WTOP Summer Reading Guide

Midnight in Europe Alan Furst is back with another alluring spy novel. This one is set in 1938 and follows secret operatives in Paris and New York, in Warsaw and Odessa, on the eve of World War II.

(Courtesy Random House)

Courtesy Random House

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair The New York Times Book Review calls this thriller "unimpeachably terrific." From the publisher: "August 30, 1975: the day fifteen-year-old Nola Kellergan is glimpsed fleeing through the woods, never to be heard from again; the day Somerset, New Hampshire, lost its innocence."

If you liked Stieg Larsson's "Girl With a Dragon Tattoo," the debut novel by Joel Dicker could be right up your literary alley.

(Facebook/Joel Dicker)

Facebook/Joel Dicker

Game of Thrones So you're hooked on the HBO show, but haven't read a single sentence from George R.R. Martin's series, "A Song of Fire and Ice." Thankfully, you have all summer and the better part of the year to catch up on the five existing books: "A Game of Thrones," "A Game of Thrones, "A Clash of Kings." "A Storm of Swords," "A Feast for Crows" and "A Dance with Dragons."

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Closer The New York Times calls this a "warmhearted, charmingly frank baseball memoir." "The Closer" is the story of New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera, who retired last season with more career saves than any other pitcher.

(Getty Images)

Getty Images

The Flamethrowers Rachel Kushner's second novel tells the story of a fast-living, 22-year-old named Reno.

From the New York Times: "'The Flamethrowers' is a coming-of-age novel of a sort, one that has dozens of topics on its mind: speed and sex, reality and counterreality, art and intellect, politics and fear and perhaps, above all, 'the fine lubricated violence of an internal combustion engine.'

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Tenth of December If you're pressed for time, check out George Sander's collection of short stories. They touch upon everything from socioeconomic anxieties to returning home from war. The collection can be brutal at times, but also offer insight into the beautifully twisted world of the human spirit.

(Amazon)

Amazon

Me Before You From the New York Times: "Me Before You" is a love story and a family story, but above all it's a story of the bravery and sustained effort needed to redirect the path of a life once it's been pushed off course.

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary From the publisher: "Writing with marvelous brio, Winchester first serves up a lightning history of the English language -- 'so vast, so sprawling, so wonderfully unwieldy'-- and pays homage to the great dictionary makers, from 'the irredeemably famous' Samuel Johnson to the "short, pale, smug and boastful" schoolmaster from New Hartford, Noah Webster."

(Amazon)

Amazon

Where'd You Go, Bernadette "Last summer I read 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette' and loved it. I honestly read it in one (very long) sitting - a road trip," says WTOP Living editor Rachel Nania. Sounds perfect for a long weekend this summer.

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Interestings Are you nostalgic for the blissful days of sleep away camp? So is author Meg Wolitzer, who spins a touching story about growing up, forging friendships and overcoming jealousy.

(Amazon)

Amazon

11/22/63 If you could prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, would you go back in time? A high school English teacher does just that in this Stephen King novel.

"It's not your normal Stephen King book. It's much more sci-fi, than horror, and it's really long. Once you start reading it, though, you can't put it down," says Jim Battagliese, WTOP director of traffic and weather operations.

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Harlem Hellfighters "You have heard the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, but more than two decades before, the Harlem Hellfighters broke barriers never before possible.

Coming in a different package than what you are used to, Max Brooks, author of 'World War Z' and the 'Zombie Survival Guide,' teams up with famed illustrator Caanan White, to bring the story of the 369th Infantry Regiment to life as a graphic novel.

The 369th was the first African American regiment to fight in World War I. Nicknamed by their enemies, they spent more time in combat than any other American unit while suffering incredible difficulties and discrimination.

The amazing thing about this story is that they succeeded despite the United States military actively working to minimalize their hard fought victories. An inspiring story of perseverance, bravery, and honor," writes Melvin Chase, WTOP director of public affairs.

(Amazon)

Amazon

Number9Dream From WTOP sports reporter Dave Preston: "Anything by David Mitchell. The last four summers I've read 'Cloud Atlas,' 'Black Swan Green,' 'Ghostwritten' and 'The Thousand Autumns of Jakob deZoet.' This year I'm working on 'Number 9 Dream.'"

The publisher describes "Number9Dream" as "a Dickensian coming-of-age journey."

(Amazon)

Amazon

The Sixteenth of June From the publisher: "A finely observed, wry social satire set in Philadelphia over the course of a single day, this soaring debut novel paints a moving portrait of a family at a turning point."

(Amazon)

Amazon

Saga From the publisher: "When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe."

The New York Times bestselling graphic novel won the 2013 Hugo award for Best Graphic Story.

(Amazon)

Amazon