Cape Cod is a magical place that makes it easy to escape reality. As you relax on a beach near your vacation rental, diving into a book or two could be in the cards, and fortunately, there is an abundance of Cape-related literature available.
Many authors have penned books set on Cape Cod over the years because of their connection to the area. Some of these stories are novels that combine historical facts with fiction, while others are fictional accounts that use the Cape as a backdrop.
Reading a book set on the Cape while you relax near the water makes it easy to escape and truly understand what the characters are experiencing. Here are five books about Cape Cod that are worth reading on your next vacation.
1) Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau
Perhaps the best-known book about the Cape is Cape Cod, by Henry David Thoreau. This book follows the author as he travels throughout the region, chronicling his experiences along the way. Cape Cod isn’t a novel but rather a series of essays published in magazines in the 1850s and combined into a book in 1865.
The book covers Thoreau’s time on the Cape, including walks on the beach, nights sleeping in lighthouses, and the connection to the region’s natural environment he feels during every visit. While Cape Cod is far more crowded than it was when Thoreau visited, it’s possible to escape into his time period when reading this work, seeing the Cape as the peaceful spot it was in the 1850s and how it remains in its more secluded locations today.
2) Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Weiner is a New York Times bestselling author who has written numerous books set on the Cape. That Summer, That Summer Place, and Big Summer are the most notable, following various casts of characters as they confront troubles during their Cape Cod summers.
Big Summer is the story of Daphne Berg and her former best friend, Drue Cavanaugh, who suddenly reappears in her life after a six-year absence. Drue wants Daphne to be the maid of honor at her wedding, and despite her reservations, Daphne cannot resist the thought of spending a weekend at a luxurious Cape Cod mansion and reconnecting with her friend.
This novel explores the complexities of female friendship and figuring out what matters in life, all with the beauty of Cape Cod in the background. It’s a nice oceanfront read, and at 368 pages, you can probably get through it in under a week.
3) The Running Waves by T.M. Murphy and Seton Murphy
Brothers T.M. Murphy and Seton Murphy grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts, and co-wrote The Running Waves in 2010. This story is set in the summer of 1994 in the fictional town of Silver Shores on Cape Cod and follows 19-year-old Colin Brennan as he deals with the aftermath of an accident that claimed the lives of his two best friends.
This book is about grief, brotherly relationships, and redemption, with a little bit of baseball thrown in for good measure. It’s a great book to read on the Cape and worth picking up if you find it at a local bookstore.
4) Out of the Clear Blue Sky by Kristan Higgins
Out of the Clear Blue Sky is the story of Lillie Silva, a nurse-midwife on Cape Cod who is left by her husband as soon as their only child leaves the house for college. Lillie is suddenly all alone, and for the first time in her life, she’s living for herself instead of caring for others.
Lillie finds herself in some humorous situations and a bit of trouble as she gets used to her new life, and she also uncovers some fresh and unexpected friendships along the way. This novel is about new beginnings, and with the Cape as the backdrop, it’s almost impossible to put down during your days on the beach.
5) Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur
Little Monsters is a novel by New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Brodeur about brother and sister Ken and Abby Gardner. The siblings lost their mother when they were young and were raised on Cape Cod by their father, Adam.
The story begins with Ken and Abby as adults and Adam coming up on his 70th birthday. The siblings’ lives are intertwined, but their relationship is strained because of some secrets they’re both keeping. This novel modernizes elements of the Cain and Abel biblical tale, set during a Cape Cod summer, making it a riveting read for your day in the sun.
Pick Up a Book to Read on the Cape-related
Most of these books are relatively popular, so you can buy them nationwide. However, if you forget to bring a couple of books to the Cape, there are bookstores to check out here, as well.
Notably, the Market Street Bookshop in Mashpee Commons, Titcomb’s Bookshop in East Sandwich, I Cannot Live Without Books in West Dennis, Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore in Chatham, East End Books in Provincetown, and Below the Brine Bookshop in Harwich Port are worth a visit, depending on the location of your vacation rental.
Cape Cod is the perfect place to relax with a book on a sunny beach this summer, so don’t miss the opportunity when vacationing in the region.
