Sockwell Recommends: Summer 2019 Books

A roundup of our favorite summer vacation books from around the office.

Written by: Sarah Bailey, Book Lover & Marketing Director at Sockwell

Hello 70% humidity and 90-degree days! As summer kicks into high gear, there’s no better time to pick out a few good books to read while relaxing by the pool or traveling to your summer vacation destination. Need a little inspiration for your next summer read? I’ve rounded up the Sockwell team’s latest book recommendations, along with links to a few summer reading lists worth checking out. 

Field Notes on Love

By Jennifer E. Smith

“I just finished the cutest love story book about a cross country train trip! My virtual book club book for May was Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith. The main character Hugo’s girlfriend dumps him, and he’s stuck with two train tickets from New York to Los Angeles but no Margaret Campbell to join him! Thankfully, the book is set in present day, so he takes to the internet to find a new Margaret Campbell. This book was an easy, quick read for me which I always appreciate – especially in the summer! Lots of smiles, laughs and love through the whole story.

Shameless plug for our Bunion Relief socks: Hugo must decide between two different Margaret Campbells. Initially, he chooses the older of the two, but she ends up backing out because she has to have bunion surgery. You’re hearing it here first, ladies: wear Sockwell bunion socks so you don’t have to miss out on the cross country train trip of your life!” – Megan Goodman, Customer Service Manager

Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, British-born Hugo is still determined to take his last-hurrah-before-college train trip across the United States. One snag: the companion ticket is already booked under the name of his ex, Margaret Campbell. Nontransferable, no exceptions.

Learn more about Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

Refugee

By Alan Gratz 

“I just finished reading Refugee by Alan Gratz at the insistence of my twelve-year-old son on my recent vacation to the beach. He had read the book for school and enjoyed it so much he wanted me to read it as well. It is a touching and insightful tale of refugee families from several different countries and time periods that gives perspective of the factors that might cause a family to flee their own country. The author ties the story lines together beautifully. For me, the book personalized the challenges facing refugee families and made me more sympathetic of the plight these families face trying to find safety and a place to fit in.

I recommend consuming this book in your beach chair, just don’t forget to throw on your Sockwell Flash sport compression socks and tennis shoes to take a walk and get your blood flowing in between the binge reading!” - Thomas Lee, Partner

Josef is a Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world…

Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety and freedom in America…

Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe…

All three young people will go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers–from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But for each of them, there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, surprising connections will tie their stories together in the end.

Learn more about Refugee by Alan Gantz.

The Price of Time

By Tim Tigner 

“Being the Agatha Christie fan that I am, I saw the review: ‘Imagine Agatha Christie meets Michael Crichton in a fast-paced, philosophical mystery thriller,’ and immediately downloaded this book to my kindle.  The Price of Time was a super fast and entertaining airplane read that helped get me through an extended flight delay.

Since I was traveling, of course I had on my graduated compression socks! But if I were at home, I’d curl up on the couch in a pair of Roji essential comfort socks and pour a hot cup of tea for a relaxing afternoon of reading. Cozy socks, hot tea and a good book are seasonless selfcare essentials if you ask me!”  - Emily Yann, National Sales Manager

Tim Tigner takes a step back from his bestselling Kyle Achilles series to introduce Zachary Chase and Skylar Fawkes in a fresh standalone novel that’s bound to keep you glued and guessing. With secluded meetings, sudden disappearances and strange murders; secret agents, skillful assassins and sexy locations; The Price of Time is packed with fast-paced action and first-class intellectual intrigue. 

Learn more about The Price of Time by Tim Tigner here.

Black Swans

By Eve Babitz

“Originally published in the early 1990’s, Black Swans transports you through a collection of nine stories that took place in her life over the last couple decades. Some events you remember but may not have experienced up close and others you wish you could see for yourself, but Babitz paints such a vivid picture of each individual story through her distinct, irreverent voice. A friend gave me this book on a recent beach trip after mentioning that I enjoyed Babitz’s Sex & Rage earlier this year. I’ve been reading this book in-flight and at home in my trusty Damask compression socks—I just can’t fully relax without them!” – Sarah Bailey, Marketing Director (me)

Black Swans is a collection of nine stories that look back on the 1980s and early 1990s—decades of dreams, drink, and stoned youth turning Republican. Babitz prowls California, telling tales of a changing world. She writes about the Rodeo Gardens, AIDS, learning to tango, the Hollywood Cemetery, the self-enchanted city, and, most importantly, about the envy and jealousy underneath it all.

Babitz’s inimitable voice propels these stories forward, corralling everything that gets in their way: sex, rage, the Château Marmont, youth, beauty, Jim Morrison, men, women and black swans. This exciting reissue further celebrates the phenomenon of Eve Babitz, cementing her reputation as the voice of a generation.

Learn more about Black Swans by Eve Babitz here.

If you’re anything like me, you want 20 book recommendations before you can decide the next one to read. Don’t worry, I have you covered! Here are a few summer books lists worth checking out:

22 Summer Books for 2019 by Goop

The Best Beach Reads of Summer 2019 by Refinery29

Escape the Heat with the Best Books of Summer 2019 by Esquire

Summer Reading Recommendations from Favorite Authors by Goodreads

What are you reading? Tag us on Instagram or use hashtag #Sockwell while reading your favorite book and wearing a pair of Sockwell socks for a chance to be feature on our page!