10 Summer Reads for the Intellectually Curious

From Linguistics, Theology, History and Philosophy to Literary Studies and back – our selection of brainy beach reads will let you broaden your horizon while relaxing in the sun.

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1. True Lies Worldwide

Anders Cullhed and Lena Rydholm (eds.)True Lies Worldwide: Fictionality in Global ContextsAn exploration of the concept and the use of fiction from different epochs, in different cultures and different forms, covering a broad field of interests, from classical literature, art and philosophy to modern media.

2. Unreliable Narration and Trustworthiness

Vera Nünning (ed.)Unreliable Narration and Trustworthiness: Intermedial and Interdisciplinary PerspectivesThe book aims at initiating an interdisciplinary debate on narrative unreliability, exploring unreliable narration in a broad range of literary genres, other media and non-fictional texts, contexts and disciplines beyond literary studies.

3. Nietzsche and the Problem of Subjectivity

João Constâncio et al. (eds.)Nietzsche and the Problem of SubjectivityWhile Nietzsche is often associated with the ‘death of the subject’, the articles in this book debate whether Nietzsche really wanted to abandon the very idea of subjectivity altogether or if he only wanted pose the problem of subjectivity in new terms.

4. Languages of Mainland Southeast Asia

 N.J. v. Enfield and Bernard Comrie (eds.)Languages of Mainland Southeast Asia:
The State of the ArtThe studies in this book represent the rich, diverse and substantial research being conducted today in the linguistics of Mainland Southeast Asia.

5. Lament in Jewish Thought

Ilit v. Ferber and Paula Schwebel (eds.)Lament in Jewish Thought: Philosophical, Theological, and Literary PerspectivesFour texts by Gershom Scholem on lament, along with original essays that situate Scholem’s texts in relation to other Weimar-era Jewish thinkers like Walter Benjamin, Franz Rosenzweig, Franz Kafka and Paul Celan.

6. Commentary on Husserl’s Ideas I

Andrea Staiti (ed.)Commentary on Husserl’s “Ideas I”Leading scholars of Husserlian phenomenology clarify and defend Husserl’s views, resulting in a detailed and comprehensive account of the most original form of transcendental philosophy since Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason.

7. Luther’s Theology of Music

Miikka E. AnttilaLuther’s Theology of Music: Spiritual Beauty and PleasureThe first study approaching Luther’s theology of music from the point of view of pleasure, examining the significance of joy, beauty and pleasure in relationship with music and Luther’s theology.

8. The Holy Spirit, Inspiration, and the Cultures of Antiquity

Järg Frey and John LevisonThe Holy Spirit, Inspiration, and the Cultures of Antiquity: Multidisciplinary PerspectivesThis book analyzes the rich cultural connections related to inspiration and the Holy Spirit in a range of texts from Stoicism, Jewish mysticism, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Greco-Roman medicine, and Plutarch. 

9. The World Jewish Congress During the Holocaust

Zohar SegevThe World Jewish Congress during the Holocaust: Between Activism and RestraintDrawing on neglected archival materials, Zohar Segev sheds new light on the policy of the World Jewish Congress during the Holocaust. Contrary to popular belief, he uncovers an impressive system of rescue efforts.

10. Wittgenstein on Colour

Frederik A. Gierlinger and Štefan Riegelnik
Wittgenstein on ColourThe first collection of articles dedicated to Ludwig Wittgenstein’s thoughts on colour, focusing in particular on his so-called Remarks on Colour, a piece of writing that has received little attention from Wittgenstein scholars.

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[Title Image by Ricardo Gomez Angel via Unsplash]