Be Well. Well Read.

Books make us better citizens, better neighbors and better human beings. As our favorite librarian Christina says, "Be well. Well Read." We hope you find some time to read this summer! 

Hedge Tennis Summer Reading List pictured here at Wolffer Vineyards

Maxine wears the Stanton Racerback Polo & Darrow Boxpleat Skirt-Wolffer Vineyards in NY

This year's list includes a broad variety of books; we are the curious type and we want to escape into worlds unlike our own so that we may become more empathetic. We also love to read books where we can identify with the characters in worlds we can relate to so we feel normal.

 

Before we get to THE LIST we wanted to share a relevent recent essay from The Paris Review entitled Tennis is the Opposite of Death. An excerpt: 'Tennis has brutal match lengths and returns and apartness and ongoingness and sunshine. It has one player as an intelligence moving around in space. It has elegance and wreckage and bad manners.' The essay is brilliant, read it.


History of tennis in the hamptons book

Antonia wears the Douglas Dress reading the history of tennis at our club waiting for our tennis clinic to begin

INTERESTING NON-FICTION:

The Lost Boys of Montauk: The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who  Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind: Fairbanks, Amanda M.:  9781982103231: Amazon.com: Books

Amanda Fairbanks, The Lost Boys of Montauk 

In this account, Fairbanks retells the haunting story of a four-man encounter with a Nor’easter sailing off the coast of East Hampton.

The Barbizon: The Hotel That Set Women Free: Bren, Paulina: 9781982123895:  Amazon.com: Books

Paulina Bren, The Barbizon

Discover all about The Barbizon hotel, a place where women could find comfort and freedom.  

Seed to Dust

Marc Hamer, Seed to Dust

Gardener Marc Hamer tells his experiences tending to 12 acres of garden for over two decades and the relationships he's made with others as well as his own reflections.

GREAT LITERARY FICTION:

Of Women and Salt: A Novel: Garcia, Gabriela: 9781250776686: Amazon.com:  Books

Gabriela Garcia, Of Women and Salt

Of Women and Salt tells the complex immigrant story of a cuban family living in Miami. 

Amazon.com: Hamnet (9780525657606): O'Farrell, Maggie: Books

Maggie O’Farrell, Hamnet

In Hamnet, O’Farrell provides a fascinating story behind the play of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

American Dirt (Oprah's Book Club): A Novel: Cummins, Jeanine:  9781250209764: Amazon.com: Books

Jeanine Cummins, American Dirt

When a Mexican family is suddenly uprooted from their hometown of Acapulco, a mother and her child must find a new way of life in the United States.

Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi

Yaa Gyasi, Transcendent Kingdom 

See into the world of Gifty, a student neuroscientist at Stanford studying the topics her family is struggling with; depression and addiction. 

Whereabouts: A novel: Lahiri, Jhumpa: 9780593318317: Amazon.com: Books 

Jhumpa Lahiri, Whereabouts 

Pulitzer prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri presents a rich novel following a woman's changing perspectives. 

Brood: A Novel: Polzin, Jackie: 9780385546751: Amazon.com: Books

Jackie Polzin, Brood 

Follow the story of an unidentified narrator attempting to keep four chickens alive.

Hedge tennis warm up varsity jacket for tennis

Maxine in the Brooks Bodysuit & Vale Varsity Jacket relaxing by the pool reading one of our recommendations from last year, The Water Cure, between shots during our photo shoot last year.

INSPIRING MEMOIRS:

Limitless: The Power of Hope and Resilience to Overcome Circumstance:  Weggemann, Mallory, Brooks, Tiffany Yecke: 9781400223466: Amazon.com: Books

Mallory Weggeman, Limitless

In Weggemann’s biography, Limitless, she tells an inspiring story of resilience to her sport as a gold-medalist Paralympic swimmer. 

Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir: Onwuachi, Kwame, Stein, Joshua  David: 9781524732622: Amazon.com: Books

Kwame Onwuachi, Notes from a Young Black Chef

Notes from a Young Black Chef details Onwuachi’s hardships being a person of color in the world of fine cuisine. 

Kook: What Surfing Taught Me About Love, Life, and Catching the Perfect  Wave: Heller, Peter: 8601404808784: Amazon.com: Books

Peter Heller, 
Kook

In his remarkable memoir, Peter Heller tells us his discovery of surfing culture, and how he used it to find a connection with the sea. 

GREAT BEACH READS:

The Lions of Fifth Avenue: A Novel: Davis, Fiona: 9781524744618:  Amazon.com: Books

Fiona Davis, Lions of 5th Avenue

How will two women spanning several generations protect their family's New York Public library? 

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty: A Novel: Weisberger,  Lauren: 9781984855565: Amazon.com: Books

Lauren Weisberger, Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty

Weisberger gives an entertaining insight into the lives of these seemingly perfect sisters. 

Such a Fun Age: Reid, Kiley: 9780525541905: Amazon.com: Books

Kiley Reid, Such a Fun Age

When Emira Tucker is publicly humiliated for "kidnapping" a white child in a high-end supermarket, how will her employer Alix Chamberlain connect with her to solve this issue?

Sorrow and Bliss: A Novel: Mason, Meg: 9780063049581: Amazon.com: Books

Meg Mason, Sorrow and Bliss

Mason details the trials and tribulations in Martha and Patrick’s marriage, how will Martha get out of her mental rut? 

The Mothers: A Novel (Random House Large Print): Bennett, Brit:  9781524709860: Amazon.com: Books

Brit Bennett, The Mothers

What could've three young adults done differently? Would there be a baby? Who would've fallen for who? 

Amazon.com: Ladies of the House: A Novel eBook: Edmondson, Lauren: Kindle  Store

Lauren Edmonson, Ladies of the House

Devour this dramatic retelling of Sense and Sensibility; will the Richardsons recover from their plight? 

The Midnight Library: A Novel: Haig, Matt: 9780525559474: Amazon.com: Books

Matt Haig, The Midnight Library

What if I told you there was a library where your life was contained in a book, and the books on other shelves are the lives you could've lived. What would you do differently?

Amazon.com: Anxious People: A Novel (9781501160837): Backman, Fredrik: Books

Frederick Backman, Anxious People 

A flustered bank robber takes a group of people hostage during an apartment open house. Each of them is carrying their own personal baggage; how will this mess turn out?

Blush: Brenner, Jamie: 9780593085752: Amazon.com: Books

Jamie Brenner, Blush

In Blush, Brenner tells the story of three generations of women finding the practicality of romance novels as it applies to their family’s winery; could it help them find love too? 

The Vanishing Half: A Novel: Bennett, Brit: 9780525536291: Amazon.com: Books

Brit Bennet, The Vanishing Half 

Identical twin sisters now lead completely different lives, but who knows, could their paths intersect once more? 

That Summer: A Novel: Weiner, Jennifer: 9781501133541: Amazon.com: Books

Jennifer Weiner, That Summer 

Can Daisy Shoemaker find peace? Even with some of her family and work struggles, she thinks she has it good: could a strong friendship find her center?

Everything After: Santopolo, Jill: 9780593086964: Amazon.com: Books

Jill Santopolo, Everything After 

Travel with Emily as she tries to reconnect with her past and find her true meaning (and love) in life. 


The Last Flight: A Novel: Clark, Julie: 0760789297021: Amazon.com: Books

Julie Clark, The Last Flight

When two desperate women, Claire and Eva, switch plane tickets and Eva's plane goes down, Claire has to take on Eva's identity as well as carry all her secrets. 

GREAT SELF HELP & HEALTH:

Amazon.com: I'm So Effing Tired: A Proven Plan to Beat Burnout, Boost Your  Energy, and Reclaim Your Life eBook: Shah MD, Dr. Amy: Kindle Store

Amy Shah, I’m So Effing Tired

How do we solve burnout? In I’m So Effing Tired, Dr. Shah gives a guide to eating better and managing stress to put more energy into our lives.

The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions Into My Best Life:  Martin, Lauren: 9781538733622: Amazon.com: Books

Lauren Martin, The Book of Moods

Go on a journey with Lauren Martin as she learns to stabilize her ranging emotions. 

 

MYSTERY:

The Lost Apothecary: A Novel: Penner, Sarah: 9780778311010: Amazon.com:  Books

Sarah Penner, Lost Apothecary 

What will happen when Caroline Parcewell investigates a trail of unsolved apothecary murders? 

You Will Remember Me by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Hannah Mary McKinnon, You Will Remember Me

Follow the chilling story of the connections between two women, Maya and Lily, and one man, Asher; who is telling the truth? 

When the Stars Go Dark: A Novel: McLain, Paula: 9780593237892: Amazon.com:  Books

Paula McLain, When the Stars Go Dark

Become absorbed in missing persons detective Anna Hart’s obsession with finding a teenage girl in the Northern Californian village of Mendocino. 

The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel: Dave, Laura: 9781501171345: Amazon.com:  Books

Laura Dave, The Last Thing He Told Me

An unlikely mother and daughter duo team up to uncover the secrets of Bailey’s father Owen: what is his real identity and what is he hiding?

Amazon.com: The Guest List: A Novel (9780062868930): Foley, Lucy: Books

Lucy Foley, The Guest List

Watch as a wedding slowly turns from a celebration of love into a murder mystery. 

 

GREAT YA: 

Amazon.com: Instructions for Dancing eBook: Yoon, Nicola: Kindle Store

Nicola Yoon, Instructions for Dancing

Take yourself on a spirited adventure through the eyes of Evie, will she find spontaneous new love? 

SCIENCE BOOKS:

Mom Genes | Book by Abigail Tucker | Official Publisher Page | Simon &  Schuster

Abigail Tucker, Mom Genes 

Tucker explores the science behind a mother’s natural maternal instincts. 

DEATH, LOSS & GRIEF:

Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe: Jackson, Laura Lynne:  9780399591594: Amazon.com: Books

Laura Lynne Jackson, Signs  

In Signs, Laura Lynne Jackson details her experiences as a psychic medium.

Notes on Grief: Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi: 9780593320808: Amazon.com: Books

Chimanda Ngozi, Notes on Grief 

Shortly after Ngozi’s father’s death, Notes on Grief was created to help process her sadness through stories of her father’s life. 

TENNIS-THEMED:

Own the Arena: Getting Ahead, Making a Difference, and Succeeding as the  Only One: Adams, Katrina M: 9780062936820: Amazon.com: Books

Katrina Adams, Own the Arena  

Adams shares her cornucopia of knowledge about leadership through her position as the former President and CEO of the United States Tennis Association. 


 -------------------------

Thank you Christina Karvounis @spdylibrarian & Zibby Owens @momsdonthavetimetoreadbooks as well as my sister Cassie, and besties Kim and Kristi for your recent faves, XOXO

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published