School’s out, summer’s here, and I’ve got my list of summer reading ready to go!

On the top of my list is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossein, who explores the friendship between two women against the tumultuous backdrop of Afghanistan, following the fall of the monarchy in 1973 and the subsequent rise of the Taliban. I selected this book based on the outstanding editorial reviews it has received and my own high opinion of the writer whose first book, The Kite Runner is among the most memorable books I’ve ever read.

Next up is Consequences by Penelope Lively, a multigenerational love story. It received positive reviews from both Publisher Weekly and Booklist, and Lively won me over as a fan several years ago when I read her 1987 Booker Prize winner, Moon Tiger.

Susan Vreeland’s Luncheon of the Boating Party follows.  Once again, the author uses her background in art history to concoct a story around the 14 characters featured in Renior’s famous Impressionistic painting which is featured on the cover.

In Once Around the Track, Sharyn McCrumb gives us a story about an all-female NASCAR pit crew. I’m not a big NASCAR fan, but I am a huge McCrumb fan and will follow her down any literary highway.  She never fails to entertain with her quirky characters and inventive plots. 

In Happiness Sold Separately, Lolly Winston writes about love, marriage, failed relationships, infertility, and infidelity. According to the reviews, she handles this difficult material respectfully, and not without humor, as she did so successfully in her last book Good Grief.

Toss in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows after its release in late-July, and that ought to keep me occupied until Labor Day.

What’s on your summer reading list?