Top summer beach reads?
One of the things I enjoyed the most while I was on my trip was looking at other people’s books. I was amazed to see how many people were actually reading under the sun, and I couldn’t help my curiosity! I had to know what they were reading! So I stared until I could make out a title or an author (I know it’s not polite to stare, but has I said, I had to know! Plus, I had huge sunglasses that really helped the undercover effect!) I noticed a few trends during that week, and I thought it would make an interesting topic on my blog.
For Spring 2009, the top 3 authors to read while getting a tan, were :
1. Dan Brown
Probably due, partly, to the new movie coming out this spring, Dan Brown seemed to be a very popular choice. Deception point and Angels and Demons seemed to be the first choices, with the DaVinci Code making a few apparitions here and there. Personnally, I read the DaVinci Code twice – one for “fun”, the other for, yes, a litterature class – and I didn’t enjoy it either times. I had no problem with the religous liberties Brown took with Jesus’ life; what threw me off was the wrong use of the art through the story. Has any of you read more from Brown? How would it compare? Am I the only one who’s been so disappointed by his writing?
2. Stephanie Meyer
I certainly don’t think this come as a surprise to anyone! I saw each of the four tomes in the readers’ hands, but New Moon clearly was the front runner! That was probably due to the fact that the second book in the series is currently being made into a movie. I read all of the books, and while I didn’t hate them, I didn’t fell in love with them either. Well, okay, maybe I hated the last one. Maybe. But I still understand the “why” of their popularity – and, having read them last summer, I can say they make a perfect beach read.
3. Marian Keyes
Marian Keyes was everywhere, too, mainly with This Charming Man. This book is huge; 688 pages in hardcover, 896 in trade paperback! Still, people seemed to enjoy it. Personally, I’ve never read anything by Keyes, and I don’t even know if her books categorize more as chicklit, romance, women fiction, all of the above or something else. It made me curious about this one. Has any of you read it, or read some other work from Keyes? What were your thoughts?
There were other novels or authors, too, that seemed to be popular: Kinsella’s Shopaolic‘s series and Jill Mansell’s work, among others. Numerous mysteries, too.
So readers, tell me; what do you think about that list? Any of those surprises you? Any of those interests you? What would be your summer beach reads?
Great post! That is indeed very interesing. If I were in your shoes, I’d do the same and peek shamelessly at other people’s reads. Lol. Surprisingly enough, I have never read any of those authors, but I do know how popular they are. I tried to read DaVince Code because I so wanted to read about the subject matter. Only, I really couldn’t get past the writing from the first few pages so I didn’t continue.
I really loved this post. Maybe you could keep snooping in other places and update us. Ha! 😀
I definitely am not surprised about the Twilight books being on the list (even if I’m sad about it… 😉 ). I think people gravitate towards fluffier books when they’re beach reading, but I have to say that I wouldn’t feel inclined to pick any of those writers up (I’ve read one Dan Brown, and that was enough; I read the first three Twilight books but hated myself the entire time… and I’ve heard that Keyes is great Chicklit, but I’ just haven’t been in a chicklit mood for a while now). But I love that you kept tabs on people’s reading while you were away – I probably would have done the same!
Great idea for a post. I was in Rhodes recently, and on the beach, but it was deserted. And the friends I was with didn’t bring any books, so no research for me!
I’m not that surprised by the book choices, although I wish people would grab better books! I get the impulse to read fluffier things when you’re out on the beach, but I think books can be easy to read and actually be decently written and interesting.
This post made me laugh though, I totally would have stared at the other books on the beach too!
Claire : Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)That’s funny you suggest I “spy” on people’s reads in other places: a few weeks ago, in the subway, I thought of doing a “Top 5 subway reads”. Maybe it could be a fun idea after all!
Steph : I take it you didn’t like Twilight! Hehe, I wouldn’t go toward these authors either, although it made me so curious about Keyes that I got one of her books at the library this weekend. I’m not feeling really “chicklit” right now, so I’ll save it for a later read.
Lenore : Thanks! 😉 A deserted beach, that can be great! Gives you a lot of quiet and space! Our beach was not too crowded but it was still hard to find a good spot if you arrived after 9 am!
Kim : Yes, I do wish people would grab better books, too! Like you, I think there are great, light beach reads that are also well written. But, glad it gave you a laugh – and glad to know I’m not the only one who likes to stare at people’s books (it’s probably a common reader’s quirk! :P)