We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The 14 Smart Books You'll Want To Read At The Beach This Summer
Or at the pool, or at a restaurant, or...
Sure, you can take some trashy lit to the beach with you, but wouldn't you rather impress your fellow sunbathers with some quality reading? Feed your brain while you catch some rays this summer with this assortment of great books that will be as provocative as they are entertaining.
How to Stop Time by Matt Haig
Like Zelig mixed with Benjamin Button, this novel features a protagonist who looks like an everyday middle-aged man—but he is actually hundreds of years old, having lived a full, wild life populated by some of history's most famous figures.
A Long Way From Home by Peter Carey
Two-time Booker Prize winner Peter Carey crafts this high-octane, thrilling adventure novel that sees a husband-and-wife team racing across Australia in the brutal 17-day, 10,000-mile Redex Trial.
The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer
We follow the enterprising Greer Kadetsky as she comes of age in Meg Wolitzer's latest, learning the ways of the world—and all its complications—from her enigmatic feminist mentor Faith Frank.
Tangerine by Christine Mangan
When Alice arrives in Tangier with her husband John, she's surprised to run into her former friend, Lucy. That's not the only twist in Christine Mangan's suspenseful debut in which a woman must re-evaluate her relationships with her husband and her friend.
Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
Abortion is outlawed in this dystopian version of America, but don't expect another Handmaid's Tale. Leni Zumas's thriller is sharp, bold, funny, and stands on its own.
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Though she's known for her fiction, Smith's latest collection of her essays sees the novelist turning her pen toward culture, politics, and social media.
The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara
Inspired by the real-life House of Xtravaganza as seen in the seminal documentary Paris Is Burning, Cassara's gorgeous novel follows an ensemble of young people in a booming subculture in 1980s New York City.
Back Talk by Danielle Lazarin
Danielle Lazarin's brilliant debut collection of short stories reads like a primer on human behaviour and relationships, depicting the ways in which we move throughout the world and doing our best not to stumble and collide into each other.
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Greek gods are the subject of Madeline Miller's beautifully written novel, which follows the titular daughter of Zeus. Banished from her otherworldly family, Circe embarks on an epic journey in which she encounters some of the most famous characters of myth and legend.
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
With Oprah's stamp of approval, Tayari Jones's novel is an emotional wallop. Celestial and Roy are newlyweds whose lives are torn apart when Roy is convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Celestial's relationship—and independence—is put to the test in this moving and intimate look at contemporary life.
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
In 1969, the four Gold children seek out a psychic to reveal their fates to them. The formative moment sparks a compelling family drama that spans decades and the entire country as the knowledge of their death dates forces the Golds to fully live.
Florida by Lauren Groff
Lauren Groff follows up her acclaimed debut novel Fates and Furies with an equally compelling collection of short stories centred around the Sunshine State, where an assortment of characters and narratives swirl around in the swampy expanse.
The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg
Folk and fairy tales get a contemporary, irreverent, and feminist spin with this humorous collection of mischievous tales, adapted from Mallory Ortberg's immensely popular series on The Toast.
Laura & Emma by Kate Greathead
Although Laura is adamant about not having children, life—and a one-night stand—gets in the way of her plans. Soon she's taking care of Emma in the stony neighbourhood of Upper East Side, New York, and realising that it's sometimes difficult to blatantly avoid the world around us.
Tyler Coates is the Senior Culture Editor at Esquire.com. He lives in Los Angeles.
Watch Next
The Emergency Guide To Men's Summer Shorts
The Best Novels Of 2018 (So Far)
The Best Men's Shoes To Sort Out Your Summer
Stylish Holiday Stuff You Need For Under £100