Summer Reading

Four for the Beach

Tuck one of these four novels into your beach bag this next to the sunblock.

Seeing Me Naked, by Liza Palmer. The author of Conversations with the Fat Girl spins an engaging story about the impossibility of living up to family expectations without losing a piece of oneself. (5 Spot, www.5-spot.com)

Enlightenment for Idiots, by Anne Cushman. An unlikely subject for a comic novel, meditation is the thread in this story of Amanda, a travel guide writer and erstwhile yoga instructor who takes a detour on a zen path toward enlightenment. (Shaye Areheart Books, www.crownpublishing.com)

Odd Mom Out, by Jane Porter. A nonconformist struggles to resist the tug of the conventional in this novel by the author of Flirting with Forty. (5 Spot, www.5-spot.com) If you like Odd Mom Out, look for the forthcoming sequel, Mrs. Perfect.

Free Food for Millionaires, by Min Jin Lee. A treat for beachgoers looking for deeper waters, this epic novel traces the clash of cultures and desires between a generation of Korean immigrants and their assimilated Korean-American offspring. (Grand Central Publishing, www.hbgusa.com)