What We’re Reading This Summer: Pocket Reads New Yorker writers name their favorite short books.
Page-Turner What We’re Reading This Summer: Pocket Reads New Yorker writers name their favorite short books. By Rachel Syme , Sarah Larson , Jennifer Wilson , Kyle Chayka , Jon Allsop , Naomi Fry , Helen Rosner , Alexandra Schwartz , and Hua Hsu June 10, 2026 Illustration by Thomas Bryson-King Save this story Every week, The New Yorker’s editors and critics select the best new books of the year so far. To mark the beginning of summer, we’ve also asked the magazine’s writers to name some of their favorite pocket reads—works short enough to finish in a single August afternoon. Their picks are below. Rachel Syme on “The Girls of Slender Means” Amazon | Bookshop There’s exquisite pleasure to be found in spending the summer tackling an epic book, chipping away at “ Anna Karenina ” or “ Lonesome Dove ” while plopped on various beach towels and picnic blankets. But there are moments of the season that simply call out for a brisk read. Sometimes you want to spend one perfect day hidd...