In The Free Press Summer Reading List 2026, editors and contributors recommend books worth reading across fiction, memoir, biography, history, culture, politics, and ideas.
The list features selections from Shilo Brooks, Douglas Murray, Abigail Shrier, Tyler Cowen, Joe Nocera, Arthur Brooks, Aaron MacLean, River Page, and Elliot Ackerman.
Elliot Ackerman's Selection
Elliot Ackerman's contribution to The Free Press Summer Reading List 2026 was The Adventures of Juan Planchard by Jonathan Jakubowicz.
Read Elliot Ackerman's July Book Club Pick: The Adventures of Juan Planchard
The Book Club feature includes Elliot's full recommendation, additional information about the novel, praise for the book, and links to purchase hardcover, Kindle, and Audible editions.
Elliot Ackerman's Summer Reading Pick
For his recommendation, Elliot Ackerman selected The Adventures of Juan Planchard by Jonathan Jakubowicz, a fast-paced Venezuelan thriller about corruption, crime, power, violence, and desire inside the world of Chavista politics.
Ackerman praised the novel's cinematic energy, noting that he read it in two sittings and plans to revisit it again during the summer.
A Broader Summer Reading List
The full Free Press list includes books on consciousness, rock and roll, fame, poetry, British grand strategy, faith, labor politics, literary fiction, history, and public affairs, offering readers a wide-ranging guide to serious summer reading.
Read the Full List
Read the original article at The Free Press and explore recommendations from leading writers, journalists, historians, and public intellectuals.