Noah Lukeman is a literary agent and author of The First Five Pages, The Plot Thickens, and most recently, A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation. To contact him, or read a free chapter from his new book, visit him at his website.
I am sure I will end up reading more than five books this summer (not counting the manuscripts that will land on my desk). But topping the list are the following five:
The Riverside Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
My ongoing goal has been to read all the plays every year, on a yearly cycle. Unfortunately, I tend to get sidetracked. Last summer, I re-read the histories. This summer I want to re-read King Lear, Othello, a few of the comedies, and the sonnets.
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick
I rarely read books that are the zeitgeist, but this happened to land on my desk from the editor, and I am glad it did. My ancestors came to America in 1638, eight years after the Mayflower, and the era interests me.
Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground by Robert D. Kaplan.
I recently collaborated on a book, INSIDE CENTCOM, with Lieutenant General Michael “Rifle” DeLong, which enabled me to spend some time with the upper echelons of the current military and to see how they operate. I was deeply impressed by the incredible selflessness, courage and intergrity I encountered across the board. This book, from its description, seems to offer an accurate portrayal.
Robert Kennedy: His Life by Evan Thomas
I am involved with a film project related to Robert Kennedy, and I have a tremendous respect for him. I already know a lot about his life, but this book seems like it will offer an in depth analysis.
Shakespeare’s Kings: The Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337—1481
I love the concept of this book: to take a close look at the real-life kings who influenced Shakespeare’s work, and to offer a close analysis of where Shakespeare was true to history and where he deviated.
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