20 Books of Summer 2024 — decisions made at last

It’s time for 20 Books of Summer once more though looking at these cloud formations during my recent trip to the Isle of Mull you’d be hard pressed to believe summer is just around the corner. This year marks the 10th anniversary for this highly popular reading event hosted by Cathy from 746 Books.  It will be…

BookerTalk
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It’s time for 20 Books of Summer once more though looking at these cloud formations during my recent trip to the Isle of Mull you’d be hard pressed to believe summer is just around the corner.

This year marks the 10th anniversary for this highly popular reading event hosted by Cathy from 746 Books.  It will be my seventh attempt. i’ve never yet managed anything like 20 books — one year i hit the heady heights of 18 but mostly I’ve hovered around 13.

This year I’ll aim to read 15 between June 1 and September 1 but I’ll list more than that number just to give myself plenty of wriggle room. Even then I’ll be reserving my right to change my mind and read an entirely different list!

I’ve learned two important lessons from previous years:

  • be sure to include placeholders for upcoming book club choices and TBR book jar picks
  • choose a mix of genres, styles and length so I’ll always have something to suit my mood or interest.

So my list includes a short story collection, a few novellas and some chunksters. I’ve also attempted to include titles that will help me make progress on various reading challenges like the Classics Club, Adventures in African Reading and Reading Emile Zola.

Links will take you to my reviews.

TitleAuthorGenre
1All At SeaDecca AitkenheadMemoirBook club Read
2Decline and Fall Evelyn WaughNovelClassics club spin
3Thousand Cranes Yasunari KawabataNovelClassics Club spin
4 What Masie Knew Henry James NovellaClassics Club
5Tender is the NightF Scott FitzgeraldNovelClassics ClubAbandoned
6To Sir With LoveE. R. BraithwaiteNovelClassics Club
7This Mournable BodyTsitsi DangarembgaNovelAfrica project/TBR book jar (Zimbabwe)
8SankofaChibundu OnuzoNovelAfrica project (Nigeria)
9After LivesAbdulrazak GurnahNovelAfrica project (Tanzania)
10African Women WritersCompendiumShort Stories
TBR
11Open water Caleb Azumah NelsonNovellaTBRAbandoned
12Lessons in ChemistryBonnie GarmusNovelTBRAbandoned
13The Fall of LightNiall WilliamsNovel TBRRead
14The Library Book Susan OrleanNon fictionTBR
15Birnham WoodEleanor CattonNovelTBR
16PearlSian HughesNovellaTBR
17Miss Pettigrew Lives for a DayWinifred WatsonNovelBook clubRead
18The Light YearsElizabeth Jane HowardNovelTBRRead
19Our Souls at Night Kent HarufNovellaTBR jar pick Read
20Rules of CivilityAmor TowlesNovelTBR jar pick

47 responses to “20 Books of Summer 2024 — decisions made at last”

  1. Reading Update July 2024 and New Directions : BookerTalk

    […] means giving up on #20booksofsummer but since this year I’ve read only five books from my list of 20 (I’ve abandoned three) that’s no great loss. Progress with my Classics Club list and my […]

    Reply
  2. The Fall of Light by Niall Williams — an Irish Family in Turmoil : BookerTalk

    […] Fall of Rain was one of the books in my — now abandoned — #20booksofsummer list for […]

    Reply
  3. The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard — delicious family drama : BookerTalk

    […] However Marina Sofia’s review of the series (she read all five in quick succession) described them as offering “a rich social fresco” full of fascinating detail about clothing, food and entertainment in the period from the eve of World War II to the first decade of peace. That was all it took to persuade me to give the series a go as part of my #20booksofsummer reading plan. […]

    Reply
  4. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson — a woman transformed : BookerTalk

    […] Pettigrew Lives For A Day was a late addition to my #20booksofsummer reading list, filling in a gap I had deliberately left blank so I could include titles selected by the book […]

    Reply
  5. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    Hello, I hope all is well. I just published a women’s fiction novel, suspense, narcissistic relationships, “Meghan Tilley” at B&N and Amazon.

    Reply
  6. wadholloway Avatar
    wadholloway

    I always like to have some classics mixed into my reading. I’ll be interested to see how you rate Decline and Fall. I have quite a few E Waughs but not that one. I’m about to start reading This Mornable Body this month. I’ll be careful to put no spoilers in my write up.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      My husband has warned me that this Waugh isn’t one of his best by a long way.

      Reply
  7. Liz Dexter Avatar
    Liz Dexter

    Nice. I have read To Sir, With Love, Open Water and Lessons in Chemistry from those, and I have Sankofa TBR but it’s not in my 20Books so won’t get to it for a bit. Happy reading! I’ve started with a chunky one and got a bit bogged down already …!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Well I started with the one that is the book club choice this month – not the most cheering of subjects since its a grief memoir

      Reply
  8. Rachel McAlpine Avatar
    Rachel McAlpine

    I know you will love your summer reading list, but I hope you give yourself an honorary diploma!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Getting my diploma typed up in readiness 🙂

      Reply
  9. winstonsdad Avatar
    winstonsdad

    A nice selection of books I’ve after lives on my tbr and have read a couple of the others on your list

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I’m hoping there are not too many books in here that turn out to be disppointments

      Reply
  10. margaret21 Avatar
    margaret21

    Well, I’m out on a limb here, having hated Lessons in Chemistry so I’m eager to hear what you make of it!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I’ve seen a few people comment that they didn’t think it was that special but no-one who seemed to dislike it as much as you did.

      Reply
      1. margaret21 Avatar
        margaret21

        I thought the whole thing was a caricature. Two of us in our book group felt like that. The others rated it. So we were heavily outnumbered.

        Reply
        1. BookerTalk Avatar
          BookerTalk

          Oh really – well I’ve not heard that take on the book yet.

  11. lauratfrey Avatar
    lauratfrey

    Very good strategies. Birnham Wood is great!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      It’s going to be tough to decide which to read first

      Reply
  12. WordsAndPeace Avatar
    WordsAndPeace

    Nice!
    I have only read your #5, and enjoyed it a lot. Have fun!
    https://wordsandpeace.com/2024/05/21/20-books-of-summer-2024/

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Thanks, there is always a moment at this point where I start worrying I’ve chosen the wrong books 🙂

      Reply
  13. Calmgrove Avatar
    Calmgrove

    Good luck with all these, Karen! I’d be curious to know what you thought about the Waugh, as I feel the novel may possibly work better than the recent TV series adaptation we saw. His A Handful of Dust is a second division TBR title for possibly later this year.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Well my husband has now told me he didn’t think the Waugh will be to my taste. Wish I’d known that earlier

      Reply
  14. JacquiWine Avatar
    JacquiWine

    Open Water is great, so it’s good to see it on your summer reading pile. I’ll be interested what you make of Decline and Fall. It’s not my favourite Waugh, partly because some of the humour feels dated, but it certainly has its moments!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      That point about the humour in Waugh is exactly what my husband has just advised me about. Oh dear

      Reply
  15. curlygeek04 Avatar
    curlygeek04

    I loved Lessons in Chemistry and The Library Book. To Sir With Love is one of my favorite classic movies, I’m very curious how the book compares. I like that you’ve included placeholders. I put extra on this year’s list – listed 25 but aiming for 15.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I’ve been caught out so many times because I forgot there would be book club choices or other reading challenges

      Reply
  16. Michael Summers Avatar
    Michael Summers

    I have read Thousand Cranes and Lessons in Chemistry. I loved Lessons in Chemistry and suspect that you will, also.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I went to an author event last year with Bonnie Garmus who was highly entertaining about the origin of the book

      Reply
  17. FictionFan Avatar
    FictionFan

    I loved Birnam Wood and, as I think I mentioned when it appeared on your CC Spin list, hated Tender is the Night! Haven’t read any of the others. Have fun! This is the year you’ll succeed! 😉

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I’ve heard mixed reactions to Birnham Wood so now I’m keen to find out for myself

      Reply
  18. Mary Daniels Brown Avatar
    Mary Daniels Brown

    What Maisie Knew is one of my favorite books by Henry James (probably because it’s more accessible than most of his later tomes). Good luck!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Some of his books are so so slow that I struggle to get anywhere with them. I chose this one because it had the merit of being short!

      Reply
  19. louloureads Avatar
    louloureads

    I loved The Library Book when I read it a few years ago! And though I didn’t love To Sir With Love, I did find it a really memorable reading experience – I was fairly new to teaching myself when I read it so it was interesting to hear about Braithwaite’s experiences.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Your professional background would have made it even more interesting I suspect. The film version did play rather fast and loose with the book I believe – it will be interesting to compare

      Reply
  20. hopewellslibraryoflife Avatar
    hopewellslibraryoflife

    Tender is the Night and To Sir, With Love! Yes! Yes! Lessons in Chemistry was a DNF for me but I know most readers admired it. I’m 62 nothing was shocking.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I’ve delayed getting started on Lessons in Chemistry because a)it had so much attention when published and that tends to put me off and b)it has a dog as a character – not something I always thinks work. We shall see

      Reply
  21. A Life in Books Avatar
    A Life in Books

    I tend to avoid massively hyped book but at least two reading pals told me I’d enjoy Lessons in Chermistry and I loved it. Hope you do, too, and good luck!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      That’s one of the reasons I’ve yet to read it Susan

      Reply
  22. Carol Avatar
    Carol

    The fun is in the trying! Good luck! The only one I’ve read on your list is Open Water and I had mixed feelings about it mostly because it was told in second person and I could never relax into the read.

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      The fun is also in just making the list 🙂

      Reply
  23. Marcie McCauley Avatar
    Marcie McCauley

    Even though this isn’t a challenge I’ve ever joined (summer is a very erratic season for me, for reading, sometimes book-stuffed and other times a desert), I enjoy reading other people’s lists! I’ve got Mournable Body coming up too. Have you read the earlier books in the series?

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      Honestly Marcie i didn’t even know it was part of a series when I read it – I’ve been assured though that you don’t have to have read the earlier books in order to appreciate this one.

      Reply
  24. Cathy746books Avatar
    Cathy746books

    It’s always good to double up on other reading challenges when doing 20 Books of Summer! Great list. I loved Birnam Wood and flew through it and I look forward to your thoughts on the Niall Williams. Best of luck!

    Reply
    1. BookerTalk Avatar
      BookerTalk

      I enjoyed an earlier book by Williams (the title was something about rain) so hoping this will be just as good

      Reply
      1. Cathy746books Avatar
        Cathy746books

        I’ve read Four Letters of Love and I thought it was wonderful!

        Reply
        1. BookerTalk Avatar
          BookerTalk

          I don’t know that one – the name of the one I did read turns out to be History of the Rain

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