Beach reads

Happy Fourth of July. I hope everyone enjoyed backyard barbecues, beach outings, or simply time to relax and recharge.

As the holiday weekend comes to a close, summer reading season is heating up.

I have been enjoying Joanna Stern's I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything. Joanna, a former colleague and writer of the popular New Things newsletter, captures her voice on the page. The book is witty, relevant, and essential reading.

I also invited our editors to share their current favorites. Here is what they offered:

Jamie Heller, editor in chief: I am reading The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help. The story moves slowly in places and can feel a bit predictable, yet it remains a gripping page-turner that is hard to set aside.

Julie Zeveloff, director of editorial product strategy: Money is the ultimate fiction, according to Jacob Goldstein's Money: The True Story of a Made-up Thing, one of my favorite recent history titles. The book offers fresh insight into why we must all accept money for the system to function, and it delivers plenty of humor.

Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief, Life: I am reading Mara Brock Akil's first novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne. Akil is known for creating Girlfriends and the Netflix series Forever, now in production for season two. The story follows a magazine editor confronting her past, and the flawed protagonist makes for compelling reading.

Meghan Morris, Singapore bureau chief: Fortesa Latifi's Like, Follow, Subscribe explores the child influencer discussion with welcome balance and a sharp focus on the commercial side of family content creators.

Akin Oyedele, deputy editor of newsletters: What do consultants really do? When McKinsey Comes to Town: The Hidden Influence of the World's Most Powerful Consulting Firm reveals the answer and leaves readers wary of this secretive sector.

Ryan Kailath, senior editor, economy: My supply chain book club is tackling Meg Jacobs' Panic at the Pump, which traces how the largest oil shock in modern history fueled political turmoil and reshaped global events.

Kate Ortega, director of newsroom operations: My summer suggestion is Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. The book shows how geography shaped the rise of societies worldwide, and its ideas still surface in my thoughts years after the first read.

Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, senior editor, health and parenting: Bruce Holsinger's Culpability mixes tragedy, family tension, young romance, and hidden truths against the backdrop of a billionaire's waterfront home. The prose feels current, and suspense builds through questions about technology and AI ethics.

Max Adams, deputy editor, markets: Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. For readers wondering whether George R. R. Martin will ever finish Game of Thrones, this ten-volume fantasy series is already complete. The books demand commitment, yet once begun they are difficult to leave behind.

What are you reading this summer? Send your list to srussolillo@businessinsider.com.