What ELLE's Editors Are Actually Reading Right Now
ELLE just dropped its summer reading list, and it's a surprisingly honest window into what editors actually reach for when they're not working. Here's what caught our eye—and why it matters.
Fashion and lifestyle magazines love a listicle, sure, but there's something genuinely useful about seeing what people who spend all day consuming culture actually want to read. This week, ELLE's team shared their summer picks, and the lineup skews toward voices that feel urgent right now: Lena Dunham's return to memoir, Carley Fortune's fiction, Veronica Roth's latest, Kennedy Ryan's work, and more. It's not a flex list designed to look impressive on your coffee table. It feels like recommendations from a friend who knows what she's talking about.
What strikes us is the mix. You've got writers doing different things—some tackling personal narrative, others leaning into story—which suggests the editors aren't trying to agree on one "correct" book to read. Instead, they're honoring that summer reading should work for wherever you're at: poolside escape, plane ride brain candy, or something that actually makes you think. The fact that established writers like Roth and newer voices are getting equal weight matters too. It's permission to move through books without a prestige hierarchy.
The real takeaway here isn't about the specific titles—though if an editor's recommending it, it's probably worth your time—but the reminder that summer is your actual chance to read without guilt. Your TBR pile doesn't need to be improving or impressive. It just needs to be good enough that you'll actually finish it. These picks suggest that's exactly what ELLE's team is going for.
Smart reading isn't about being seen with the right book—it's about finding what actually holds your attention when you finally have time.