Summer has now officially arrived! Of course the summer temperatures (and I'm referring to high summer--almost dog days of summer weather) arrived here nearly two weeks ago. So since summer is well and truly on the mind, the question is--do I have a little summer reading project or not? While I have plenty of books on my reading pile or in my mental queue, I think I can do a little reading project that combines a theme I have in mind with some of the books I have been thinking of reading lately. I'm almost always thinking I need to read more mysteries and spy novels. And I might also manage a classic, too.
So I think I have settled on . . . drum roll please . . . What did I do on summer vacation? Reading the 70s! Sounds like a groovy idea, right? Don't ask me why I have fixated on the 1970s. I was a very young child in the 70s and have fond memories of that decade. And now I want to relive some of it via my reading. Besides it will make for a nice change from my usual WWI, WWII, years between the wars reading. And I think it will still be fertile ground for some good mysteries and spy novels (am thinking good old Cold War stuff).
Any good reading project calls for a book list to draw inspiration from. So here I shall start a list, which will by no means be the only books I read this summer (because I, admittedly, am greedy when it comes to books, but then you knew that already) and I won't even begin to fantasize reading all the books on the list. But variety is good to choose from. Feel free to chime in with reading ideas if something good comes to mind. I am thinking the books I choose will be either books written now but with a 1970s setting or popular books written (and set in) that decade.
In no particular order, my list (to be added to as I go) of potential 1970s era summer reads:
Once is Not Enough by Jacqueline Susann (1973)
Looking for Mr. Goodbar by Judith Rossner (1975)
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973)
Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown (1973)
Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran (1978)
Monkey Grip by Helen Garner (1977)
Lawrence Block mysteries (I read the first Matthew Scudder novel recently which was published in 1976)
Something by Ruth Rendell and/or Sharon McCone
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James (1977)
Love Story by Erich Segal (1970)
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume (set in 1977)
Fallout by Sadie Jones (set in the 1970s)
Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan (set in 1972)
Restless by William Boyd (set in part in 1976)
The Backward Shadow by Lynn Reid Banks (1972) This one is also on my beginning of the year list from last January.
The Cheer Leader by Jill McCorkle (set in early 1970s)
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Well, there will be more, I'm sure, but a jumping off place in any case. I think I might start with the Rossner novel as I have long wanted to read it!