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Back before I was a BookPerson (some 7+ years ago) I was still a book person, and frequented my local independent bookstore looking for recommendations on books to read. I quickly discovered that almost any and all books that were recommended by then current/now former BookPerson, Summer, were ones that I would enjoy. What a pleasure it was to then get to work with and befriend Summer, after becoming gainfully employed with BookPeople myself. Now that summer (the season) is here, it seemed like as good a time as any to recommend some reads that Summer (the BookPerson) once recommended to me.
Crossing California by Adam Langer
A coming of age novel on par with Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and Jonathan Lethem’s Fortress of Solitude. Freaks and Geeks, but set in Chicago in the 70s. Somber and serious. Hilarious and heartfelt. One of those books you might have missed without a BookPerson to recommend it to you. Allow me to recommend that you not miss this book.
Actual Air by David Berman
Poems for people who think they don’t like poetry. Incredibly accessible, but still moving and meaningful. Berman was the singer/songwriter behind the band Silver Jews and his poems are as poignant and personal as his songs. Great for reading aloud with a loved one, a new friend, a stranger, or alone. Get out and get some sun this summer and make sure to take this along as a sort of soundtrack.
Raise High The Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger
Given our shared love of Salinger’s Franny and Zooey, Summer was surprised to hear that I had never read Roof Beam and suggested that I correct my oversight at once. She was right. A must read for Salinger fans, especially fans of the family Glass. Also recommended for those who hated Catcher In The Rye and never gave Salinger a second chance.
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller
While a rabid fan of comic books and graphic novels as a teenager, I had not picked up either in years of being an adult. Again, Summer recommended a course correction. Again, she was right to do so. Summer is almost singlehandedly responsible for my getting back into graphic novels. This is one of the best; certainly when it comes to Batman (maybe THE best when it comes to Batman). With Christopher Nolan’s trilogy wrapping up this summer, you can hardly pass up this recommendation from Summer.
The Brothers K by David James Duncan.
No, this is not a reboot on Dostoevsky’s classic work. Yes, that was the first thing that I asked Summer. Recommended to me as a candidate for THE Great American Novel, and I’d have to give it my vote. It’s about baseball and religion and family and politics and war. It’s about everything that is amazing and awful about America. It’s about everything that is amazing and awful about all of us. It’s about hope hard won. And that, in my opinion, is what makes any novel great.
BookPeople 
I’ve been wanting to read all of these, and hopefully this will motivate me to do so this summer! Also– and I don’t mean this in any creepy sort of way– but Kester, you have a really nice face. I like it. You look like a kind person. Thank you for sharing this list!
Kester here. Stumbled across this, 5 years later, looking for Summer reading recommendations from my old employer. Thanks for the “nice face” comment. I’d be curious to know how many of these you got around to reading.
Thanks. I think I’m gonna check out The Brothers K. Looks good.