Why We Love Beach Reads: Tracing the Origins of Summer Reading
Curious about the history of summer reading? Discover how beach reads became a thing!
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Ah, summer reading! Slower days, warm sunshine…and a good book! This may be your favorite bookish season, but have you ever wondered how the “summer reading” movement and its ubiquitous “beach read” started? Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to uncover the interesting history behind these long-held literary traditions! ☀️📚
If you haven’t seen the other two posts in this series, you can glean a few tips to make this your best bookish summer ever, and discover enough book recommendations to create a hazardous to-be-read stack. But in this post, we’re going to explore the origins of summer reading and its ubiquitous “beach read!”
Once Upon a Time: The Birth of Summer Reading
Let’s rewind all the way back to the 19th century. Though the upper class historically escaped the sweltering city heat for cooler country and oceanside retreats in the summer, most of the population didn’t have that luxury. Additionally, books tended to be more academic or practical in content, and literacy rates — especially among women, people of color, and lower economic classes — were just starting to rise.
The mid-1800s brought big changes with the convergence of many cultural and practical evolutions — the growth of the middle class, improvements in the publishing industry, and more avid female readers, just to name a few. With easy travel due to the ever-expanding railroad system, the United States saw the rise of another tradition — the summer vacation.
The Rise of the Beach Read: A Genre is Born
Enter the notion of summer reading! As leisure travel became more popular, so did the idea of bringing along something to read. And not just any book – we’re talking about novels that were light, entertaining, and easy to pick up between dips in the ocean or walks in the countryside.
Publishers were quick to capitalize on these cultural shifts and transformed the reading of novels from a frivolous, even “dangerous” pastime (especially for women!), into a respectable indulgence. Just as the summer vacation provided an escape from everyday life, books were crafted to supply an equally enjoyable literary escape.
Publishers began marketing certain books specifically tailored to vacationers, with affordable, portable paperbacks filled with gripping plots or heartwarming stories. Hallmarks of these summer reads included romance, adventure, a vacation destination, and they usually took place over the course of a summer.
With the introduction of mass-market paperbacks in the 1930s, the beach read became an integral part of the summer vacation. A traveler was as likely to pack their book as their swimming costume!
Why We Love Them: The Magic of Summer Reading and Beach Reads
Beach reads are like comfort food for our minds — they’re easy to digest and leave us feeling satisfied. Not too heavy, not too complicated. Relatable characters and engaging storylines make them perfect companions for those laid-back summer days when we just want to relax and unwind.
Over time, certain genres such as romance and mysteries became synonymous with beach reads. Remember classics like Jaws by Peter Benchley? It may have made you think twice about swimming in the ocean, but it was undeniably a page-turner! Contemporary favorites like Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez also fit perfectly into this category – addictive reads that keep you hooked until the very last page.
Wrapping It Up: Let’s Do Some Summer Reading!
Okay, enough history! I want to know what comes to YOUR mind when you think of “summer reading” and the perfect “beach read!” Drop your comments below!
If you’re looking for the perfect summer book, I’ve got you covered! Check out my 2024 Summer Reading Inspiration Guide — with over 120 suggestions, you will be “booked” for the entire season. Not only is it currently on sale, but you’ll automatically get 20% off the discounted price — my summertime gift to you!
If you enjoyed our little journey through the history of summer reading and beach reads, why stop here? Join me here for loads of book recommendations, fun book club ideas, literary lifestyle tips, plus your access to The Book Lover’s Free Resource Library! ✨
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