×
Subscribe

Subscribe Today

26 Issues

In addition to receiving 26 issues of The Independent Kansas City’s Journal of Society, your subscription will include our annual publication, the Charitable Events Calendar and a subscription to our e-newsletter, The Insider. Questions about your current subscription? Contact Laura Gabriel at 816-471-2800.

Rachel’s Reads – June 2018

Summer always seems to hit me like a freight train. The heavy, hot air condenses around me and knocks the wind from my lungs. The stickiness infuses a sense of lethargy and I’m suddenly brought back to a line from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind, “the air was oppressive even in the early morning hour, hot with the scorching promise of a noon of glaring blue sky and pitiless bronze sun.” Summer seems to have a secretive and sultry quality about it. The heat exacerbates that mystical quality because it’s inescapable and makes the days seem longer than they are. Summer heat in Kansas City can take on an almost visual experience as it shimmers around the ground and leaves the taste of the sun on your tongue. It’s no wonder that the pools are constantly full and many people want to travel to the beach to enjoy that first singular moment of relief as their bodies plunge into the cooling depths. 

“One benefit of Summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” – Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle

Reading on vacation is one of my favorite pastimes. I have met so many new friends as well as characters who have taught me life lessons. In fact, the only part of packing I look forward to is deciding what books to bring with me (it’s also the most difficult as well). So with that in mind, roll out your beach towel and get lost in a summer read, just don’t forget to reapply your sunscreen. 

  • Tangerine by Christine Mangan
  • Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell
  • The Vacationers by Emma Straub
  • The Starside of Bird Hill by Naomi Jackson
  • We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
  • The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain
  • Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
  • Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
  • State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
  • Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
  • Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
  • Limelight by Amy Poeppel
  • Fly Me by Daniel Riley
  • Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • The Shell Collector by Anthony Doerr

As for me, I’m currently enjoying Marvelous Possessions by Stephen Greenblatt, Still Lives by Maria Hummel and Lost Empress by Sergio De La Pava.

Happy Reading!

RACHEL LEWIS FALCON

Rachel became the publisher of The Independent in March of 2017 and then married her husband Jake in May. Their goldendoodle Einstein joined the family in 2019. Rachel is an avid reader and loves to share book recommendations. (Don’t miss her column, Rachel’s Reads in the Magazine!) She can always be found with a book nearby, especially while traveling (another of her favorite things).

Bailey Pianalto Photography

Ad

Features

Rachel’s Reads – June 2024

It’s often been said that literature helps us find the words for that which we already know. That is especially true when it comes to love. To me, it feels…

Rachel’s Reads – May 2024

Book clubs provide more than just thought-provoking discussions of books. They provide connection, camaraderie, and an enriching experience for readers. Interested in the advent of fully digital book clubs, I…

Rachel’s Reads – April 2024

Not surprisingly, books are my favorite gift to give. I love giving books because they aren’t just presents. They can be stories of adventure or romance, a way to try…

Rachel’s Reads – March 2024

This Women’s History Month, we reached out to women in the community to find our their favorite reads. I’m excited to share their responses below. Kathy Donovan I am a…