Before I get going on all of these beach reads, let me pitch you once again on the merits of shopping for the books (both the real deal and the virtual) through your local booksellers. Breakwater Books in Guilford. Syd’s used bookstore in Madison and R.J. Julia Bookeller in Madison and Middletown, Harbor Books in Old Saybrook, the Griswold Inn Store in Essex. And those are just a few we are lucky enough to have nearby. There are quite a few in New Haven, too. These are our beloved third places, where we can hang out on a rainy weekday or a weekend when we don’t have much else to do. We should love them back and love them hard so they will be here with us a long time.

Of course, our local libraries are great resources as well. At both the bookstores and the libraries, there are booksellers and librarians who’d be happy to chat with you about what you like, what you’re looking for, and what you might want to check out by way of a new read.

At the Guilford Inn Store in Essex, booksellers Christine and Jackie conferred on their perfect beach bag and came up with this: “Our beach bag is a lovely handmade Moroccan Shopping Basket, containing artisanal crackers and cocktail cubes by Flower and Co. along with some delicious strawberry jam from Gracious Gourmet, and raspberry tart chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates. A Griswold Inn Wine Opener, just in case! Our reading material would include Finding Margaret Fuller by Alison Pataki, The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl, and The Poppy Sisters by Deborah Carr. And last but not least, ocean surf sunscreen from Mackenzie's Fisherman!”

In East Haven, Chris Hemingway, the reference, archival, and local history librarian and notary public at the Hagaman Memorial Library, says his beach bag pick is influenced by his recent travels to Paris and London. “There is nothing I would rather see in my beach bag than a baguette, a beret, and a copy of Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast,” he says. “Set in Paris in the 1920s, Hemingway writes about his expatriate life and personifies the true essence of Parisian life, not to mention the notable people he meets, as well as the bars, cafes, and hotels frequented by him as a struggling, aspiring writer.” He adds that no summer beach read season is complete “until you have experienced Paris, inside and out, through the eyes of Papa himself.”

At Breakwater Books in Guilford, Liza recommends Sailing Lessons by Hannah McKinnon. “In her fourth book, as in her previous novels, Hannah McKinnon doesn't disappoint. This time, the story unfolds as the Bailey sisters struggle with the return of their long-lost father and a shocking secret. Hannah McKinnon has once again chosen a quintessential summer backdrop for her novel, Cape Cod. A must for your beach bag!” says Liza. “I enjoyed this book because it immediately transports you to a summer community, whether you live in a beach town or not. Getting lost in a book that embodies a summer town, coupled with family drama, lends itself perfectly to a summer read.”

At the Henry Carter Hull Library in Clinton, Library Director Maribeth Breen says, “I take my orange waterproof beach bag that says Bahamas on the front. I bring a jug of water, grapes, chips and a sandwich of some kind. I'm always on the lookout for seagulls and have never had one pinch my snacks. The big stack of magazines I haven't gotten around to are perfect for an afternoon at the beach, and I always bring some kind of shade with me as well."

Henry Carter Hull Library Board Trustee & Clinton Senior Connection Program Coordinator Christina Acampora says her favorite beach read currently is Nicla’s Story by Arnoldo Aranci. “It's a historical fiction novel (about my grandmother ) that takes place in Italy during WWII. What kind of beach bag is it? Probably my Clinton Senior Connection tote because even though I'm at the beach, I'm always working 'for just a little while.' What kind of food? Drink? It's a fact that chips and salsa taste best on the beach, and some cold seltzer or iced coffee. Is there anything in there to fend off the seagulls? I have learned from my many beach-going years that you just have to co-exist! Even spicy foods don't bother them! Once in Misquamicut, a seagull gobbled up my carrots AND all the horseradish dip!”

Henry Carter Hull Library Head of Outreach & Adult Programming Sarah Borgnis-Tobin says she favors a Vera Bradley Outlet tote. She also has a cooler tote “to stash my water and another for my earbuds, phone loaded with audiobooks from The Palace Project app, a book or two, bucket hat, and sunscreen.” In the morning, she favors “a Captaincino latte frappe and fresh gluten-free morning glory muffin in hand from Ashlawn Farm Coffee” in Old Saybrook,” or in the afternoon, “my go-to order from Life Bowls (in Madison); Viva La Vegan avocado toast with a Purple Rain smoothie.” She, too, has made peace with the gulls. “But I might eat my snacks in my car.”

“Nonfiction is my comfort genre!” Borgnis-Tobin says, and she is currently reading/listening to Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, June 2024 Issue; Kingdom of Play: What Ball-Bouncing Octopuses, Belly-Flopping Monkeys, and Mud-Sliding Elephants Reveal About Life Itself by David Toomey; New Happy: Why the Pursuit of Happiness is Making You Miserable—And the real tools you'll need to find it, by Stephanie Harrison; Places for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life, by Eric Klinenberg.

Is that enough when it comes to books?

I say it’s never enough when it comes to books. And so consider joining me and my colleagues at R.J. Julia Booksellers, Books & Booze: Beach Reads Edition. RJJ booksellers Marilyn, Caroline, and Sharon share their top beach read recommendations in a range of genres. All will be perfect to read while “soaking up some sun this summer.” Complimentary adult beverage provided for those over 21. The event will be Wednesday, July 10, at 6 p.m., at RJ Julia Booksellers, 768 Boston Post Road, Madison. Find out more and reserve your seat at www.rjjulia.com/event/books-booze-beach-reads-edition.