5 books to read (or re-read) this summer

Lists of reading suggestions have turned up everywhere since the beginning of the confinement we’re all living. We haven't all had the time or mindset to dive back into our pile of books, but the warm weather gives us great opportunities to go out in the sun and enjoy a good book. So, what to read? Here are 5 suggestions for great reads, old and new.

[Photo Credit: iStock.com/Dasha Petrenko]

The British sci-fi classic The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy is still a must-read of the genre, 40 years after its release. We follow the cosmic tribulations of Arthur Dent, a survivor of the end of the world as we know it, as Earth is destroyed to make way for a trans-galaxy highway (obviously). You’ll be treated to the worst poems you’ve ever read in your life, courtesy of the fictional Vogon aliens, and find out why a simple towel is the most useful object in all of the Milky Way, and beyond. And…couldn’t we all use a hilarious voyage through outer space right now?

For something a little different, try this magnificent graphic novel. Little Russia has earned author Francis Desharnais a wealth of awards including the prestigious Prix des librairies du Québec and the Grand prix de la ville de Québec in its category. Inspired by the story of his own grandparents, Desharnais tells the story of the socialist experiment that helped colonize the Abitibi region, and the history of the people who left everything behind to settle in northern Quebec.

In this latest book of the Hunger Games series, author Suzanne Collins travels back in time to the 10th edition of the eponymous games, a full 64 years before the events of the first books. Here we learn the background of a young Coriolanus Snow (played by Donald Sutherland on the big screen), while he serves as a mentor at the Games for the very first time.

Yuval Noah Harari's international bestseller explores, in a groundbreaking way, the history of humankind. Through the lens of both historian and philosopher, Harari examines what has allowed the Homo Sapiens race to dominate the planet and how we came to believe in abstract concepts such as laws, capitalism, religion and human rights. In the follow-up Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, the author looks into the future at these concepts and forecasts answers to heavy questions. How far will Facebook go? Will robots really replace us? Will we still have the right to privacy?

The 200th novel by the undisputed master of horror (no, we didn't really count) takes us into the world of Luke Evans, a 12-year-old American who has been orphaned and kidnapped. Believed to have paranormal powers, Luke is to brought to The Institute to see if he will succeed in a series of tests and avoid the punishment and torture that awaits those who fail. Stephen King continues to visit themes dear to him even after selling more than 350 million books around the world. And yes, movie rights have already been negotiated.