Tomorrow marks the first day of summer and, for many of us, the season ushers in a time of relaxation, vacation, and slower days. Summer's also a great time for curling up with a book, whether on the beach, on the porch, or in the park. Read any good books lately? Share your recommendations in the comments. Tell us what you're planning to read this summer.

My reading list follows.

I recently finished reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I don't recall hearing much about this novel in Christian circles, but it received wide acclaim and won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Gilead is the narrative of an elderly minister who married a young wife late in life and had a son. The minister knows he is dying and writes a lovely account of his life to his young son, exploring relationships between fathers and sons, and themes of grace and forgiveness. I highly recommend it.

In the lazy days ahead, I plan to dive into the mysteries of British writer P.D. James. Although murder mysteries may not be a particularly Christian genre, Anglican novelist James writes masterfully on sinfulness, morality, and justice. I also hope to read some essays by poet and farmer Wendell Berry, whose humble meditations on simplicity, nature, and God provide much food for thought.

What's on your summer bookshelf?