Beach books rarely aspire to literary greatness.
They aren't novels espousing great ideas or high ideals, opting instead for high concept. Designed to be read and digested quickly, they are the prose equivalent of the cellophane-wrapped snack cake -- not necessarily great but awfully hard to resist.
Here are five noteworthy examples of the loosely defined and unfairly maligned literary genre.
The Stand, Stephen King: Although hauling this doorstop of a novel about the end of the world takes up some of the beach bag space you might need for sunscreen and water wings, it is a seaside classic. A speedy read despite clocking in at more than 1,100 pages.
The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks: Sparks never met a tear he could not jerk. His love-lost-and-found novels have sold millions and have been warmly embraced by Hollywood for both their melodramatic tone and simple story structures. This particular version of the recurring Sparks story involves young love, culture clash and no small measure of nostalgia.
Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton: Before it was a dinosaur-driven cinematic hit, Jurassic Park was the rare beach read that actually had something to say. While the narrative is clearly driven by the thrills and spills involved in being stuck on an island with hungry dinosaurs, the novel offered social commentary about the science and ethical dilemmas inherent in genetic research.
Bet Your Bottom Dollar, Karin Gillespie: Our local entrant into the beach read sweepstakes, Gillespie has developed a strong following with her books about the women who inhabit Bottom Dollar Emporium in Cayboo Creek, S.C. Similar in Southern tone and texture to the work of Fannie Flagg (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café), the novels explore the particular bonds women share in the South.
The Firm, John Grisham: Grisham writes with a sense of urgency that, quite literally, makes a scene where the action revolves around shredding documents seem exciting. This, his second novel, all but re-established and redefined the legal thriller as populist fiction.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012. All Rights Reserved.
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