Transport yourself with lively reading

Few  pleasures are more inviting than spending an afternoon with a good book. Here’s some light summer fare to enjoy, whether you’re heading to a relaxing spa weekend or reclining under a shady tree at home.

The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road, by Paul Theroux. This engaging collection weaves together writing by classic authors such as Henry David Thoreau and Charles Dickens with engaging tales and insights from travel-writing veteran Theroux. If you’re experiencing wanderlust, be forewarned: After reading this new release, you may find yourself suddenly booking tickets for that trip you’ve been postponing.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morten This compelling tale, spanning several generations of women in one family, explores the mysterious origins of a young adopted girl and illuminates the power of our childhood imagination.

The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts by Gary Chapman. One of the most important secrets to fulfilling relationships is connecting with our mates in a way that is meaningful to both. Chapman, a longtime marriage counselor, explains how to figure out what communication style will make your significant other feel most loved, whether it’s affirming words or a focused time together. if you haven’t read this perennial New York Times bestseller, you won’t regret stowing it in your beach bag.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand: A Novel, by Helen Simonson. This whimsical first novel introduces widower Major Ernest Pettigrew, a traditional Englishman, who forms an unexpected friendship with a Pakinstani shop keeper as he tries to keep his relatives from selling an antique shotgun that belonged to his brother.

Love of My Youth by Mary Gordon. In this novel by critically acclaimed author Gordon, a couple – once romantically involved in their youth– meet many years later in Rome. It’s a must-read for anyone who has pondered the power of first love.