Summer Book Club

I am later than usual in choosing the books for my summer book club. I have been in charge of choosing books for June, July, and August for quite a few years now. There have been rousing successes and some disappointing failures (although not 3 of the latter in the same summer, which is reassuring). Generally my criteria for choosing be that each book is available in paperback, not be terribly well known, currently in print, and offer much to discuss. I dislike re-reading so I try to make the books be ones that I have not yet read. Usually I canvas my well-read friends for suggestions but this year I have compiled a list all on my own (with ulterior motives behind two of the three books, I might add). This year's summer reading will be:

June: The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
July: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
August: Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea

I have read the first and continue to gush about. And despite the fact that I'm seemingly breaking my own no re-reading rule, I won't actually be on vacation yet in June so I'll miss the meeting for it. They can all thank me for choosing it later! (It will only be the third of my own book clubs on which I've forced this title--plus on one group to which I don't even belong.) The second is my book club here in town's choice and I bullied them into it but will be missing that meeting as I will be on vacation. Perfect solution? Make the summer group read it so I can still discuss it. I'm sneaky that way, you see. And yes, I am aware that it is definitely in violation of the not terribly well known rule. As you can tell, my rules are there to be broken, right? The final book is one that I have wanted to read since it came out in hardcover and is now available in paperback. So I am dragging the group along for the ride with my reading desires. Surprisingly, they always seem up for that.

What sorts of things does your book club read over the summer? Or do you take a hiatus like one of my groups?