What We’re Reading… Summer 2026
Each summer offers a chance to step back, explore new ideas, and revisit timeless themes through the lens of thoughtful writing. This year, we asked members of our team at 1919 what they’ve been reading and what stuck with them. The result is a collection of books that range in tone and topic, but all left a lasting impression. As you move through the summer months, we hope this collection invites you to slow down, think more deeply, and discover a book that resonates in a meaningful way.
The Running Ground by Nicholas Thompson
Recommended by: Faith Mutunga
The author, who is also the CEO of The Atlantic, talks about his complicated relationship with his father. He presents running as a powerful mental sport—one that can foster discipline and help us discover deeper meaning in our lives. Along the way, Thompson also introduces us to the stories of other athletes, highlighting the unique challenges they have faced and how they managed to overcome them. This book will resonate with anyone interested in resilience and personal growth.
The News from Dublin by Colm Tóibín
Recommended by: Harry O’Mealia
In The News from Dublin, Colm Tóibín, who is widely regarded as one of today’s leading literary voices, delivers a nuanced and elegantly written narrative rooted in Irish life. With his characteristic emotional depth and restraint, Tóibín explores themes of identity, relationships, and the quiet complexities of human experience. It is a reflective and richly observed work that rewards careful reading.
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
Recommended by: Ian McEneaney
In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara shares lessons from his career in the restaurant industry, demonstrating how exceptional service can elevate everyday moments into memorable experiences. Through engaging stories and practical insights, he highlights the impact of generosity, intention, and attention to detail. The book offers a compelling perspective on leadership, culture, and creating meaningful connections.
The Bear by Andrew Krivak
Recommended by: Elana Brutman
This fable-like novel tells the story of a father and daughter living as the last two humans in a post-apocalyptic world. With lyrical prose and a mythic tone, Andrew Krivak explores themes of familial love, loss, and humanity’s deep connection to nature. It is a quiet yet powerful meditation on survival and what it means to endure.
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
Recommended by: Josefa Palma
The Correspondent is a beautifully written novel told entirely through letters and emails, through which readers gradually uncover a lifetime of relationships, regrets, joys, and hard-earned wisdom. Through the correspondence of Sybil Van Antwerp, a sharp-witted retired lawyer in her seventies, Evans offers a poignant and uplifting reflection on connection, purpose, resilience, and aging. The novel is also a moving reminder that meaningful relationships can transcend distance, time, and personal differences.
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Trust by Patrick Radden Keefe
Recommended by: Julie Jackson
London Falling is a non-fiction account of the mysterious death of a teenager in London, and his parents attempt to find out what really happened. While the book explores the tragedy on a personal level, it delves into an underworld of foreign wealth, crime, deception, money and power that lies just beneath the surface of the city of London.
