TL;DR
The Atlantic editors recommend five diverse books for summer reading, including novels, poetry, and classical literature that blend entertainment with meaningful explorations of human connection and understanding.
Key Takeaways
- 1No God But Us by Babok Sed is a humorous and unconventional novel about understanding people different from yourself and personal growth
- 2Wanda Coleman is celebrated as a 'poet's poet' whose work electrifies readers engaged with contemporary poetry
- 3Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi uses literature and reading as an engaging narrative device despite seeming like an unlikely page-turner
- 4The Complex by Karin Mahajan offers a multi-layered family saga with dark twists that rewards deep engagement
- 5Philoctetes by Sophocles combines classical themes of honor and war with timeless meditations on loneliness and human connection
- 6The Three Christs of Ypsilanti by Milton Roach explores the limits of medical and psychological practice through a compelling true story
Notable Quotes
“It's a novel about learning to understand people who don't quite understand you and becoming a little bit of a better person than you were on the front side.”
— Editor on No God But Us
“Wanda Coleman is known as a poet's poet. Somebody who if you're writing poetry, you're reading poetry, you discover and are electrified by”
— Editor on Wanda Coleman
“In the summer is a really good time to absorb yourself in a long novel with many moving parts and a family tree.”
— Editor on The Complex
Chapters
1. Contemporary Fiction Selections
Editors highlight No God But Us by Babok Sed for its humor and depth, and The Complex by Karin Mahajan as an ideal summer read with interconnected family narratives and compelling character arcs.
2. Poetry and Literary Essays
Featured selections include Wanda Coleman's Wicked Enchantment, celebrating Coleman as a respected voice in contemporary poetry, and Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi, which uses literary analysis as an engaging narrative.
3. Classical and Historical Works
Two selections bridge genres: Sophocles' Philoctetes, a Greek tragedy offering timeless themes of loneliness despite its ancient origins, and Milton Roach's The Three Christs of Ypsilanti, a narrative nonfiction work examining the boundaries of medicine and psychology.
Key People & Entities
- Babok Sed
- Author of No God But Us
- Wanda Coleman
- Contemporary poet known as a 'poet's poet'
- Azar Nafisi
- Author of Reading Lolita in Tehran
- Karin Mahajan
- Author of The Complex
- Sophocles
- Ancient Greek playwright, author of Philoctetes
- Milton Roach
- Author of The Three Christs of Ypsilanti
Glossary
- Page-turner
- A book that is so engaging and compelling that readers find it difficult to stop reading
- Greek tragedy
- A form of ancient Greek drama typically featuring noble characters confronting fate and universal human themes