Summer is the time for backyard barbecues, sandy shoes, outdoor games, the perfect playlist, and a good book.

While we enjoy a near-endless summer in San Diego, the sentiment is not lost — summer is the best time to catch up on all those books we’ve been wanting to read. We can’t pass up an opportunity to hang out on the beach reading a good book.

If you’re looking to add to your summer reading list, some of our staff members have a few recommendations.

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Alex Collins, Strategic Partnerships Manager

Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman by the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard

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Noelle West, Communications Director 

This summer I have been all about the app Zite. It is an app that allows you to granularly personalize a feed of articles and blog posts. I really like that I can follow people or topics and be very niche with my choices (sample of my follow list: film festivals, Elon Musk, social media, the arts, LRA, FIFA).

I just read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walsh, and I think it is timeless and relevant to everyone. It’s no wonder it’s been a bestseller for something like eight years. It’s about growing up and the process of realizing your parents are humans too.

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Lisa Dougan, Central Africa Programs Manager and Policy Advisor

I recently finished two Paulo Coelho books that I loved and would highly recommend: The Witch of Portobello and Veronica Decides to Die.

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Ben Keesey, Chief Executive Officer 

1776 by David McCullough

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Jason Russell, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer (and avid reader)

Love Poems from God – Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West by Daniel Ladinsky, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, On Writing by Stephen King, The Promise of a Pencil by Adam Braun, and I’m re-reading John Adams by David McCullough.

Want more? Check out these recommended reads.