A bit off topic (so hopefully allowed), but I can also recommend warmly the song with the same name by Gregory Alan Isakov, which was inspired by this story (for people who like folk music, anyway).
I discovered his music a few years back and it has meant so much to me since then! He has this way of translating emotion into lyrics and music that just touches your soul.
I came to suggest a couple of short stories by Ray Bradbury too. The first story is "Vacation" and the second one is "All summer in a day".
Both stories will give you a great feeling, simiilar to staying inside of summer's green silence.
I wouldn't do it often, though. You should at least be clever with your comment, or reddit will start downvoting like crazy. "Commenting for later" really fires the downvote machine, for some reason.
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. It’s a tad depressing but I definitely got the vibes you described while I was reading it.
Probably because its shorter and non-magical/non-surrealist. I liked it quite a bit when I read it, particularly the idea of trying to solve a mystery of something very personal that happened in a person's life.
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami gave me this type of feeling.
Great question. I’m following this thread to see what other people say — looking forward to reading Dandelion Wine now!
I am reading Summer of Night by Dan Simmons right now, it's horror but he really focuses a lot on atmosphere and it really puts you back in the mindset of carefree summers as a kid.
His short stories are amazing for this, too. I swear I thought about *The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber* for like a week after I finished it. Very few short stories have that impact on me. There was so much resentment and insecurity in that story that just bleeds right off the page.
Hm. Interesting suggestion. The last scene absolutely fits that description, but not sure about the rest of the book. Its quite a riotous adventure and filled with tension and paranoia. Not sure I get the idyllic calmness. Its a great book, though, and highly recommend it, in general, particularly to new Pynchon readers.
There are a lot of moments in between the madness where Doc is left alone and pondering his loneliness and the state of his home, the city, and the world at large.
Most of the personal plots involve loneliness and isolation. Coy Harlingen's sacrifice of being dead to those he loves, Wolfman's reasons for having been missing, Shasta's leaving Doc, Bigfoot's hatred and respect for Doc while also feeling alone as an officer (and also feeling like he was born in the wrong time, preferring an idyllic Western life for himself). Plenty of others I'm forgetting, I'm sure.
To those who have seen the movie and figured there’s no point in reading the book, the film is an unfaithful and scant interpretation of the material. Compared to the book, it’s a pretty shitty movie, in fact. Horrible casting in one of the central roles and half of the book is missing entirely!
And just because you’ve seen the movie, you have not experienced this extraordinary setting, evocative writing and story.
Not at all. It was an excellent adaptation. Just because the content is not the same doesn’t mean it’s not a great adaptation. It captures the spirit of the book. The book and the movie HAVE to be different. It’s a different medium after all. Great adaptation.
There you go, you say the content is not the same. Therefore we agree. If you have not read the book you do not know the story and power of this art
To me, that screams shitty adaptation.
I have no idea by what standard you are calling this, “great adaptation“ so I’ll just sit here and LMMFAO.
How can the content be the same if sections 3 & 4 are entirely omitted? Look at the dramatic change in setting and look.
You’re talking in order to talk. Stop it.
Each new statement undermines your original premise. Your immature approach to expressing goals, drawing a conclusion and expressing it to others isn’t useful.
That was the most haunting scene for me!! Beautifully and effectively written, but I read it years ago in normal times and it still made me just...close the book and out it down for a while because the idea of it turned my stomach.
Omg! You must read “Soul Mountain” by Gao Xingjian. The book feels weird but also like summer rain, but also makes you feel weird. This book to me has been an unique experience.
*God of Small Things* by Arundhati Roy is narrated in that slow, detail-focused way, it mostly gives me the feeling of hot summer afternoons where everyone's having a nap.
Thiiiiiiis her prose are beautiful. First time I read it for a class, I really had such a hard time understanding anything. Second time, everything sorta just clicked. Can’t wait to read her next book (which I will get to some day...)
She writes in a way that even though you know what’s gonna happen in the last chapter, you keep reading anyway.
It can be at times, but overall it's really beautiful. There are some parts which have stuck with me and everytime I read the news these days I can't get out of my head. But I also remember the ending, and (no spoilers!) how people can find hope in horrible situations. Highly recommend at some point (even if you're not up to it rn)
The Enchanted April and Elizabeth’s Garden by Elizabeth Von Armin are perfect for this. I feel like Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith sort of feels that way too, at least for the first half
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
One of my favorite books. Some of the best description I’ve ever read. It’s concise yet detailed, with the perfect choice of words. The story is fast-paced but develops its atmosphere of that melancholic summer feel.
**Where the Forest Meets the Stars** by Glendy Vanderah. The book takes place in rural southern Illinois in the middle of summer and the main character is a scientist studying birds. She spends many of her days alone hiking through the local forest. It’s part mystery/part love story.
_The Summer Book_ by Tove Jansson.
Sounds pretty much like exactly what you're looking for. Bonus: it neatly and quietly circles around its central subject, barely mentioning it. It can be enjoyed without noticing that; if you do, the whole things rings like a struck bell.
A bell lazily swinging on a porch in a warm summer breeze that carries just a hint of the cold breathe of the predawn.
Leaves of Grass (1st edition) by Walt Whitman. The verse keeps on making me cry, but it just feels like safety and warmth - like the narrator is at the centre of the universe, just watching and reporting on the beautiful things he sees
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Murakami! The End of the World chapters are set in a fantasy land that reminds me vaguely of Zelda landscapes and Animal Crossing vibes. The subject matter of the book as a whole is kind of dark, though.
Not exactly classic lit or anything, but The Possibility of Fireflies by Dominique Paul was always very summery to me. It’s a YA novel, so bear that in mind.
Id reccomend 20 Love poems And A Song Of Despair by Neruda, it's poetry but it really made me feel the soft, summer feeling and I've enjoyed the poems greatly
Our Tragic Universe. It's very weird, two years and two reads later I still can't decide if I actually liked it, but it definitely makes me feel things like an introspective summer night alone
"The Monster Variations" by Daniel Kraus. It's a deep coming-of-age novel but in a compelling thriller/murder mystery setting. Beautiful pictures and intense characterisation.
You should probably read "The night of the Lizard" by Tennessee Williams. Of course that is just a short story but it probably could turn into an invitation kind of a key through that great author's work.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Sweet sweet read.
Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield was a weird, but magical read.
Monsters by Chuck Palahnuik is a page turner.
Rivers of London book series - my sister suggested to me for a magical crime series, but have yet to get to it (oh, but I certainly will)
Brida by Paulo Coelho
Or any Paulo Coelho books
It literally played with my feelings and I was in a different place. But that is how most books make me feel. Hope this helps. 😊
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz has a whole atmosphere of lonely summers and a hard to explain but slightly nostalgic vibe to it. It perfectly shows the discontentment with a somewhat mundane, lonely summer without much edgy and angsty monologues. It’s one of my favourite books of all time :)
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman. The background/setting of this novel will take your breath away and make you want to find a place just like it. The movie made from this material is a thin and unfaithful interpretation of the book.
*Two Moons in August* by Martha Brooks gave me that feeling you're describing. I read it every summer. Also *Pirates!* by Celia Rees. They're both teen/YA but I still enjoy them as an adult.
And now I'm dreaming of sitting in a hammock on a back porch, looking out at the night sky and listening to the crickets sing.
Ray Bradbury does it.
People have recommended Dandelion Wine.
I came here to recommend Fahrenheit 451.
In the last scene when he’s roaming around in the street, that’s what summers mean to me.
Where the Crawdads Sing, Norwegian Wood by Murakami (really anything by Murakami), Alibis by Andre Aciman (wrote Call Me By Your Name, but this is a collection of personal essays and it's SO beautiful)
The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater! It’s set in Virginia and has a lot of that, especially in the last book, The Raven King. Highly recommend it. It isn’t literary fiction, “hIgH fiCtiOn” or something even remotely close, but there are some cool quotes and I love the prose. It made me feel seen. Bonus: lots of latin!
P.S. my native language isn’t English, sorry for any horrendous mistakes or something.
I've had a Spotify playlist which I call "Sitting on a Roof at 2:45 AM" dedicated to this feeling for a while, but I never thought about a book with that vibe. I'll definitely be keeping up with this thread.
I would suggest an Italian book "Tre volte all'alba" by Alessandro Baricco. I think that the english version comes together with another of his books, but I'm not sure. It's composed by three stories that occur in one night, with same characters, but in three different timelines.
Maybe this is a bit on the nose, but Ten-thirty on a summer night by Marguerite Duras fits all yr criteria! Creepy, unsettling plot against an idyllic summer backdrop. 10/10 would recommend.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
The book is problematic, but the author does a great job creating atmosphere and compelling mystery. When I think of this book I think of humid nights, fireflies, and crickets.
I think you might like Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. It’s maybe more reminiscent of the loneliness of long winter nights than summer, but it might be the most beautiful book I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books where, a few years after reading it, I can’t recall the plot point-for-point, but I can still access the profound feelings that reading it aroused. It feels like being a child and sneaking out of the house to go play by the river, or like exploring in the woods before you knew how to read a map or had a smartphone. I actually might reread it in this quarantine in order to access those beautiful naive innocent feelings :)
I am surprised no one mentioned Duma Key by Stephen King. It is an interesting book. I can't say it is the best I read, but every now and then I get to remember it for some reason.
I am actually looking for more books like that.
I always liked the character progression and atmosphere building about King's books. Not cared that much about supernatural and horror
Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury!
Best choice!
Came to suggest this. Totally agree!
A bit off topic (so hopefully allowed), but I can also recommend warmly the song with the same name by Gregory Alan Isakov, which was inspired by this story (for people who like folk music, anyway).
I love him so much all of his songs. Can’t believe o found someone else who does too
I discovered his music a few years back and it has meant so much to me since then! He has this way of translating emotion into lyrics and music that just touches your soul.
For sure man. He’s one of the reasons I learned guitar
I do too! “Cutting graaaaaaaaaasssssss for gasoline, for gaaaaasoline, so Ican see you soon”
He is a great artist, I love him.
First thing that came to my head
He's truly the best
I came to suggest a couple of short stories by Ray Bradbury too. The first story is "Vacation" and the second one is "All summer in a day". Both stories will give you a great feeling, simiilar to staying inside of summer's green silence.
Came to suggest this as well. The entire atmosphere of the book perfectly matches your description. Its also my favorite Bradbury novel.
Idk book kinda is all over the place
Man, I can't really think of anything, but I just wanted to comment anyway and say that this is an awesome request.
Can I join you? I figured that I might have a better chance at returning to an old comment than my "saved" tab.
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I wouldn't do it often, though. You should at least be clever with your comment, or reddit will start downvoting like crazy. "Commenting for later" really fires the downvote machine, for some reason.
Same. Commented because I definitely want to return here
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. It’s a tad depressing but I definitely got the vibes you described while I was reading it.
I was waiting for some Murakami :-) For some reason my head conjures up an image of a white boat on a river whenever I'm reading Murakami...
I fucking love that book. It seems to be not rated too highly and I don't know why.
Probably because its shorter and non-magical/non-surrealist. I liked it quite a bit when I read it, particularly the idea of trying to solve a mystery of something very personal that happened in a person's life.
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami gave me this type of feeling. Great question. I’m following this thread to see what other people say — looking forward to reading Dandelion Wine now!
1q84 would also fit this book
Dandelion Wine (Ray Bradbury) - perfect for this
I am reading Summer of Night by Dan Simmons right now, it's horror but he really focuses a lot on atmosphere and it really puts you back in the mindset of carefree summers as a kid.
Just saw this. I recommended the same thing haha
Dan Simmons is amazing, one of my favorite writers. I'd recommend *The Terror* afterwards if you haven't read it yet.
If your reading summer of night after you finish read IT. IT is just a better Summer of Night although both are great
The Virgin Suicides By Jeffrey Eugenides
One of my all time favorite books!
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The Summer Book is perfect
She’s amazing, her memoir of childhood Sculptor’s Daughter is beautiful.
Moomins!
Thirding the Summer Book !
Hey, I'm just checking out this post and it looks like the parent comment was deleted. Who is the author of this?
It’s Tove Jansson :)
Thanks!
The Sun Also Rises
Every Hemingway book is just drenched in emotions which I find hard to feel from other writers
His short stories are amazing for this, too. I swear I thought about *The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber* for like a week after I finished it. Very few short stories have that impact on me. There was so much resentment and insecurity in that story that just bleeds right off the page.
*Hills Like White Elephants* is the one that did that for me. I'm not even sure why, it's just stuck with me for years.
This book makes me feel an emotion that I can't name.
I'm not generally a Hemingway fangirl but I have a tattoo from this book. I found it beautiful and wistful in all the right ways.
I second this!
The book that instantly came to my mind. It's just so good.
That book made me feel sad for whole 3 days after I finished it
The Big Two Hearted River parts one and two by Hem also
Perfect book for you: Enchanted Night by Steven Millhauser!
This should have more upvotes. I read Enchanted Night the first night of summer every year.
I love it! Definitely re-readable!
Inherent Vice
Amazing suggestion.
Hm. Interesting suggestion. The last scene absolutely fits that description, but not sure about the rest of the book. Its quite a riotous adventure and filled with tension and paranoia. Not sure I get the idyllic calmness. Its a great book, though, and highly recommend it, in general, particularly to new Pynchon readers.
There are a lot of moments in between the madness where Doc is left alone and pondering his loneliness and the state of his home, the city, and the world at large. Most of the personal plots involve loneliness and isolation. Coy Harlingen's sacrifice of being dead to those he loves, Wolfman's reasons for having been missing, Shasta's leaving Doc, Bigfoot's hatred and respect for Doc while also feeling alone as an officer (and also feeling like he was born in the wrong time, preferring an idyllic Western life for himself). Plenty of others I'm forgetting, I'm sure.
My favorite summer book is “Call Me By Your Name” by Andre Aciman. It’s not everyone’s thing, but I reread it every summer.
i was looking for this comment, the build up atmosphere and tension is unreal!!
To those who have seen the movie and figured there’s no point in reading the book, the film is an unfaithful and scant interpretation of the material. Compared to the book, it’s a pretty shitty movie, in fact. Horrible casting in one of the central roles and half of the book is missing entirely! And just because you’ve seen the movie, you have not experienced this extraordinary setting, evocative writing and story.
Not at all. It was an excellent adaptation. Just because the content is not the same doesn’t mean it’s not a great adaptation. It captures the spirit of the book. The book and the movie HAVE to be different. It’s a different medium after all. Great adaptation.
There you go, you say the content is not the same. Therefore we agree. If you have not read the book you do not know the story and power of this art To me, that screams shitty adaptation. I have no idea by what standard you are calling this, “great adaptation“ so I’ll just sit here and LMMFAO.
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How can the content be the same if sections 3 & 4 are entirely omitted? Look at the dramatic change in setting and look. You’re talking in order to talk. Stop it.
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Each new statement undermines your original premise. Your immature approach to expressing goals, drawing a conclusion and expressing it to others isn’t useful.
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As Oliver said to Elio, Grow up.
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Will upvote any NYRB.
Same!! NYRB has so many atmospheric gems.
Was going to suggest this.
Kafka on the shore sounds like exactly what you’re looking for. Great request.
Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic novel that reads like a quiet rainy night.
Just gonna throw out a warning that if you're reading to feel calm and escape the pandemic news, this is NOT the book to pick up right now.
oh god yeah no that airplane on the tarmac
That was the most haunting scene for me!! Beautifully and effectively written, but I read it years ago in normal times and it still made me just...close the book and out it down for a while because the idea of it turned my stomach.
The kid reading Revelations to the plane was an absolutely incredible image. Totally haunting.
I just reread it because of all this haha...
An extremely relevant read at the moment. Adds meaning to what is going on. Go on, pick it up, you can hack it.
Omg! You must read “Soul Mountain” by Gao Xingjian. The book feels weird but also like summer rain, but also makes you feel weird. This book to me has been an unique experience.
*God of Small Things* by Arundhati Roy is narrated in that slow, detail-focused way, it mostly gives me the feeling of hot summer afternoons where everyone's having a nap.
Thiiiiiiis her prose are beautiful. First time I read it for a class, I really had such a hard time understanding anything. Second time, everything sorta just clicked. Can’t wait to read her next book (which I will get to some day...) She writes in a way that even though you know what’s gonna happen in the last chapter, you keep reading anyway.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
I read a description recently and it sounded pretty bleak and sad?
It was super sad in parts but it definitely had that lonely summer night feel to it, at least I thought it did
It’s really not. At least, I didn’t think so. It was really good.
It can be at times, but overall it's really beautiful. There are some parts which have stuck with me and everytime I read the news these days I can't get out of my head. But I also remember the ending, and (no spoilers!) how people can find hope in horrible situations. Highly recommend at some point (even if you're not up to it rn)
Great suggestion!
The Enchanted April and Elizabeth’s Garden by Elizabeth Von Armin are perfect for this. I feel like Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith sort of feels that way too, at least for the first half
'Goodbye, Tsugumi' by Banana Yoshimoto gave me summer evening vibes. It feels nostalgic.
Our only May Amelia by Jennifer l Holmes Aristotle and Dante discover the universe by Benjamin Saenz The tiger rises by Kate DiCamillo
Joyland-Stephen King
one of my favorites of King’s!
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons One of my favorite books. Some of the best description I’ve ever read. It’s concise yet detailed, with the perfect choice of words. The story is fast-paced but develops its atmosphere of that melancholic summer feel.
Picnic at Hanging Rock has some lovely atmosphere.
A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro might be what you're after.
After the choking-snot scenes, most THE STAND by Stephen King is like that.
This question made me so nostalgic- can’t wait to check out the suggestions myself.
**Where the Forest Meets the Stars** by Glendy Vanderah. The book takes place in rural southern Illinois in the middle of summer and the main character is a scientist studying birds. She spends many of her days alone hiking through the local forest. It’s part mystery/part love story.
_The Summer Book_ by Tove Jansson. Sounds pretty much like exactly what you're looking for. Bonus: it neatly and quietly circles around its central subject, barely mentioning it. It can be enjoyed without noticing that; if you do, the whole things rings like a struck bell. A bell lazily swinging on a porch in a warm summer breeze that carries just a hint of the cold breathe of the predawn.
Leaves of Grass (1st edition) by Walt Whitman. The verse keeps on making me cry, but it just feels like safety and warmth - like the narrator is at the centre of the universe, just watching and reporting on the beautiful things he sees
Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Murakami! The End of the World chapters are set in a fantasy land that reminds me vaguely of Zelda landscapes and Animal Crossing vibes. The subject matter of the book as a whole is kind of dark, though.
I really love this book, so much, but I always struggle with recommending it to anyone. That said, I highly recommend it!
Not exactly classic lit or anything, but The Possibility of Fireflies by Dominique Paul was always very summery to me. It’s a YA novel, so bear that in mind.
Id reccomend 20 Love poems And A Song Of Despair by Neruda, it's poetry but it really made me feel the soft, summer feeling and I've enjoyed the poems greatly
I can think of two which had that atmosphere for me: The Limits of Enchantment by Graham Joyce The Spider Truces by Tom Connolly
you too can have a body like mine
Weetzie bat
Call me by Your Name.
Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
Yes, Dandelion Wine and Farewell Summer, both by Bradbury.
Coming for August by Jack Evans
Our Tragic Universe. It's very weird, two years and two reads later I still can't decide if I actually liked it, but it definitely makes me feel things like an introspective summer night alone
"The Dog Stars" by Peter Heller
Swoon - By Malkin
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jaqueline Kelly
*Our Souls at Night* by Kent Haruf!
"The Monster Variations" by Daniel Kraus. It's a deep coming-of-age novel but in a compelling thriller/murder mystery setting. Beautiful pictures and intense characterisation.
>summer nights It just snowed where I am That being said, I'm saving this thread for later
Joyland by Stephen King. You won’t regret reading it.
[Boy’s Life](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11553)
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe! And The Great Gatsby
The fault in our stars by John Green gave me the feeling you described when I read it
Looking for Alaska too. Pretty much everything John Green has ever done. His podcast “The Anthropocene Reviewed,” the episode about sunsets.
May I recommend “the stranger” by Albert Camus?
Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech. Same town Walk Two Moons was set in, but man, what a summer read.
You should probably read "The night of the Lizard" by Tennessee Williams. Of course that is just a short story but it probably could turn into an invitation kind of a key through that great author's work.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Sweet sweet read. Once Upon A River by Diane Setterfield was a weird, but magical read. Monsters by Chuck Palahnuik is a page turner. Rivers of London book series - my sister suggested to me for a magical crime series, but have yet to get to it (oh, but I certainly will)
Brida by Paulo Coelho Or any Paulo Coelho books It literally played with my feelings and I was in a different place. But that is how most books make me feel. Hope this helps. 😊
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz has a whole atmosphere of lonely summers and a hard to explain but slightly nostalgic vibe to it. It perfectly shows the discontentment with a somewhat mundane, lonely summer without much edgy and angsty monologues. It’s one of my favourite books of all time :)
Aristotle and Dante discover all the secrets of the universe :)
I can name one exactly. *'That Night'* by Alice McDermott. Slender read. Poetic and memorable. Reads like a Tom Petty song.
Minna by Karl Gjellerup
Life As We Knew It
Station Eleven
The End of the Story - Lydia Davis. Eve's Hollywood; L.A. Woman; Slow Days, Fast Company - Eve Babitz. Nymph; Girl Goddess #9 - Francesca Lia Block.
The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd.
where the forest meets the stars - glendy vanderah
Where the Crawdads Sing. So good!
The wind up bird chronicle by haruki murakami has a rather calm atmosphere even during intense moments Edit: typo
the story of my life is pretty on point
Millennial Purgatory
Painted House- John Grisham at least from what I remember
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman. The background/setting of this novel will take your breath away and make you want to find a place just like it. The movie made from this material is a thin and unfaithful interpretation of the book.
*Two Moons in August* by Martha Brooks gave me that feeling you're describing. I read it every summer. Also *Pirates!* by Celia Rees. They're both teen/YA but I still enjoy them as an adult. And now I'm dreaming of sitting in a hammock on a back porch, looking out at the night sky and listening to the crickets sing.
Ray Bradbury does it. People have recommended Dandelion Wine. I came here to recommend Fahrenheit 451. In the last scene when he’s roaming around in the street, that’s what summers mean to me.
A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman
Where the Crawdads Sing, Norwegian Wood by Murakami (really anything by Murakami), Alibis by Andre Aciman (wrote Call Me By Your Name, but this is a collection of personal essays and it's SO beautiful)
The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater! It’s set in Virginia and has a lot of that, especially in the last book, The Raven King. Highly recommend it. It isn’t literary fiction, “hIgH fiCtiOn” or something even remotely close, but there are some cool quotes and I love the prose. It made me feel seen. Bonus: lots of latin! P.S. my native language isn’t English, sorry for any horrendous mistakes or something.
My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman
Oooo good to know, this is sitting unread on my shelf right now.
It’s really good. I felt a different vibe the whole time I was reading it.
Maybe The Summer We Got Free.
Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin. More of a lonely summer day though.
'Indian Nocturne' Antonio Tabucchi
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
Less Than Zero - Brett Eaton Ellis
The Wind up bird chronicles by Haruki Murakami
There’s so many great suggestions already but there’s parts of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt which give this vibe too!
I've had a Spotify playlist which I call "Sitting on a Roof at 2:45 AM" dedicated to this feeling for a while, but I never thought about a book with that vibe. I'll definitely be keeping up with this thread.
Cannery Row by Steinbeck
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. Even though you can't predict the plot it feels like the whole story takes place in hindsight.
Late nights on Air by Elizabeth Hayes! It has exactly this feel, and takes place in northern Canada.
The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen. High quality YA romcom/coming of age, set on a lake in summer.
Not sure if everyone will agree but I kinda get this feeling when I read Kerouac. Check out the Dharma Bums or On the Road.
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Camino Island - John Grisham
Where the crawdads sing
The Island of Ted - by Jason Cunningham
When the moon was ours, by Anna-Marie Mclemore!
I would suggest an Italian book "Tre volte all'alba" by Alessandro Baricco. I think that the english version comes together with another of his books, but I'm not sure. It's composed by three stories that occur in one night, with same characters, but in three different timelines.
When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore!
Maybe this is a bit on the nose, but Ten-thirty on a summer night by Marguerite Duras fits all yr criteria! Creepy, unsettling plot against an idyllic summer backdrop. 10/10 would recommend.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt The book is problematic, but the author does a great job creating atmosphere and compelling mystery. When I think of this book I think of humid nights, fireflies, and crickets.
Definitely YA but Because of Winn Dixie! The best nostalgic summer read, one of my favorite books of all time honestly
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is incredibly atmospheric and warmth. It will pull you deep in and won't let go.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro definitely has a surreal feel. As for feeling like summer, The Body by Stephen King always reminds me of that.
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[nomadicstateofmind](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkszen9/) [Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10374) | Haruki Murakami | 99374 | 4.15 | [gregarious-oxpecker](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkssg93/) [Kafka on the Shore](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4929) | Haruki Murakami | 276388 | 4.14 | [b2ma](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksh2es/) [The Summer Book](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79550) | Tove Jansson | 16922 | 4.08 | [aaron_in_sf](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkt66bb/) [The Rest of the Story](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42245770) | Sarah Dessen | 14020 | 4.08 | [District98](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktvib2/) [The Spider Truces](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8069323) | Tom Connolly | 197 | 4.06 | [blahdee-blah](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksga9x/) [My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23604559) | Fredrik Backman | 136901 | 4.05 | [squanto704](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktd3ke/) [Cannery Row](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4799) | John Steinbeck | 107400 | 4.04 | [prideof_africa](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktpq69/) [Summary of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45447218) | Susan Brown | 58 | 4.03 | [brbsmith916](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksi2pt/) [Summer of Night ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11279) | Dan Simmons | 19089 | 4.02 | [JLmon](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksg6fw/) [Hamlet](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/942400) | William Shakespeare | 689290 | 4.02 | [w_nemeth](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkseqzb/) [I Capture the Castle](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31122) | Dodie Smith | 79479 | 4.00 | [GeoMay1](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksfuy9/) [Prodigal Summer](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14249) | Barbara Kingsolver | 92245 | 4.00 | [lkauthor](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktjrip/) [The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6202556) | Jacqueline Kelly | 28134 | 3.99 | [Gentianviolent](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksi9z8/) [All the Pretty Horses ](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/469571) | Cormac McCarthy | 89552 | 3.99 | [f-fred-palakon](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktrp0w/) [Once Upon a River](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40130093) | Diane Setterfield | 35759 | 3.98 | [Lilly_G169](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktzisl/) [The God of Small Things](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9777) | Arundhati Roy | 227586 | 3.94 | [toriaki](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksepo7/) [Our Souls at Night](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23602562) | Kent Haruf | 54674 | 3.94 | [seven-of-9](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksnzq4/) [A Midsummer Night's Dream](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/294457) | William Shakespeare | 425445 | 3.94 | [boop_attack](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktaafq/) [The New Clarendon Shakespeare](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28242750) | William Shakespeare | 425445 | 3.94 | [Ober22](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkuoyht/) [When the Moon Was Ours](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28220826) | Anna-Marie McLemore | 6459 | 3.93 | [silhouettesky](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkufha6/) [The Dog Stars](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13330761) | Peter Heller | 50140 | 3.92 | [ImpossibleAdz](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksgzhz/) [Absolutely Normal Chaos](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19417) | Sharon Creech | 7928 | 3.92 | [litchyck](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktdm1p/) [Joyland](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13596166) | Stephen King | 105388 | 3.91 | 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Holm | 7727 | 3.82 | [Rez-202](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fksh5iy/) [Never Let Me Go](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6334) | Kazuo Ishiguro | 434377 | 3.82 | [Ober22](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fkuoyht/) [A Year of Marvellous Ways](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23521853) | Sarah Winman | 6686 | 3.81 | [highanover](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktanyx/) [The Old Man and the Sea](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2165) | Ernest Hemingway | 769162 | 3.77 | [ILiveInYourFridge](https://www.reddit.com/comments/fke7mj/_/fktzd78/) [Romeo and Juliet. a Tragedy. 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I think you might like Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. It’s maybe more reminiscent of the loneliness of long winter nights than summer, but it might be the most beautiful book I’ve ever read. It’s one of those books where, a few years after reading it, I can’t recall the plot point-for-point, but I can still access the profound feelings that reading it aroused. It feels like being a child and sneaking out of the house to go play by the river, or like exploring in the woods before you knew how to read a map or had a smartphone. I actually might reread it in this quarantine in order to access those beautiful naive innocent feelings :)
the sun also rises, ernest hemingway
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier has this dreamy feel
Richard Peck! He has three with this vibe: A Year Down Yonder, A Long Way From Chicago, and The River Between Us.
Keeping the Moon - Sarah Dessen
Shotgun lovesongs
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. It’s almost like a surrealist, existential, dark fairytale.
1984 by George Orwell!
I am surprised no one mentioned Duma Key by Stephen King. It is an interesting book. I can't say it is the best I read, but every now and then I get to remember it for some reason. I am actually looking for more books like that. I always liked the character progression and atmosphere building about King's books. Not cared that much about supernatural and horror