The Book Review: Summertime

Swimmers, deep sea creatures and more

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story June 2, 2023 Illustration by Adolfo RedaÑO Dear fellow readers, Suddenly, it's June. Where I am, that means the glorious fade-in to summer: the grill cleaned, the hammock out, the morning mist rising off grass that's as lush and green as it will get all year. There's a sense of anticipation, the stage set — but for what? For nothing, wonderfully, which is to say, for the profound and drawn-out pause that summer promises. Our summer reading issue lands this weekend, 56 pages filled with suggestions of books to keep you company at the beach or in that shady mothballed nook you discovered in your rental share. The issue closes with a beautiful photo essay of swimmers pictured underwater, from an art book that evokes summer as vividly as fried clam strips and soft-serve ice cream: "Swimmers," by Larry Sultan. Maybe pick that one up as a housewarming gift for the college friends who invited you to their cabin by the lake? And tell us what you're reading! (We may publish your response on our Letters page, or feature it in an upcoming newsletter.) A reader named Gerald Holt tells us he's just finished Dennis Lehane's crime novel "Small Mercies," and loved it: "Lehane's writing is terse, fierce and beautiful." Dick Snyder is "just about finished with Timothy Snyder's (no relation) 'The Road to Unfreedom,' an important historical assessment of the background to Putin's recent war in Ukraine. Although published in 2018, it is critical for understanding what is happening today." And Chrisse Roccaro is rereading all of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee private investigator novels: "Geez, that guy can write," she says. "Great for vacation, too!" You can email me at books@nytimes.com. I read every letter sent. Gregory Cowles Senior Editor, The New York Times Book Review Twitter: @GregoryCowles Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. Enjoy all of The New York Times in one subscription — the original reporting and analysis, plus puzzles from Games, recipes from Cooking, product reviews from Wirecutter and sports journalism from The Athletic. Experience it all with a New York Times All Access subscription. BEST READS This week's most interesting reviews and features (perhaps the preview text could go here too) Kimberly Elliott FICTION Emma Cline's Latest Heroine Is a Call Girl on the Run In "The Guest," a 22-year-old traipses through the rarefied spaces of Long Island, N.Y., where she will never be fully welcome. By Liska Jacobs Wildlife Conservation Society Archives NONFICTION Deep-Sea Creatures of Bittersweet Orange and Metallic Opaline Green In "The Bathysphere Book," Brad Fox chronicles the fascinating Depression-era ocean explorations of William Beebe. By W. M. Akers Photo right: Sasha Maslov for The New York Times The Essential Neil Gaiman The man behind the landmark reboot of "The Sandman" comic (and Netflix series) is going strong after decades of writing in just about every format. Here's where to get started with his books for adults. By J. D. Biersdorfer Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST Robert Matthews/Princeton University On Reading 'Beloved' Over and Over Again Salamishah Tillet, a Pulitzer-winning critic, discusses the book she has read the most over the course of her life — Toni Morrison's classic novel of slavery and trauma. Summer Reading Roundups Beach Reads Reviewed by Mary Pols Audiobooks Reviewed by Sebastian Modak Thrillers Reviewed by Sarah Lyall Romance Reviewed by Olivia Waite Crime Reviewed by Sarah Weinman Historical Fiction Reviewed by Alida Becker Science Fiction and Fantasy Reviewed by Amal El-Mohtar Horror Reviewed by Danielle Trussoni Fiction "The Half Moon," by Mary Beth Keane Reviewed by Janice Y.K. Lee "Homebodies," by Tembe Denton-Hurst Reviewed by Sarah Thankam Mathews "Walking Practice," by Dolki Min Reviewed by Megan Milks "Sing Her Down," by Ivy Pochoda Reviewed by Alexis Schaitkin "The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi," by Shannon Chakraborty Reviewed by Tochi Onyebuchi "The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece," by Tom Hanks Reviewed by Alexandra Jacobs "The Farewell Tour," by Stephanie Clifford Reviewed by Amanda Eyre Ward "The Lost Americans," by Christopher Bollen Reviewed by David Gordon "In the Orchard," by Eliza Minot Reviewed by Jessamine Chan "The Lock-Up," by John Banville Reviewed by Dan Fesperman "The Postcard," by Anne Berest Reviewed by Julie Orringer "Life and Other Love Songs," by Anissa Gray Reviewed by Carole V. Bell "Wild Things," by Laura Kay Reviewed by Casey McQuiston "The Ferryman," by Justin Cronin Reviewed by Chelsea Leu Nonfiction "George VI And Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy," by Sally Bedell Smith Reviewed by Caroline Weber "Don't Tell Anybody The Secrets I Told You: A Memoir," by Lucinda Williams Reviewed by Jon Pareles "The Blazing World: A New History of Revolutionary England, 1603-1689," by Jonathan Healey Reviewed by David Cressy "The Story of Art Without Men," by Katy Hessel Reviewed by Tiana Reid "Genealogy of a Murder: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night," by Lisa Belkin Reviewed by Robert Kolker "The Wounded World W.E.B.: Du Bois and the First World War," by Chad L. Williams Reviewed by Matthew Delmont "Into the Amazon: The Life of Cândido Rondon, Trailblazing Explorer, Scientist, Statesman, and Conservationist," by Larry Rohter Reviewed by Rachel Slade "My Cousin Maria Schneider: A Memoir," by Vanessa Schneider Reviewed by Thessaly La Force "Chita: A Memoir," by Chita Rivera Reviewed by Bob Morris "Once Upon A Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature," by Sarah Hart Reviewed by Jordan Ellenberg "His Majesty's Airship: The Life and Tragic Death of the World's Largest Flying Machine," by S.C. Gwynne Reviewed by John Lancaster "Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen," by Gregory J. Gbur Reviewed by Nathaniel Rich "Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral," by Ben Smith Reviewed by Virginia Heffernan Children's Books "Calling the Moon: 16 Period Stories From BIPOC Authors," edited by Aida Salazar and Yamile Saied Mendez, and "Code Red," by Joy McCullough Reviewed by Anna Holmes Features By the Book S.A. Cosby wishes more writers would address the fear of success Literary Destinations Read your way through Miami By Jonathan Escoffery Up Close In the deep end By Erica Ackerberg Etc. Newly Published: Other books out this week, from "The Man in the Mcintosh Suit" to "Salome's Last Dance" Editors' Choice: 9 new books we recommend, including Nandini Das's "Courting India," a new biography about the majestic life of Martin Luther King Jr. and a western horror novel by Victor LaValle. Inside the Best-Seller List: Dave Eggers wants readers to see how the sausage is made Best Sellers Read all of our lists Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Books from The New York Times. To stop receiving Books, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018