The Free Press Summer Reading List

Every summer, the same flood of new books hits the shelves, each one apparently more unmissable than the last. The truth is, most aren’t—but how are you supposed to know which ones are worth your time? To find our favorites for this summer, we turned to some people whose taste we would stake our reputation on. From Arthur Brooks on the mystery of the human mind to Elliot Ackerman on the crime novel he couldn’t put down, we’re certain there’s something here for everyone. We can’t promise these will be light reads, but we can promise they’ll be worth it. —The Editors