UNC Press Summer Reading List

Happy Summer! In honor of the summer solstice, we’re posting our suggestions for your summer reading list. If you’re planning a fun tropical vacation or just heading to your neighborhood pool, UNC Press has your perfect summer read. Pick up a fun guidebook or new biography, and don’t forget about our 40% sale!

Lessons from the Sand: Family-Friendly Science Activities You Can Do on a Carolina Beach

A trip to the Carolina coast wouldn’t be complete without Lessons from the Sand. This easy-to-follow activity guide is presented in full color with dozens of whimsical and informational illustrations that will engage and guide kids and parents. It even includes rainy day projects!

 All the Agents and Saints: Dispatches from the U.S. Borderlands

This is literary journalism in the form of sublime writing. You’ll get lost in Stephanie’s words as she shares her experiences and the stories of those living on the northern and southern borders of the U.S.

Gertrude Weil: Jewish Progressive in the New South

The biography of a remarkable woman who fought for the progressive issues of the day. You’ll recognize figures such as Carrie Chapman Catt, national leader of the woman’s suffragist movement; Frank Graham, university president and U. S. Senator; and even Eleanor Roosevelt. My favorite part of the story? Eighty-year-old Gertrude desegregating a local swimming pool by diving in headfirst.

The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Enjoying the Best from Homegrown Gardens, Farmers’ Markets, Roadside Stands, and CSA Farm Boxes

Anyone else like to read cookbooks? You can learn so much, and the chefs always include fun anecdotes (and Sheri is no exception!) She includes plenty of recipes for summer, so hop on over to your local farmers’ market, stand, or CSA!

 Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South

Get the new paperback edition for easy carry! If you’re a fan of ‘60s and ‘70s country and soul music, then you’ll love Charles’ melding of the two. You’ll want to read this while listening to the perfect playlist. Good news, Charles has already done the hard work and made one on Spotify.

 A Field Guide to Gettysburg: Experiencing the Battlefield through Its History, Places, and People

If you’re planning a trip to Gettysburg this summer, this updated edition is a must-bring. Grab the expanded Ebook for even more stories, maps, and illustrations. Perfect for experiencing history on the go.