By Joe Byerly
I love beaches and books, and this summer there are four titles I’m looking forward to checking out while enjoying the ocean.
The Parade by Dave Eggers (Available Now)
I had to snag this synopsis straight from the publisher: An unnamed country is leaving the darkness of a decade at war, and to commemorate the armistice the government commissions a new road connecting two halves of the state. Two men, foreign contractors from the same company, are sent to finish the highway. While one is flighty and adventurous, wanting to experience the nightlife and people, the other wants only to do the work and go home. But both men must eventually face the absurdities of their positions, and the dire consequences of their presence. With echoes of J. M. Coetzee and Graham Greene, this timeless novel questions whether we can ever understand another nation’s war, and what role we have in forging anyone’s peace.
I read one of his previous books, The Circle which takes place in the near future and is about the company that comes after Facebook. It’s scary what they do with decades of accumulated data. The founder of the company is a radical visionary who wants to create 100% transparency around the word.
Fall; Or Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson (Available June 4th)
What if our brains could live on long after we die? In Fall; Or Dodge in Hell Stephenson raises this question among others and explores some of the revolutionary breakthroughs that are transforming our future.
I’m a fan of Neal Stephenson’s work. If you haven’t read any of his books, I encourage you to check out Seveneves (which looks at how humanity would act in the face of an extinction event) or The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (He examines what would happen if the US Department of Defense figured out time travel).
Recursion by Blake Crouch (Available June 11th)
In Recursion, Crouch tackles time, memory, and reality. This book is about a New York City cop who investigates False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived. The premise looks interesting, and if it’s anything like his previous books, I’m sure it’s going to be a page turner.
I read Crouch’s Dark Matter a few years ago, and couldn’t put it down. The ending blew my mind, so I’m excited about reading his latest book.
The Warehouse by Rob Hart (Available August 20th)
I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley a few weeks ago. So far, I’m enjoying it! Hart explores what happens when big business meets big brother. It’s a near-future thriller about a company (that looks eerily familiar) who takes surveillance to the extreme for the bottom line.
Keep Reading!
If you enjoy reading as much as I do, I encourage you check out my monthly email that I send out to over 4000 subscribers. Each month I share 3-4 books I’m reading and the topics range from history to leadership and the books I described above. Click here to sign up!
