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Memorial Day Weekend is upon us. As you load up your weekender bag with the requisite beach cover-ups and bottles of rosé, you'll want to throw in a book or two for a welcome distraction from poolside antics. From Paula Hawkins's new murder mystery to Andrew Morton's in-depth biography of the late Princess Diana, here's what our editors will be reading as they usher in summer.
Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
"There are no funnier, wittier people in all the land than Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza. The writers of The Knockoff are here with their second novel about one woman's attempt to basically fix her entire life, which she is positive will happen by losing 30 pounds. Think naked yoga. Think gross green juices. Think crazy cycling classes. Yes, please!" —Ruthie Friedlander, Site Director
Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
"I'll be spending Memorial Day Weekend poolside with the appropriately-titled Into the Water by Paula Hawkins. After tearing through her last psycho thriller, The Girl on the Train, in a matter of days, I'm ready to see what Hawkins' latest mystery has in store. The subject matter is far from lighthearted (it's about a single mother whose body is found in a river where others have eerily met a similar fate), but I can already feel myself being sucked into the suspense of it all. In Hawkins' signature style, the story is bound to pack a ton of twists—and I'm ready for each and every one." —Samantha Simon, Assistant Editor
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
"I worked in restaurants for a couple of years in the back of house (what we call the kitchen), and the author writes about working in the front of house (what you call the hostess, servers, etc.). I'm intrigued to hear about what that's like—they're different worlds." —Anne Vorrasi, Lifestyle Editor
Somebody with a Little Hammer by Mary Gaitskill
"Mary Gaitskill has been one of my all time favorites since I discovered Bad Behavior in college—both the book and the behavior." —Sam Broekema, Accessories Director
The Price of Illusion by Joan Juliet Buck
"Okay so I technically read this memoir pre-Memorial day, but given how feverishly I burned through the 300-plus pages, I think it's worthy of your time on vacation. A brief primer for those unfamiliar with the author, Joan Juliet Buck, or the glossy circumstances of her life: As both the daughter of a successful film producer and the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, she spent her childhood surrounded by a who's who of Old Hollywood before finding her career path amongst the fashion world elite (Karl Lagerfeld is one of her best friends, NBD). And while the book's inevitable name-dropping is obviously a big draw, it's unapologetically frank tone and Buck's wry, whip-smart observations—the woman can write!—will leave you far more satisfied than a fluffy beach read would." —Alison Syrett, Fashion Writer
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? by Henry Farrell
"I'm on a classics kick right now. Inspired by my lifelong obsession with Hollywood's Golden Age and the recent airing of Ryan Murphy's Feud: Bette and Joan, I'm reading Henry Farrell's What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Much like the black-and-white movie, the over-the-top horror and suspense of the story literally send chills down my back." —Angelique Serrano, Beauty Director
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
"My book club tends to always pick the buzziest titles. This month, we're digging into Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a young slave's bid to escape captivity in the pre-Civil War South. Not exactly a beach read, but definitely a page-turner." —Claire Stern, Associate Editor
Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001-2011 by Lizzy Goodman
"I'll be reading Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City from 2001-2011 by Lizzy Goodman. I moved to the city in 2001 and started covering music for ELLE shortly thereafter, so reading it'll be a bit of a trip back in time to when I essentially lived at the Mercury Lounge, the Bowery Ballroom, and Irving Plaza. I should make a Spotify playlist, hmm…" —Leigh Belz Ray, Features and News Director
Diana: Her True Story by Andrew Morton
"Even though I was only 7 years old when Princess Diana passed away, I've always been fascinated by her. With the 20th anniversary of her untimely death coming up this summer, I'm diving back into her life and legacy with Diana: Her True Story by her authorized biographer, Andrew Morton." —Jennifer Ferrise, Senior Editor
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