From the main two levels of the library came more suggestions. Library clerk Karen Zatulskis is looking forward to sharing books with her 8- and 10-year-old children this summer. “The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck, both by Brain Selznick, are good books to read with kids. They have great story lines and wonderful illustrations,” Ms Zatulskis said.

Kate Sheehan, library technology, is excited about the “Bear” series of books for toddlers, by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman. “My 2-year-old is obsessed with them,” she laughed, and the newest one, Bear Counts, is sure to be a hit in their household this summer.

Ms Sheehan had some summer suggestions for adults, as well, starting with the Newtown Reads selection, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Shaffer. The library is hoping that all Newtown residents will join in the fun of the whole town reading the same book, between now and July 1. Related activities for even more fun can be found at the library website, chboothlibrary.org.

Thrillers

“If you like fast-paced thrillers, I can recommend Girl on the Train [Paula Hawkins], and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple,” Ms Sheehan said. Like the Newtown Reads book, Where’d You Go, Bernadette? is an epistolary-style book, made up of e-mails, faxes, and notes between the characters. “It’s the story of an eccentric family, and that’s all I’m saying,” teased Ms Sheehan.

“Probably a lot of people have already read this,” said librarian Darlene Spencer of Unbroken, the World War II story by Laura Hillenbrand, “but if you haven’t read it, it is so interesting. Actually, anything by Laura Hillenbrand is good.”

Young Adult Librarian Kim Weber had a number of her favorite page-turners to recommend, including her current favorite, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah are also World War II novels that have held Ms Weber’s interest, page after page.

In The Silent Sister (Diane Chamberlain), family secrets are uncovered, with plenty of surprises, she said, and be ready to shed a few tears over Everything I Never Told You (Celeste Ng), the story of a mixed-race family dealing with the loss of a daughter. Another recommendation, The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty, comes from the YA librarian with a tongue-in-cheek caution: “Don’t read your spouse’s mail! You’ll learn stuff you shouldn’t!” she warns.

Randi Rote, library clerk, had a few suggestions for summer reading. She has also recently finished reading The Nightingale, and The Stranger by Harlen Coben. “I would recommend both. Another book I really love, even though it is a bit sad, is Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova,” Ms Rote said.

Road Trip Reading

Is a long road trip lined up for this summer? Assistant director Beryl Harrison’s recommendations for summer reading are perfect for both young people and adults, she said. “My personal favorites, right now, are the books in a series about a dog that works with a detective. I’m actually listening to them as audio books,” she said. Paw and Order, The Sound and the Furry, and Scents and Sensibility are among the “Chet and Bernie” detective books. As the owner of multiple border collies, Ms Harrison is finding the books to be a lot of fun, and thinks others will, too.

Summer reading is not all about relinquishing deep thoughts. C.H. Booth Director Brenda McKinley recommended one of her recent favorites for the more serious summer reader. “I just finished reading Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, a book about President James Garfield. It’s a good book for people who like history. I knew nothing about Garfield, so I found it fascinating,” Ms McKinley said. She has also recently reread O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, a classic story of the American frontier. “It kind of takes you to another place,” she said. Ms McKinley has put Hilary Mantel’s book Wolf Hall on her summer reading list, and she added, “Every year I reread Lord of the Rings, when I’m at the beach.”

In the Reference Department of the C.H. Booth Library, reference librarian Andy Forsyth and assistant Joann Smith are happy to share their favorite nonfiction books for this summer.

Two come to mind for Ms Smith. “I’m an Anglophile, so I love books about England. I’m reading a new biography of Queen Victoria that is quite good, and I’m looking forward to reading 17 Carnations by Andrew Morton, about the biggest cover-up in English history,” she said.

“I love any kind of Hollywood stories,” admitted Ms Forsyth. Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness At The Dawn of Hollywood is her recommendation. The true story of the 1922 murder of William Desmond Taylor, president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, it is a book she thinks will capture the reader’s attention.

Her beach read pick, however, is Gray Mountain by John Grisham. “That’s something I will definitely read,” said Ms Forsyth.

Whether it is a hardbound, a paperback, or an e-book, the librarians agreed that there is one best place to find that summer book: the C.H. Booth Library, of course. That cold drink and the sandy beach? Those are wide-open options.