By SANDRA FAHNING

Special to The Gazette

As the song says, “Summertime and the livin’ is easy.” It’s as if Mother Nature gives us permission to lounge around outdoors and enjoy a slower pace of life during summer. I always have a book by my side, and this year I’ve done something I don’t usually do because I much prefer spontaneity when choosing a book to read. But, I’ve jotted down 10 book titles that I want to read over the summer months. I was kind of surprised at the bent my mind took.

I’m sharing my choices with you in the hopes you might find one or two that you’d like to read too. Or, for that matter, be inspired to create your own list. Mine is not in any particular order; there is no No. 1 top choice. There are different genres to fit my mood, and they are easy to find recent publications.

1. “Audition” by Barbara Walters. This memoir is on my list because I’ve always admired Walters and her work, not because of any early romances that she felt compelled to spill the beans about.

2. “Bush’s Law: The Remaking of American Justice” by Eric Lichtblau. Lichtblau received the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting, on his stories on the NSA’s wiretapping program.

3. “A Voyage Round John Mortimore: A Biography of the Creator of Rumpole of the Bailey” by Valerie Grove. John Mortimore is an English barrister who, when young, began writing to supplement his income. The result was the lovable Horace Rumpole of London’s Old Bailey Criminal Court.

4. “The Winter of Her Discontent” by Kathryn Miller Haines. This the second in the Rosie Winter mystery series that takes place in New York during WWII. Rosie is an actress trying to make ends meet on the home front. She is miscast as a dancer in a Broadway play (she has two left feet) and then her friend, a mob enforcer, is arrested for the murder of his girlfriend. I think the WWII era and the quirky Rosie sounds entertaining.

5. “Don’t Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes” by Dixie Cash who also wrote “I Gave You My Heart but You Sold It Online.” This time Cash’s private eye team, Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins (they call themselves “Domestic Equalizers”) take their Texas twangs and fondness for footwear to New York City where they stumble into a murder in progress.

6. “The Laughter of Dead Kings” by Elizabeth. Peters. Now, this book won’t be out until the end of August, but it had to go on my list because, after 14 years, Peters has written a new Vicky Bliss novel. This alone would make me put it on my list. Peters is also the author of the popular Amelia Peabody series.

7. “At the Bride Hunt Ball” by Olivia Parker. This is a debut author and it’s a paperback Regency romance. It’s about a Duke who doesn’t want to marry and carry on the family name. So, he holds an elegant ball to find a bride for his brother. I’m sure this one may be pretty predictable but fun.

8. “Executive Privilege” by Phillip Margolin. It’s election year, after all, and this scary new thriller poses the question: Could a president of the United States be a serial killer?

9. “Your Brain: The Missing Manual” by Matthew MacDonald. This is a practical look at how to get the most out of your brain — not just how the brain works, but how you can use it more effectively. Heck, I figure it can’t hurt and it looks like an interesting read.

10. “Medical Myths That Can Kill You” by Nancy Snyderman. Snyderman, the chief medical editor for NBC News, provides clear, practical and scientifically proven advice that can lead you to a healthier, happier life.

Happy reading!

Fahning may be reached at accent@ohio.net.