ModSquad’s Summer Reading List
With summer arriving in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to think about ways to recharge. For many of us here at ModSquad, that includes making time to dive into a good book! Reading is known to improve your quality of life. Not only does it expand your mind, but it can also reduce stress and increase focus. And that’s not all: Reading fiction can actually increase your creativity, inclusivity, and empathy — very essential traits for us working in the digital engagement space.
For those of you who made your way through our Book Lovers Day list and are eagerly awaiting other suggestions, fear not! Here are a few “must reads” for you to check out.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
These are wonderful books. The Little Prince is a great reminder that each one of us should take care of our child side. The Alchemist is a metaphoric bestseller showing how our “treasure” is as precious as life. They really helped me to look again at my own life and search for happiness. They made me understand how happiness is actually right here and not in the future and also how to follow my own way. I think those books are really inspirational.
— Justine L., Japan
Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
A thought-provoking read in bite-sized chapters for those of us who are trying to create a balanced life in this digital age — especially if you (like me) use your phone and social media on a daily basis. The book is never preachy, but manages to present food for thought that may at times be hard to digest. It’s a quick read, and it’s a must read.
— Anna W., Berlin
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
This great classic that transports you into the heat of East Coast summers in the U.S., a wonderful break from daily life!
— Cynthia T., France
The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
In case you weren’t feeling hot enough, here’s a (fictional) look into the fight over water rights in the dried-up American Southwest, particularly between Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Corporations take advantage of people with their ironclad control over resources, and water is something to which a person has no inherent right. It isn’t exactly apocalyptic, but it shows a vision of the future that feels a bit too close for comfort at times.
— Erica P., Washington
The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St Clair
It’s a great read, featuring short text about the history of color shades. A nice conversation starter.
— Pamela M., Mexico
The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves, Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover, and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman The Girl He Used to Know is a page-turner. It sucks you in, takes you on the journey, then kicks you in the gut. A really really well-written novel. My favorite so far this year. Educated is an incredibly powerful story of Westover’s life — how she was raised, family loyalty, and how she found herself and fought for her education. Shocking, amazing, and moving. Eleanor Oliphant is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written story about someone trying to deal with past tragedies while trying to improve her life.
— Gina M., California
The Last Men by Pierre Bordage, Silence by Shūsaku Endō, and Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
These are great stories. The Last Men is a famous French science fiction novel. Silence is historical fictional, telling of how many Japanese were treated in the tragic period when Japan shut down its borders from the outside world. They even made a great movie adaptation of this book. These are all great stories you could spend hours reading without putting the book down!
— Justine L., Japan
Do you have books to add? Let us know in the comments section!