Summer Reading Roundtable

The dog days of summer are upon us. Whether you are in for a long road trip, a pool day or time at the beach, a summer read is a must-have. Below are some recommendations from Team TRIO:

Abbie, Account Manager – Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – This is on the top of my summer reading list because it’s gotten absolutely rave reviews and comes highly recommended by Reese Witherspoon, the queen of Southern belles. It also takes place in the nearby North Carolina Outer Banks! I love a good story that takes place in places I’m familiar with; I feel like I can picture everything right in front of me.

Jessica, President – Scaling Up by Verne Harnish – By all accounts, this book is a must-read for business leaders looking to grow and break the barriers that prohibit small businesses from reaching their full potential. TRIO has been going through some magnificent times over the past few years and I look forward to reading this book and applying Verne’s best practices to our agency, allowing us to make an even greater impact in the world.

Lauren, Content & SEO Marketing Manager – Anything by Sloane Crosley, Nora Ephron or Stephen King – By the time summer rolls around, I’m usually in full beach-read mode. On lazy weekends that I intend to spend poolside, I want to read a page-turner that doesn’t require a lot of heavy lifting. A standard for me is Jaws, which I’ve read about a million times, but I also love both Nora Ephron and Sloane Crosley’s books of comedic essays and have also fallen into a bit of a Stephen King hole recently. His stories are so well written that they are a pleasure to read, even though they are quite terrifying at times!

Jeanne, Social Media Specialist – Life In A Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer – I often read fashion magazines and blogs but when I want a really impressive read, I tend to pick up historical fiction or real-life war stories. I have always been fascinated with WWII and with true stories of tragedies and heroics. While working at Patriots Point and handling their social media and media relations, I was introduced to various unique true stories, heroes and battles during WWII that I wasn’t too familiar with. I met one of the Doolittle Raiders daughters, hung out with WWII veteran, Dick Whitaker, and listened to stories of his flights and bombings during the Battle of Okinawa. I did a lot of research for work and ended up learning about the amazing Irena Sendler. She was a non-Jewish Polish social worker that smuggled Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto and saved over 2,500 lives. She buried their real names in jars across from the Nazi barracks under a fruit tree. This is where she would dig up their true identities after the war ended. It’s an amazing story and I just started reading the book to learn more about her, the Jewish children she saved and about the hardships she faced.

Jenny, COO and Creative Director – Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman and Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson – I like to toggle between fiction and either personal or professional growth, so this summer, I’m reading some of each. If I’m reading fiction, it needs to be an intense page-turner, and in this case, both of my choices are action packed and full of twists, turns and thrills. I’m also a Reese fan, which is how I discovered Something in the Water.

Taylor, Account Manager – My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent and Commonwealth by Ann Patchett – I’m very specific about how and when I read books: it must be fiction, it must be a physical book and I truly only read books when I travel. With a recent move to Charleston, we’re pretty grounded for the time being. However, from other travels, I’m between My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent, which, as NPR puts it: “Hard to read, harder to put down,” and one I intend to pick back up! And then Commonwealth by Ann Patchett which is completely mesmerizing and I think I only have a few chapters left so planning on getting back into it this summer! As for where I get my recommendations, Book of The Month Club is such a great resource that features not just popular books, but up-and-coming fiction options that also have fabulous cover designs, which is how I choose my books anyway!

Molly, Account Manager -The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe – Summer beach and poolside reads are my favorites! Nothing beats a few hours soaking up some rays and escaping reality (I mean every word of this, because I tend to only read fiction books this time of year). My mom and I have a tradition of trading books back and forth all summer long and she just passed me an older book, “The Beach House” by Mary Alice Monroe. I love that the book takes place in Charleston and the Isle of Palms and focuses heavily on sea turtle season. While the plot is a bit predictable, the imagery carries throughout the entire book beautifully and leaves me grateful for our beautiful Lowcountry.

Laurel, Graphic Designer – How Not to Die by Michael Greger MD with Gene Stone – This book is a wealth of knowledge for anyone interested in nutrition. I’ve been reading How Not to Die on and off for a while now and I plan to pick it up again this summer for a refresh on nutritional information. As someone who follows a plant-based diet, it is a great resource for me to keep in mind when grocery shopping. Every time I read it, I learn something new that shocks me.  

Mark, Director of Digital Marketing – All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – I’ve had this book on my “list” for a while and now have it next in the queue. While I don’t normally read a lot of fiction, the historical context of WWII and the German occupation of France, in particular, is of great interest. This book comes highly recommended and I believe that the story is also now being developed into a limited show series.   

Shaun, Web Developer – SCRUM Narrative and PSM Exam Guide and At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft – The first is a guide for the SCRUM master certification. It’s something I have wanted to work towards for some time and I’m finally going to do it. Essentially SCRUM is a framework for helping teams better collaborate and work together to create a better end product (Yes, I am a nerd. LOL).

My other choice is a book that I have had for a while and never got around to reading. At the Mountains of Madness is crazy and cool. The story details the events of a disastrous expedition to the Antarctic continent in September 1930 and what was found there by a group of explorers led by the narrator, Dr. William Dyer of Miskatonic University. Throughout the story, Dyer details a series of previously untold events in the hope of deterring another group of explorers who wish to return to the continent. What they find is an ancient alien city that came to earth right after our moon was formed. Needless to say, hijinks ensue. Scary hijinks!

Maryanna, Web Production Intern – Love is a Mixtape by Rob Sheffield – This book is an autobiographical memoir that tells the love story of Rob Sheffield, a writer for Rolling Stone magazine, and his wife Renee. Each chapter starts with a mixtape that they made and listened to during different parts of their relationship. I love music and a good romance, so it’s fun to read about their experiences with songs and artists from previous decades.

Meagan, Graphic Design Intern – An Invisible Thread by Alex Tresniowski and Laura Schroff – This is a true story about a friendship that develops between a busy sales executive and an 11-year-old panhandler in 1980’s New York. The story is a reminder that small gestures can make a big impact. I love reading memoirs and especially ones with a good takeaway.

Margaret, Social Media Intern – The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane von Furstenberg – I read this autobiography a few years ago and it’s a must read for me every summer now! DVF reflects on her life experiences from growing up in Brussels, Belgium, to creating a fashion empire in the U.S. She shares her highs and lows in life, love, family and business and offers the lessons she has learned from each situation. I don’t know how she does it, but I feel so inspired every time I read it (my copy has something highlighted on just about every page!). Her life is full of unique experiences to keep you flipping the pages and her wisdom makes you feel like a #girlboss.

What are you reading this summer? Share your picks with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!