15 Jun Fluent’s Summer Reading List: 20 Books, Magazines, and Podcasts
Twenty years is a long time. Long enough to fill a lot of shelves, queue up a lot of podcasts, and dog-ear a lot of pages. As we mark Fluent Research’s 20th anniversary, we wanted to share something more personal than a milestone — the books, magazines, and podcasts our team can’t stop talking about right now.
Think of this as our staff-curated summer list. Twenty recommendations. One for each year. Organized by genre, so you can find your way to whatever you’re in the mood for — a gripping thriller, a quiet literary novel, a podcast that makes a long walk fly by.
Here’s what we’re reading, watching, and listening to.
Fiction: Literary
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
This one stayed with me long after the last page. As I read, I kept thinking about two things: how others see us isn’t always how we see ourselves, shown through the recipients of Theo’s paintings — and how a person’s greatest legacy may be the quiet, lasting impact they leave on the hearts around them. I didn’t want it to end. The characters felt like part of my life while I was reading. Recommended by Allison Caplovitz
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
I started this after seeing it everywhere — best-of lists, bestseller charts, bookstore windows. It’s a family saga, a sub-genre I’m drawn to, centered on twin sisters from a fictional Louisiana town known for its light-skinned Black community. Themes of racial identity sit at the forefront, so I’m settling in for a serious read with a lot to think through. And I can already feel the two sisters drifting toward very different lives. Recommended by Farrah Brensinger
Fiction: Historical
Katherine by Anya Seton
A fictionalized account of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, set in 14th-century England. Katherine isn’t widely known today, yet the modern English monarchy descends from her, and she’s an ancestral grandmother to four U.S. presidents. So little of her life is documented that the author researched what she could and filled in the gaps — though many of the major events really happened. I love learning about these figures and doing my own digging as I read. Recommended by Paige Frankovich
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
This novel follows Cyrus Shams, a young, newly sober poet and the son of Iranian immigrants. His mother died in a plane crash when he was very young, and the story moves between Cyrus’s present and his parents’ pasts. Obsessed with martyrs, art, and family history, he travels to Brooklyn to meet a dying artist. Because both author and protagonist are poets, many chapters open with a poem. I love that variation — the poems let you reflect on the story from a new angle. Recommended by Lia Abrams
We Don’t Talk about Carol by Kristen L. Berry
Sydney Singleton, a former investigative journalist, discovers she had an aunt — one of six Black teenage girls who vanished in Raleigh, NC, in the 1960s. The cases were never solved, mostly forgotten, until Sydney begins a deep dive. The author blends historical fiction, mystery, and journalism, three of my favorite genres. She also brings to light the ongoing crisis of missing Black girls, and the systemic disparities in how their cases are treated, underreported, and unsolved. Recommended by Stefanie Cousins
Fiction: Mystery/Thriller
Verity by Colleen Hoover
I’m only a few chapters into this one, read for a book club with friends, and I’m already completely gripped. The movie is coming out later this year, so we wanted to read it before seeing the film. Recommended by Mona El-Hout
A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear
I’ve been working my way through the Maisie Dobbs historical mystery series. I love the protagonist — her approach, her process, the careful way she solves a mystery. Recommended by Sylvia Rusnak
Fiction: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
I just started this one. I’ve heard wonderful things about both the book and the upcoming movie, and I can’t wait to keep reading. Recommended by Kelly Sheehan
Non-Fiction: History/Biography
Banana Ball: The Unbelievably True Story of the Savannah Bananas Recommeded by Jesse Cole & Don Yaeger
Anyone who’s seen the Savannah Bananas play knows they are pure fun. As I listen to this audiobook, I’m enjoying how the Bananas think creatively — keeping the true essence of baseball while making it more exciting, engaging, and entertaining. Their bold ideas and willingness to take risks have led to remarkable success, and it’s a joy to be along for the ride. Recommended by Mary Meyn
The Intelligence Explosion: When AI Beats Humans at Everything by James Barrat
I’m learning more about Artificial General Intelligence and superintelligence here than I ever did in a formal AI course. Barrat warns about the existential risks of advanced AI, making a compelling case that a recursive self-improvement loop could spiral into something uncontrollable. Despite some technical moments, it’s a genuine page-turner — fascinating, and occasionally a bit ominous. Recommended by Nellie Gregorian
Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu by Tom Freston
Written by MTV’s co-founder, this memoir chronicles a wild, wonderfully unconventional life — hitchhiking across the globe, selling clothing in India and Afghanistan, then helping launch one of the most iconic cable networks of all time. What a life. It also brought back great memories of my early research career, working on projects for MTV, Nickelodeon, and other Viacom networks. Recommended by Nellie Gregorian
I Regret Almost Everything: A Memoir by Keith McNally
“The Restaurateur Who Invented Downtown.” A candid, bestselling look at his legendary New York restaurants — Balthazar, Pastis, The Odeon — his health struggles, and his late-career reinvention as a viral Instagram personality. I probably spent a small fortune at McNally’s tables over the years. Zero regrets. Recommended by Nellie Gregorian
Non-Fiction: Self-Help/Wellness
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
I love hosting friends and family, and I’ve been on the library waitlist for this one for a month. The author writes about how to bring real intention and purpose to the way we gather. I can’t wait to dive in. Recommended by Aeliya Ahmed
The Natural Superwoman by Uzi Reiss, M.D., and Yfat Reiss Gendell
This is an accessible, science-backed guide to an often overlooked part of women’s health: the role of hormones in wellness and longevity. Women’s health — particularly in midlife and beyond — has long been understudied and underrepresented in research and clinical practice. I was drawn to it as a woman and as a researcher-practitioner focused on supporting women’s positive development across the lifecycle. Recommended by Amy Warren
Article/Periodical
The New Yorker — Multiple authors
I look forward to The New Yorker every week. There’s always a new topic to learn about and a short story to satisfy a fiction craving. And I can always count on the cartoons to put a smile on my face. Recommended by Dana Markow
Podcasts
Desert Island Discs — BBC
I love how the music choices create an anchor for a biographical conversation. There’s something revealing in what people choose to bring with them. And I’m always curious whether the people I admire would pick the same songs I would. Recommended by Dan Warren
Hardcore History: Blueprint for Armageddon — Dan Carlin
A deep, immersive dive into history that rewards your full attention. Dan Carlin has a way of making the past feel urgent and alive. Recommended by Sofia Polo
Blowback — Noah Kulwin & Brendan James
This podcast breaks down US interventionism — specific events, campaigns, battles, and their legacy. As the name suggests, there’s some anti-war perspective woven throughout. It’s a thoughtful way to understand how the past still shapes the present. Recommended by Sofia Polo
Prestige TV Podcast: “Widows Bay” Deep Dive — The Ringer
A recap series following Widows Bay, the new Apple TV drama. Perfect for anyone who wants to keep talking about a show long after the episode ends. Recommended by Sofia Polo
Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud — Bella Freud
Bella Freud interviews artists, musicians, and designers about their relationship to clothes, fashion, and art across their lives. I love hearing everyone’s different experiences — to me, nothing is more central to self-understanding and identity than how we choose to present ourselves. My favorite episodes are her conversations with Jonathan Anderson, Rosalía, FKA Twigs, and Lorde. Recommended by Charlotte Beatty
A list built by people, for people
What strikes me about this list isn’t its range, though the range is wide. It’s how much of each person shows up in their pick. A historical mystery solved by a beloved protagonist. A podcast that turns music into memory. A memoir that brings back an entire era of someone’s career.
That’s the work we do, really. We pay attention to what people choose, and why it matters to them.
So here’s our invitation as we celebrate twenty years: pick one. Start it this week. And if it stays with you the way Theo of Golden stayed with Allison — come tell us about it.
What would make your list?