Reading on the beach, a midsummer fantasy or a simple way to find yourself again?

During the hot summer months, many people choose the beach as a place to de-stress after a hard day's work. The phrase 'beach read' emerged in the British and American publishing world, describing a genre of books read to relax during the holidays.

Hardcover books are not the ideal choice for British readers to read during the holidays, according to a survey by The Guardian… - Photo: Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

"I once tried to bring Anna Karenina by the great Russian writer Lev Tolstoy - a novel considered a masterpiece of all time - to read on the beach.

But after a few days of not being able to read, my hands tired because the book was too heavy and my mind lost in the pages describing property law in 19th-century Russia, I realized: I was turning my vacation into a harsh course in Russian literature.

That was the witty account of British reader Daisy Buchanan in The Guardian recently when she realized that she needed to choose joy and relaxation instead of deep contemplation on the beach.

The phrase Beach Read is also used to refer to books that are not too academic, but rather entertaining, suitable for reading while relaxing on vacation.

Beach reading appeared in the 19th century.

According to the article Read it and keep: is it time to reassess the 'beach read'? by journalist Michelle Dean reported in The Guardian that the phrase "beach read" began to appear in the 1990s, first in specialist publications such as Booklist and Publisher's Weekly .

Some pop culture scholars suspect that the origin of the phrase may have been a clever marketing campaign devised by a book PR specialist to boost sales of a book released in the summer of 1990.

"However, the idea of ​​associating reading with vacations and beaches has been around since the 19th century. However, it was not until paperbacks became popular in the United States in the mid-20th century that the image of readers flipping through detective novels on the beach truly became a cultural icon," writes Michelle Dean.

According to Michelle Dean, there is much debate about the definition of a "beach read", it can be a detective story, a romance novel, or it must have content related to vacations, beaches or simply a summer bestseller.

"But the only thing that most readers can agree on is probably the feeling that a "beach read" brings: relaxing, pleasant, "easy to swallow".

"A book can make you laugh, make your heart skip a beat, or make you cry, but it should never make you feel like you're working too hard mentally," says Michelle Dean.

Reading on the beach helps us escape reality.

The Guardian 's Daisy Buchanan also offers readers some tips for "healthy, fun reading" during the summer holidays.

The Veins of the Ocean revolves around the journey of Reina, a young woman, moving away from her family's painful past towards a more liberated future, focusing on connections with coastal and Caribbean communities in Miami, the Florida Keys, Havana, Cuba and Cartagena, Colombia - Photo: Amazon

Don't be afraid to reread old books; starting a few pages before you hit the beach will make it easier to get into the story once you get there;

Discuss books with your travel companions and don't feel too pressured to finish a book because "vacation is for fun, not for 'giving homework' to anyone."

"On the other hand, although once overlooked due to its nature and content, the "beach read" genre is increasingly receiving more attention from experts and publishers in the UK and the US.

Especially in an increasingly stressful world , readers need entertainment that helps them escape the pressures of life," said Daisy Buchanan.

Sarah Maxwell, founder of romance bookstore Saucy Books (UK), said that "beach read" genre books can touch the hidden corners of the soul:

"Reading the right kind of books for a vacation or on the beach is a way to find comfort, escape reality and reconnect with yourself."

Beach read is still a summer fantasy?

Sharing with Electric Literature , writer Patricia Engel, author of The Veins of the Ocean, confided that she lives near the ocean and rarely sees anyone reading there, no matter what season of the year.

According to her observations, most people who go to the beach usually sunbathe, close their eyes to relax, chat with their companions, drink water, listen to music, take selfies, watch their children play in the sand, and splash in the waves. Books often remain in their bags, next to the bottle of sunscreen or aloe vera gel for emergencies.

"The phrase 'beach read' sounds more glamorous and luxurious than more practical titles like 'sofa read', 'lunchtime read' or 'waiting room read'. But the fancy name itself says nothing about the book itself, but only reflects people's expectations of the life they want to have.

It's really just a dream, a midsummer fantasy, where we believe we'll have the time, space and mind to enjoy every page. But in reality, that rarely happens," she said.

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LAKE LAM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/doc-sach-tren-bai-bien-ao-vong-giua-mua-he-hay-cach-don-gian-de-tim-lai-chinh-minh-20250704165354085.htm