A Summer [Real] Book List

Last Sunday’s Chicago Sun Times included a 2025 “Summer Reads” list that went viral because 10 of the 15 books on the list weren’t real. Turns out, the newspaper plopped in some syndicated content that was AI generated. The AI had actually invented book titles attached to popular authors and had even created a brief synopsis for each book (Yikes!). Well, we can promise that our 2025 summer reading list is full of real books, recommended by real people.

Have you ever looked at a book list and not recognized a single title? It kind of leaves you out in the cold, feeling like maybe you’re not reading the right books. Our book list isn’t just real, it’s a list of 15 reads from real people that you know – our staff. We asked what they want to read this summer and they responded. It’s a mix of older and newer books, with a very diverse subject range. Most books have links to our catalog. If you’re an analog person, we’ve included a list that you can download and print. Chances are good that you’ll find something on our list to enjoy. We guarantee that it will be real.