Not Your English Teacher's Summer Reading List

By Caitlin Flynn on July 9, 2013


Fans are constantly whirring in my top floor non-airconditioned apartment but offer no relief to the suffocating heat and humidity. My roommates and I grumble to one another and readjust our position on the couch. Our designated spots in the living room have become territorial markers as butt imprints become more fossilized with every click of the next button on Netflix.

I know my friends and I are not the only guilty party.  Summer has become a marathon of marathons.

I have a solution. A nicotine patch type of  solution – you can continue to sit on your couch for the first few days of this incredible program. Put down the Wii remote and move on to something a little less mind numbing – books! Remember those? I promise this is not your English teacher’s summer reading list.

Here are five books of true stories to motivate you to leave that plushy couch and jumpstart your summer!

1. ) Last Chance to See –  The title says it all! The world is on the brink of demise. See it all while you still can! This book by bestselling author Douglas Adams (who wrote the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series) and Mark Carwardine – in the spirit of full disclosure – was assigned in my college English class. That’s right I’m a fraud but I hope you can find it in your heart to still trust me. Douglas Adams chronicles his adventure as a BBC journalist travels across the globe to seek out species on the brink of extinction. A must read for all lovers of humor, adventure and Komodo dragons.

2.) Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail –  The story opens with author Cheryl Strayed watching her hiking boot falling into the wilderness never to be seen again. The loss of hiking boots adds another barrier for Strayed who, after the death of her mother, decided to break from her crumbling life to hike the Pacific Crest Trail for 100 days alone, with no experience. The story is an inspiring reminder that it is never too late to make a new start.

3.) Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen - Christopher McDougall a writer for Men’s Health magazine and a columnist for Esquire did not consider himself a runner when he started investigating the rising sport of ultrarunning. Despite his reservations, he was quickly swept up in a world where a person could race 100 miles in temperatures nearing 130 °F and live (and love) to do it again. More mysterious than the thought process of these seemingly suicidal ultrarunners is the lifestyle of the secretive Tarahumara tribe of ultrarunners hidden in the canyons of Northwestern Mexico. The story follows McDougall’s investigation into what makes the Tarahumara such efficient runners and describes one of the most epic sporting events you’ve never heard about.

4.) Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal – Tired of your usual routine? Pull a Conor Grennan and volunteer in Nepal before travelling the world. You should prepare yourself for dealing with malicious child traffickers, seeing the best and worst of mankind and truly making a difference in the world – I mean if you’re into that kind of thing.

5.) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) – Mindy Kaling is a comedy genius evident by her success as a writer and actress for the tremendously popular show The Office, and creator of her new show The Mindy Project on FOX. Luckily for us all, she took time to write down some of her hilarious inner monologue including her stories from her childhood as a chubby disciple of Saturday Night Live, her path to comedy success which began by dressing as Ben Affleck and her time as the only female writer for The Office. If you don’t find yourself doubled over with laughter, I suggest consulting a physician.

So the answer to the question is yes! Everyone is hanging out without you because you are glued to the couch! Go out pick up one of these books and then go live your life. Create bookworthy stories of your own!

What books are you adding to your summer reading list?

 

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