If you want a true beach read it stands to reason that the setting should be the beach – near or far, today or yesteryear. These classic and bestselling books evoke the essence of a seaside locale with adventures, sport, romance, serenity and even a few storms.  Read one or read them all and see if you agree. These are my summer must read books: 

1.  Summer of ’42 – a runaway bestseller when it first came out in the ’70, this is the coming of age memoir of Hollywood writer Herman Raucher. In the book, Racher looks back at his summer in 1942 where all of his teenage pals were looking to lose their virginity by setting their sights on a trio of teenage girls. All that is, except for our hero, Hermie. Hermie is interested in a young bride whose husband is an Army Air Corps pilot flying over Germany in WWII. When tragedy strikes, Hermie finds himself in the right place at the right time. An often funny and aching look back on a classic rite of passage — it might at times seem dated for it’s innocence, and at others reads absolutely wonderful and timeless. It’s beautifully written and the quintessential summer beach read. What’s unusual about this book is that Racher first wrote it as a screenplay and subsequently wrote the novel which was released before the film. The novel became a huge hit and most people thought the movie was based on the novel and not the other way around. (This book is out of print but go old school and borrow it from a library. It’s worth it!)

2.  Widow for a Year – Another coming of age love story written by my favorite author, John Irving.  16 year old Eddie O’Hare, aspiring writer, has no idea what he he’s in for when he takes a summer job assisting an alcoholic children’s book writer, Ted Cole. Ted and his family are quirky and beyond dysfunctional. Ted’s wife Marion, has checked out of life when her two sons died in a car accident. With the arrival of Eddie and a subsequent summer affair with the young teen, the ghosts of her sons come back. Daughter Ruth, conceived to replace the lost sons, stands out as a likable character as she weaves around the conflicts of her womanizing father, distant mom and newcomer Eddie, to find her own path to love. Like all of Irving’s works, this story is funny, superbly crafted, sexual and full of tragic elements that drive the narrative forward.

3.  The Beach - It seems as if almost everyone has read this bestselling, first novel by Alex Garland, and if you haven’t time’s a wasting.  This fast-paced novel throws you into it when a mysterious man leaves a map for a young, British backpacker before he slits his wrists.  The backpacker, along with a French couple, head off to find this paradisaical island promised on the map off the coast of Thailand. When they arrive, after fighting off armed drug growers, they find a band of people secretively trying to create their own utopia in one of the last unkown places on the planet. Often reminiscent to Lord of the Flies or Apocalypse Now, this book is one you won’t be able to put down. You’ll remember the film adaptation a few years back starring Leonardo DiCaprio – not a hit, but this book is. 

4. Prince of Tides - by Pat Conroy, another bestseller set in flashback on the coast of South Carolina as narrator, Tom Wingo tells of his life growing up as the son of a shrimper, and part in New York City where Tom goes after a nervous breakdown to help his twin sister who just attempted suicide.  As Tom meets with his sister’s psychiatrist to give insight, dark family secrets are revealed underthe shadow of an abusive father and the events that unfolded the day their older brother, Luke, died. Tom, a former high school teacher and football coach strives to put his life and his own family back together. Not a light read by any means, but a remarkable read at the deft hand of Conroy who manages a huge cast of characters with depth and intrigue.   

5. Robinson Crusoe - this classic adventure written by Daniel Defoe is the story of Crusoe, a man with wanderlust of the sea and the bad fortune each time to be ship wrecked by storms. Three’s not a charm as the final storm leaves him the only survivor on a tropical island off the coast of South America where the castaway spends 28 years. Not only does he need to survive, but the Island is occasionally visited by cannibals. On one visit he frees a captive of the cannibals and names him Friday and teaches him English. He and Friday plan to free other captives of the natives and make their way home, but soon they are rescued and Crusoe sails back to England.

6.  The Shell Seekers –  is a New York Times Bestseller written by Rosamunde Pilcher. Set in an English seaside town during WWII, this enchanting novel follows the life of Penelope Keeling and her family, dad a famous English painter, mom French and Penelope’s three children. The novel begins with Penelope at 60 having just had a heart attack and flashes back and forth between the past and present day, where Penelope’s children all have differing ideas on what to do with ”The Shell Seekers”, a painting by her dad now worth a lot of money. It was given to Penelope as a wedding present and has had great meaning throughout her life as we find out in the novel.   

7.  How Stella Got Her Groove Back - Forget the movie, although it was fun, this novel by Terry McMillan is our final must read.  Divorced Stella Payne has it all except for a man. Needing to get away, Stella heads on a whim to Jamaica and gets her groove back in the arms of gorgeous Winston, chef trainee at the resort and half her age who is smitten with Stella.  A fiery romance ensues, but back from Jamaica, Stella loses her high-powered job as and investment banker, and with her son Quincy, must find out who she really is and what she really wants when it comes to love. Was what she and Winston had real?