Modern Mrs. Darcy

If you’re at all like me, you think beach chairs and pool decks are made for reading. But nothing is more frustrating than taking a much talked-about book on vacation only to realize it’s terrible and you’re stuck with nothing.

Anybody can browse a bestseller list, but just because a book is a best seller doesn’t mean that you will want to read it. (Hello, Fifty Shades of Grey.)

You all know I love to read, and read a lot. You know where I’m coming from. If you like this blog, I think you’ll find something perfect for you in this guide.

I’ve chosen some bestsellers that are actually good. I’ve also tried hard to give you some fabulous reads that you’ve never heard of. I’ve personally read every book on this list (often more than once). I can vouch for them, and answer any questions you have. (Like, how’s the language? Or, Do I really want to read this right now?)

The books are divided by category, so you can flip right to the section that interests you most.

I also share tips I’ve figured out through years of dealing with summer reading’s challenges: sun, water, sand, travel. (Has anyone else ever recommended throwaway books before?)

Praise for the 2012 edition

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I’d love to hear your feedback when you’re done reading your guide! Come back and comment on your favorite summer read right here, or follow the hashtag #beachreading on twitter.

Happy summer, and happy reading!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I got to hear Wendell Berry interview Michael Pollan about his new book Cooked: A History of Transformation.

Wendell Berry is a fellow Kentuckian and long-time favorite of mine; one of his novels appears in the MMD summer reading guide.

I’ve admired Pollan’s work since The Omnivore’s Dilemma exploded onto the scene in 2007, and have been looking forward to his latest (which is also in the summer reading guide) for what seems like forever. He dedicated Cooked to Wendell Berry, explaining at the event that Berry’s philosophy seeped into every book he’d ever written, especially his famous declaration, “Eating is an agricultural act.”

Pollan has written about how food is grown; he’s written about the importance of how and what we consume. In Cooked, Pollan completes the narrative arc by tackling the middle link of the food chain: cooking, which he calls “the link that connects culture and nature.”

(Pollan fans, take notice: he dropped a hint that his next book will radically differ from his previous works, and if he ever comes back to food it will be from an international perspective.)

I expected these two authors to be interesting, and they were. They were also funny: the two topics they kept circling back to were peeing on fires and breastfeeding.

It was a ticketed event, and each attendee received a signed copy of Cooked. Which means I have an extra copy for one of you. (And don’t worry: I mean signed by Michael Pollan, not by me. )

Cooked is terrific. I think you’re gonna like it.

To enter to win, just leave a comment before Tuesday at midnight.

UPDATED: The winner is @angelin_…

This promotion is open until Tuesday, May 21 at 11:59 pm EST and is limited to those 18 years or older. The winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Continental U.S. only–I can’t afford to ship anywhere else! Please respond within 48 hours to claim your prize. This post will be updated with the beginning of the winner’s email addresses. This post contains my affiliate links.

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