Summer Books 2026

Want some book recs?

I’ve always got a few books going. These are some of the best ones that I’ve read lately.

Chicago by Brian Doyle

Doyle describes the Windy City in such beautiful detail that you recognize things that have gone unnoticed right before your eyes. A story with magical realism that begins to feel natural.

Slow Horses by Mick Herron

A gritty, smart story filled with British wit and a wry look at the world. One part comedy and one part thriller, this book kept me wanting to see what would happen next. This is the source of the acclaimed Apple TV series starring Gary Oldman.

Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell

This is the story of the shootout at the O.K. Corral, and its ramifications. There are lots of famous names here: the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and Bat Masterson, to name a few. I was really enlightened by the fact that our current scourge of misinformation isn’t new — it happened in the 1880s too.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin

If you are a science fiction fan, this could be the book for you. An ambassador from another world shows up unexpectedly on a planet that has not embraced much new technology, but has plenty of rivalries and political intrigue. The alien is misunderstood and abused, but continues his well-meaning mission nevertheless. LeGuin really got me thinking.

An Accidental Death by Peter Grainger

This one is a detective novel of a different sort — not the high octane hero that will eventually be played by Tom Cruise in a movie. Instead, it features an older man who is smart and experienced, moving logically through a complicated mess to its ultimate conclusion. You won’t find chase scenes and graphic violence, but rather a solid plot that keeps you wondering.

Call Them by Their True Names by Rebecca Solnit

Solnit doesn’t pull any punches. In this book, she focuses on Donald Trump, climate change, violence to women, and plenty of other current topics that deserve more light than the heat that they generate. Solnit takes some specific cases and works with them toward general conclusions. This book makes me think. It was published in 2018, so it is slightly dated, but it also allows the reader to see how right she was when it was written.

I hope you like these. Enjoy.