Ask a Librarian: What are three classic summer books everyone should read?

Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash.

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In this monthly Postmedia column, we ask a Canadian librarian a burning question about the books on their shelves. As the steamy days of July linger on, Trudi Stafford, Collections Lead at the Regina Public Library answers our question: What are three classic summer books everyone should read?

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The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (1955)

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The very pages of The Talented Mr. Ripley feel soaked in summer sun and warmed by the sultry heat of the Italian seaside setting. Patricia Highsmith, Queen of the literary crime novel, seduces her readers here with an absorbing tale of murder, secrets, and betrayal. The titular and enigmatic Tom Ripley has an unmatched chameleon-like ability to take on any persona. Can anyone ever really know the true Tom, even Tom himself? When he sets his gaze on the carefree, affluent life of Dickie Greenleaf and love interest, Marge Sherwood, Tom decides he will stop at nothing to make this his life too, no matter the cost.

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Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (1990)

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If you’ve seen Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster adventure and it left you thinking the book couldn’t possibly have more to offer, you would be wrong! Spielberg made a great movie, but before that, Crichton wrote a supremely tense sci-fi eco-thriller brimming with action and nail-biting scares. Crichton lays down a core foundation of science and dives into chaos theory and the ethics of genetic engineering. This cerebral, slow-burn start is met with descriptive terror-inducing scenes once the action gets going. Dinosaurs inspire childlike awe and the promise of walking with them is too tempting an offer to resist, whether you’re a child or a scientist.

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Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (1908)

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A true Canadian classic, cherished for generations, Anne of Green Gables evokes the wonder of childhood and the nostalgia for long summer days filled with freedom and curiosity. The precocious and endearing Anne will steal your heart as she navigates her new life seeking love and belonging. If you missed reading about Anne’s adventures as a child, it’s never too late. An emotional and joyful coming-of-age story, Anne’s journey from trepidatious orphan to found family and acceptance is one you won’t want to miss, and that rewards repeat visits.

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