For lakeside, poolside, surf-side or even just bedside summer entertainment, nothing beats the convenience of a good, old fashioned book. If you're in the mood for a simple romance novel, an informative biography, or a touching memoir, check out these books by some great San Antonio authors:
Eileen Curtright
Little A
250 pgs.
San Antonio resident Eileen Curtright’s debut novel is the perfect summer read full of hilarious, fun writing and witty commentary on contemporary culture. About a young, single mom’s comically complicated life in small-town Nebraska, this beach-read is a good mix of entertainment and heart.
Gregg Barrios
Hansen Publishing Group, LLC
72 pgs.
About a gay Mexican-American youth who finds his calling as a DJ, this story by local playwright and journalist Gregg Barrios has been heralded as a truly original and deeply moving tale of triumph. The San Antonian, who has earned numerous accolades for his other plays, has crafted a story that melds LGBT, Chicano and LA history into one unique tour de force.
Ron Francell and Dr. Vincent DiMaio
St. Martin’s Press
320 pgs.
Though San Antonian and veteran crime writer Ron Francell was the main author for this macabre narrative, the story is all about the life of Dr. Vincent DiMaio, one of America’s most intuitive crime pathologists. Following the work of DiMaio from the exhumation of the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald to the issues surrounding the shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin, this read is one to send chills down your spine despite the summer sun.
Barri Bryan
Desert Breeze Publishing, Incorporated
106 pgs.
San Antonio romance novelist Barri Bryan’s most recent book is the quintessential romance novel that requires nothing more than some sun, shades, and sand to enjoy. Following the story of a man who decides to marry the mail-order bride he wins in a poker game, this straightforward Western romance will, like the midday sun, leave you feeling steamy.
Dan Wells
Blazer + Bray
352 pgs.
Dystopian Los Angeles finds humans even more connected to the web with chips implanted directly into citizens’ heads. When a rebel tries to fight the system, trouble arises, leaving readers of the San Antonio native’s book proud that they’re reading something instead of, like the rest of the world, being plugged in.
Rick Riordan
Disney-Hyperion
384 pgs.
Just in case you or your kids want to relive the fantasy of San Antonio champion Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, this new series of books centered around the same cast of characters is a treat. Apollo has angered his father Zeus and is cast down from Olympus into New York City as a teenage boy who must overcome the terrors of the modern world, and the Greek one too, to regain favor with his father.
Whitley Strieber and Jeffrey J. Kripal
TarcherPerigee
384 pgs.
Central Catholic grad and famous science-fiction writer Whitley Strieber teams up with Rice University professor of Religion Jeffrey J. Kripal for an examination of the reality of the supernatural. For those who believe in ghosts, ghouls and more, the book delves into investigating why the supernatural is not fantasy, but an authentic part of real life.
David Crabb
Harper Perennial
352 pgs.
This refreshing, coming-of-age memoir by David Crabb chronicles his life growing up gay and goth in San Antonio. Detailed with black and white pictures and 80’s pop culture references, this poignant story is an emotional summer read about the struggle of finding yourself.
Coleen Grissom
Trinity University Press
232 pgs.
Coleen Grissom has seen Trinity University through over five decades of social, political, and cultural changes, making this, her memoir, a uniquely precious document of San Antonio history. Through the feminist movement, the sexual revolution, and the deaths of family and friends, Grissom’s witty, and honest words have and will continue to inspire the community.
John C. Kerr
Texas Christian University Press
240 pgs.
For the Civil War Buff, this story by San Antonian John C. Kerr records the life of James Barnhill from time as a Confederate soldier through Reconstruction in Texas and his later career as a lawyer & judge. Exploring the history of Texas through the complexities of race relations following the Civil War, this story touches on the meaning of familial strength and friendship in times of struggle.
