The warm weather months are often when we look to refresh. It’s the time that we can take a break, whether that means fewer appointments, sending the kids to summer camp, or a beach vacation. Take advantage of the sunny pauses in your hectic schedule and choose a summer read. But what should you be reading? Of course, you can find a nice beach read full of intrigue and suspense, or you could choose a book that expands your thinking or gain further insight on a topic of interest before the business of fall picks back up. We suggest the latter. Whether you choose one of the recommendations listed below or have your own bucket list of books, make the summer an edifying season.

On Photography - by Susan Sontag

Sontag’s comprehensive look at the power of photography is a must-read for anyone with a DSLR camera. Although these essays were collected back in 1977, Sontag’s insights on the effects of imagery on society are even more relevant today with the rise of social media platforms. The essays cover topics ranging from images of war to high art. If you’re already interested in photography or looking for a new hobby, Sontag’s On Photography can act as inspiration and a deeper understanding of what it means to capture reality.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking - By Susan Cain

The path to success is quite varied. Cain makes an argument for those who often feel overlooked in the workplace: introverts. She advocates for and highlights the advantages that introverts bring to the conversation and how these traits are often overlooked in Western society. Whether you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert, Cain’s book will help you take a second look at the way you behave in the business world and help steer you toward success.

SEE ALSO: How to Find Like-Minded Peers in an Increasingly Social World

Cork Dork - By Bianca Bosker

The author of Cork Dork, Bianca Bosker, dives deep into the world of wine. The effect: an informative book about the technical aspects of creating and tasting wine with a view of the human side of the story. Bosker paints a vivid picture of the lives of sommeliers and outlines an almost philosophical blueprint of what it means to focus on taste and pleasure. Perhaps best of all, she’s created a great read.

The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood - By James Gleick

Science writer James Gleick attempts to write a book about everything with The Information. More specifically, he wants to detail the information age that we live in, where knowledge is so easily accessible and yet so hard to verify. The book details several ways technology has changed the manner by which we communicate from Morse Code to Wikipedia, and what that means about the collective human experience. If that seems a little daunting, Gleick writes in an accessible way that leads you through the muddy trenches of knowledge itself.

The Big Idea: How to Make Your Entrepreneurial Dreams Come True, From the Aha Moment to Your First Million - By Donny Deutsch

The Big Idea is designed to help you take your ideas and make them a reality. Deutsch outlines his version of The American Dream, which is a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit. A summer break is the perfect time to dive into a passion project, and Deutsch can help provide some inspiration, realistic advice, and a mindset to reach that next step. If you’re looking to go out on your own in the marketplace, this could be the read for you.

Oryx and Crake - By Margaret Atwood

If you’re looking for a little fiction this summer, take a look at Oryx and Crake. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is probably her better-known work and has been made into a mini-series on Hulu. Oryx and Crake is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future and focuses on three main characters involved in a love triangle. But what sets this novel apart lies in Atwood’s classification of “speculative fiction.” Oryx and Crake could be described as a cautionary tale that poses questions about the ways we are currently living, from our relationship with pharmaceuticals to genetic modifications.

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