Let’s be honest. Does anyone really love July? I mean, there’s a reason “Hotter than July” is a saying. Because no one can really imagine anything hotter than July. If you’re in the West, it means 115-degree temperatures. If you’re in the East, it means soul-suffocating humidity. If you’re on fire, you’re like, “Hey, at least it isn’t July.” So, it is in these trying, seasonal times that we cling to the things we love. Ice, slushies, ice water… and, of course, books.

1. A True Paperback.

2. Required Reading. If you’re a procrastinator, like myself, it’s always best to work toward a deadline. “I will finish this paper by midnight.” “I will clean the bathroom before the fungus grows eyes.” It helps me focus. Here’s a list of 30 books to read before you’re 30, putting a deadline on self-education. (Note: If you are over 30, you may read these twice before 60, or three times before 90).

3. Write-Alikes. We all love to play the celebrity-doppelgänger game. Were my face slightly more symmetrical, I probably would look like a cross between Pee-Wee Herman and Heidi Klum, thank you. Now you can enter samples of your fiction into this search engine to find out your Celeb Write-Alike!

4. Holding Strong. The e-reader’s getting cheaper. Amazon’s projecting fewer paperback sales than e-books (here). I’m going to go hug all my books.

5. Public Broadcast. The Headline: “Tom Stoppard returns to BBC with Ford Madox Ford adaptation“. Stoppard? Ford? BBC? Three of the best things ever!

6. Repair Men (and Women). With all this e-book talk, we need to be looking out for our REAL books. Our vulnerable, droppable, tearable, singe-able, paper-based friends. Here’s a thorough guide to book repair. Love the ones you’ve got.

7. A Book-A-Day. And, if you must e-read, at least use it for good. Reading by RSS feed means that you can fill every electronic nook of your life with great literature.

8. Dating By The Book. There is no greater indication of a good mate than a good book collection. And poor taste in literature is sufficient criteria for breaking it off with an otherwise good catch. Almost makes me wish there was some sort of online dating service that started with matching book taste … Hmmm … click.

July (July, July! never seemed so strange…sing it!)

-Susannah