The Summer Archive, part 2

She had always thought of love as something confused and furtive, and he made it as bright and open as the summer air. (Edith Wharton)

Welcome to the second part of the Summer Archive! I hope June was kind to you. We’re now in the midst of the season, and as always, I’m here with a new round of summer recommendations: movies, books, fragrances, and a bit of art to enjoy while we do our best not to melt.

Hope you find something you love.

— Ella.

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reading — july books

This month’s book recommendations feel especially meaningful to me. As I mentioned in the first part of The Summer Archives, I hadn’t realized how many of my favorite books are either set in summer or capture that lovely summer feeling. I’ve included a few particularly special ones (Betty and East of Eden if you’re curious!)

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• East of Eden written by John Steinbeck.

Adam Trask came to California from the East to farm and raise his family on the new rich land. But the birth of his twins, Cal and Aaron, brings his wife to the brink of madness, and Adam is left alone to raise his boys to manhood. One boy thrives nurtured by the love of all those around him; the other grows up in loneliness enveloped by a mysterious darkness.

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• The Salt Path written by Raynor Winn.

Just days after Raynor learns that Moth, her husband of 32 years, is terminally ill, their home and livelihood is taken away. With nothing left and little time, they make the brave and impulsive decision to walk the 630 miles of the sea-swept South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. They have almost no money for food or shelter and must carry only the essentials for survival on their backs as they live wild in the ancient, weathered landscape of cliffs, sea and sky. Yet through every step, every encounter, and every test along the way, their walk becomes a remarkable journey.

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• Betty written by Tiffany McDaniel.

"A girl comes of age against the knife." So begins the story of Betty Carpenter. Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence--both from outside the family, and also, devastatingly, from within. The lush landscape, rich with birdsong, wild fruit, and blazing stars, becomes a kind of refuge for Betty, but when her family's darkest secrets are brought to light, she has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio.

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• The Summer Book written by Tove Jansson.

An elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter while away a summer together on a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. Gradually, the two learn to adjust to each other's fears, whims and yearnings for independence, and a fierce yet understated love emerges—one that encompasses not only the summer inhabitants but the island itself, with its mossy rocks, windswept firs and unpredictable seas. Full of brusque humour and wisdom, The Summer Book is a profoundly life-affirming story. Tove Jansson captured much of her own experience and spirit in the book, which was her favourite of the novels she wrote for adults. This new edition sees the return of a European literary gem—fresh, authentic and deeply humane.

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• Bonjour Tristesse written by Françoise Sagan.

The French Riviera: home to the Beautiful People. And none are more beautiful than Cécile, a precocious seventeen-year-old, and her father Raymond, a vivacious libertine. Charming, decadent and irresponsible, the golden-skinned duo are dedicated to a life of free love, fast cars and hedonistic pleasures. But then, one long, hot summer, Raymond decides to marry, and Cécile and her lover Cyril feel compelled to take a hand in his amours, with tragic consequences.

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wearing — july fragrances

This fragrance… I don’t even know how to put it into words. It’s so delicious. I honestly think it works for every season, but with those lemony notes, it just feels made for summer. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned it in a few of my other posts, I talk about it with everyone. A real obsession. Here’s a little moodboard to capture the feeling!

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• Bake — Akro Fragrances.

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observing — july paintings

I thought I’d bring back a little appreciation for art and paintings in general, there were so many beautiful ones that really captured how I feel about this season. It’s mostly a mix of beachy days and melancholic nights. Here are a few of my favorites, I honestly want to frame every single one of them!

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• Summer Evening on Skagen’s Southern Beach — Peder Severin Krøyer.

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• Drowned Woman — Jakub Schikaneder.

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• Summer Night — Winslow Homer.