Finding Books for Your Beach-Bound Bag

Looking for some fun summer reads? Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland was asked for some beach-themed books and, within a matter of minutes, she returned with these titles and several more.

Hint: The Best Place to Find Them is Home to All Your Favorite Page-Turners

Story and photos by David Cook

There’s been countless books read during a pandemic-filled year of canceled events, restricted traveling, and a substantial amount of home time. But many readers are more than ready to once again enjoy a classic summer activity – relaxing on the beach with an entertaining book. If you’re not going anywhere this summer, these books can still be enjoyed in your own backyard with a fruity drink by your side.

Even without the pressure of preparing for a vacation, choosing a new book can be a challenge. With that in mind, Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland was asked to share some advice for readers packing beach bags this summer.

“Beach books are about escapism. They should be enjoyable and not require deep

See BOOKS page 23

Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland is shown with a few of her favorite beach reads that she’d highly recommend to other readers.

FROM PAGE 21 concentration. The purpose of going to the beach is to relax, and your reading material should not prevent you from doing so. On the other hand, a beach read should be engaging; otherwise, it will sit on the bottom of the beach bag all summer,” she said.

Wayland said another sign of a good beach read is when the friends you’re vacationing with borrow it after you turn that last page.

“I left with three books on my last vacation and returned with only one,” she added, a good indication it may be prudent to choose more than one title.

Wayland then shared a few favorite beach-worthy titles she’d recommend to someone unfamiliar with them.

“The last book I really enjoyed would be a great summer read, ‘Anxious People’ by Fredrik Backman, who also wrote ‘A Man Called Ove’, which is equally entertaining. I found it funny and touching as a group of random strangers are forced together in an unintentional hostage situation and they form an unlikely bond and friendship in the process,” she said.

“For a light-hearted, laughout-loud experience, I’d take ‘The Stench of Honolulu’ by former Saturday Night Live writer Jack Handey with me to the beach. An utterly over the top adventure told by an unforgettable narrator with a really unique way of reading the world around him,” she added.

Since the ‘New Releases’ section of the library is always a popular stop for browsing patrons, Wayland was asked about new or upcoming book releases that might find their way into her own beach bag.

“I’d like to read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ‘Malibu Rising: A Novel’ (available June 1) about a rock star’s children throwing a blow-out party and the secrets that come out during this late summer night soiree. The novel is set in the ‘80s, a time period I love to go back to and relive the campiness,” she said.

Offering a thematic change of direction, Wayland said she also enjoys a good thriller.

“I’m looking forward to reading ‘The Last Thing He Told me’ by Laura Dave. It’s about the sudden vanishing of the main character’s husband. Along these same lines is ‘The Maidens’ (available June 15), which is set at Cambridge University and explores the questionable intentions of a popular and charming Greek tragedy professor,” she said.

For those enjoying combinations of humor, romance, and mystery, Wayland said she enjoys the books of Jesse Q. Sutanto.

“I might indulge in a book like ‘Dial A for Aunties’ for some lighter, upbeat entertainment. Plus, I happen to be an awesome aunt,” she added with a smile.

With pandemic restrictions easing, there’s recently been the return of another book-related activity the patrons of Princeton Public Library were excited to see come back – The Friends of the Library Book Sale. This is a fantastic event to visit when searching for a diverse selection of books and other materials.

Barb Skean of Princeton was one of the many people who made an appointment to peruse the book-covered tables that filled the Princeton library’s large meeting room, and she did so with a specific purpose – to fill her beach bag.

Her beach of choice is in South Carolina, and she was looking forward to returning there this summer after travel restrictions prevented it last year.

“I can read for hours, so I need something I can really get into,” she said, adding that she loves “good, compelling mysteries,” as well as historical fiction and those based around the sea.

For those looking for newly-released mysteries, “Murder at Wedgefield Manor” by Erica Ruth Neubauer might fill your beach bag nicely. And if you enjoy an element of fantasy with your mystery, “The Witness for the Dead” by Katherine Addison might be a tempting choice.

With new books being continuously released and the overwhelming amount of previously released books that exist, a reader’s best choice for finding new material is often their local public library. Browsing can be done within the library or through the user-friendly online catalog system that connects several hundred regional libraries, and all you need is your library card. After ordering a book online, you’ll be contacted when it’s available for you to pick up.

With the help of your local library, packing a beach bag will be easy, and you’ll soon be enjoying a new book while wiggling your toes in the sunwarmed sand on a perfect summer’s day.

The Friends of the Library book sale recently held in the meeting room of the Princeton Public Library helped patron Barb Skean find books to fill her beach bag for an upcoming summer vacation.

Sometimes beach reads are best enjoyed with other items that help you nail down your theme. The Princeton Public Library or your local Bureau County library may be able to provide some beach-themed tunes if appropriate background music would be appreciated while reading at the beach. The library can also find some beach-themed movies if you’d like to complete the theme across multiple media formats.