Our Summer Reading Picks – Grownups Edition
Summer is the perfect time to fall back in love with reading. Warmer days and longer daylight hours call for time spent relaxing with a book, whether you’re on your patio or on a plane en route to your vacation destination.
Looking to add to your reading list? We asked local leaders for their recommendations of books that will inspire, educate and motivate you this summer.
A Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay and a Mother’s Will to Survive
By Stephanie Land
This memoir about working as a maid offers a beautiful and gritty exploration of poverty in America.
-United Way staff pick
Disability Rights
No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement
By Joseph P. Shapiro
Even more than 20 years since its publication date, No Pity has become the essential read on the disability rights movement.
-Aimee Wehmeier, President & CEO, Paraquad
For Motivation
By Angela Duckworth
The secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a special blend of passion and persistence, or grit.
-Qiaoni Linda Jing, Senior Director of Global Corporate Affairs, Bayer Crop Science
For Blended Families
By Elaine F Shimberg
Newly blended “stepfamilies” are often confronted with their own special challenges and needs. This helpful guide offers solid solutions from families who have been there before.
-Scott Myers, CEO, Kids in the Middle
A Biography of an Icon
The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers
By Maxwell King
This definitive biography highlights the personal, professional, and artistic life of the children’s television pioneer and American cultural icon.
-United Way staff pick
An Illuminating Look at Mental Illness
The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays
By Esmé Weijun Wang
This award-winning collection of essays takes an artful, intimate look at the effects of mental and chronic illness.
– Lisa Krystosek, Counselor, Provident
Quirky Local History
What’s With St. Louis?: The Quirks, Personality, and Charm of the Gateway City
By Valerie Battle Kienzle
Kienzle consults local experts and archives to discover answers to the questions that puzzle natives and newcomers alike.
-United Way staff pick
Take action now:
- Looking for ideas to keep your kids reading this summer? Check out our list!
- Share this story with friends and family!
