With the end of the semester and summer fast approaching, what do you plan on doing? Hopefully, the previous content on our platforms helped you think of various ways to utilize that time to “level up.” Whether it’s a summer construction job, internships, or developing your portfolio, summer is a perfect time to rest from school! Why not consider add reading to your list too? It’s a great way to destress and let your imagination run free! Designers have abilities to observe the world and create unique moments and experiences, whether it’s through imagined or real spaces. This is why books are a great reminder to architects about the creative possibilities that architecture holds. Here are 10 fictional books you should consider for the summer!
Disclaimer: the passages below are not my words. They are summaries that you’ll find on Amazon once you click the link. We provided links to showcase the book but feel free to find copies from your local bookstore or other online providers.
An amazing modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings! Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.
A massacre at a colonial garrison, the kidnapping of two pioneer sisters by Iroquois tribesmen, the treachery of a renegade brave, and the ambush of innocent settlers create an unforgettable, spine-tingling picture of American frontier life in this classic 18th-century adventure ā the most popular of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales.
First published in 1826, the story ā set in the forests of upper New York State during the French and Indian War ā movingly portrays the relationship between Hawkeye, a gallant, courageous woodsman, and his loyal Mohican friends, Chingachgook and Uncas. Embroiled in one of the war’s bloody battles, they attempt to lead the abducted Munro sisters to safety but find themselves instead in the midst of a final, tragic confrontation between rival war parties.
Broadly focused on Napoleonās invasion of Russia in 1812 and follows three of the most well-known characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a count who is fighting for his inheritance and yearning for spiritual fulfillment; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, who leaves his family behind to fight in the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, the beautiful young daughter of a nobleman who intrigues both men.
As Napoleonās army invades, Tolstoy brilliantly follows characters from diverse backgroundsāpeasants and nobility, civilians and soldiersāas they struggle with the problems unique to their era, their history, and their culture. And as the novel progresses, these characters transcend their specificity, becoming some of the most movingāand humanāfigures in world literature.
Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune, is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, heir to a noble family tasked with ruling an inhospitable world where the only thing of value is the āspiceā melange, a drug capable of extending life and enhancing consciousness. Coveted across the known universe, melange is a prize worth killing for…
When House Atreides is betrayed, the destruction of Paulās family will set the boy on a journey toward a destiny greater than he could ever have imagined. And as he evolves into the mysterious man known as MuadāDib, he will bring to fruition humankindās most ancient and unattainable dream.
A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune, won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction.
This modern classic is the story of intransigent young architect Howard Roark, whose integrity was as unyielding as granite…of Dominique Francon, the exquisitely beautiful woman who loved Roark passionately, but married his worst enemy…and of the fanatic denunciation unleashed by an enraged society against a great creator. As fresh today as it was then, Randās provocative novel presents one of the most challenging ideas in all of fictionāthat manās ego is the fountainhead of human progress…
Wounded in the line of duty, NYPD homicide detective John Corey convalesces in the Long Island township of Southold, home to farmers, fishermen — and at least one killer. Tom and Judy Gordon, a young, attractive couple Corey knows, have been found on their patio, each with a bullet in the head. The local police chief, Sylvester Maxwell, wants Corey’s big-city expertise, but Maxwell gets more than he bargained for.
John Corey doesn’t like mysteries, which is why he likes to solve them. His investigations lead him into the lore, legends, and ancient secrets of northern Long Island — more deadly and more dangerous than he could ever have imagined. During his journey of discovery, he meets two remarkable women, Detective Beth Penrose and Mayflower descendant Emma Whitestone, both of whom change his life irrevocably. Ultimately, through his understanding of the murders, John Corey comes to understand himself.
Winston Smith toes the Party line, rewriting history to satisfy the demands of the Ministry of Truth. With each lie he writes, Winston grows to hate the Party that seeks power for its own sake and persecutes those who dare to commit thoughtcrimes. But as he starts to think for himself, Winston canāt escape the fact that Big Brother is always watching…
A startling and haunting novel,1984, creates an imaginary world that is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the novelās hold on the imaginations of whole generations, or the power of its admonitionsāa power that seems to grow, not lessen, with the passage of time.
In a large country house in Derbyshire in April 1809 sits Lady Thomasina Coverly, aged thirteen, and her tutor, Septimus Hodge. Through the window may be seen some of the ‘500 acres inclusive of lake’ where Capability Brown’s idealized landscape is about to give way to the ‘picturesque’ Gothic style: ‘everything but vampires’, as the garden historian Hannah Jarvis remarks to Bernard Nightingale when they stand in the same room 180 years later.
A collection of short stories on architecture and urbanism, graphically represented using manga-style storyboards. Fiction is used as a strategy to unpack thoughts about architecture. Modeled as a proto-manifesto, it is a candid chronicle of a highly critical thought process in the tradition of paper architecture (especially that of architect John Hejduk and Bernard Tschumi’s Manhattan Transcript). The short stories explore many architectural problems through the unique language of the graphic novel, helping usher the next generation of architectural theory and criticism.
Although this is not a book, we recommend any collection of Robert Frost’s poems! Most likely, you’ve heard at least of his poems, so it’s not surprising that Frost’s ability to create an imaginary world can inspire you to create a real space!
Social media and the internet have changed our habit of consuming information completely, and in today’s world, books can feel a little thick and heavy to pick up. While news and social media help us stay updated with current events, books will serve as lighthouses for tried and tested base of knowledge for navigating the world. Besides, sometimes it’s just nice to disconnect and really find yourself in your own creative world once in a while.
Do you have any books on your reading list? Let us know in the comments! Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this useful. Make sure to follow our Youtube and Instagram for more content!