Summer is finally here! BBQs in the backyard. Bikinis for the brave to don. Brides to fawn over. Baby showers to attend (it was a l-o-n-g winter). And books! I’m hoping for a few quiet moments, here and there, to catch a few rays of sun with a good book in my hands. Here’s my list for this summer (and no joke, all of the below – plus some more – are on my bedside table).

• Grace: A Memoir, by Grace Coddington If you saw The September Issue, you met Grace Coddington, Vogue’s Creative Director. She’s the Ying to Anna Wintour’s Yang. Grace is the Original Fierce and her book is “a must read” on my list.
• Nomad: A Global Approach to Interior Style, by Sibella Court Any time I need a boost of inspiration, I turn to Sibella’s books. They’re a feast for the eyes and soul. I cannot wait to study and soak in Nomad‘s goodness.
• Home Made Summer, by Yvette van Boven Confession: I have Yvette’s other two books and I’ve been waiting for summer to arrive so I could dive into this one. It was too much of a tease to flip through when it first came out in the spring while it was still cold and dreary outside. Thanks though to many days of steady sun and blissfully warm weather, these summer recipes are begging to be explored in the kitchen.
• Paris: The Novel, by Edward Rutherfurd When I read Rutherfurd’s New York: The Novel, I couldn’t put it down. New York City’s history, from early discovery to present day, amazingly told through the eyes of one family over several generations. I’m sure at some point, thanks to that book, something burned on the stove or I was late picking up my Lil’ Man from preschool. Hoping not to repeat those incidents this time around as I dig into this one.
• A Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemingway I love to re-read certain books every few years. Each time I get a little something different out of them thanks to life experiences and new knowledge gained between readings. A Moveable Feast is the lucky draw this summer.
• Seating Arrangements, by Maggie Shipstead As an event planner, this one thrills me to no end. A big part of the job is to remain professional and discrete no matter what comes your way while planning or executing an event. When a book comes along that lets it all hang out and blows caution to the wind, I’ll admit, I get a little giddy.

What about you? What are you reading this summer?

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