Five Books Kaelen Thinks You Should Read This Summer

These page-turners come designer-approved.

According to Kaelen Haworth—whose namesake line includes the sort of cuts and colors that might be described as intellectual—a night isn’t complete without cracking open and falling into a good book (with or without a dirty vodka martini in hand). If you’re searching for your next great read, dive into Kaelen’s current faves. —jackie varriano

Kaelen’s designs are as smart as the contents of her bookshelf. Wrap yourself up in the stunning gray silk kimono she made for us now.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck: “This is my absolute favorite book. I read it again this winter for my third time, and it never gets old. It’s such a beautiful narrative, and the characters are so engrossing. Cathy! That bitch cray!”

An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin: “Yes, that Steve Martin. It’s a very interesting book if you are like me—you appreciate art but know nothing of the business of it. It’s educational, but it’s also about an ambitious woman trying to climb the ladder in New York. So, you know, relatable. Downside (or upside?): I find that Steve Martin pops into my head whenever there is a sex scene.”

The Sea Is My Brother by Jack Kerouac: “This is the first book Jack Kerouac wrote, and he draws from his time in the Merchant Marines to inform the characters and experiences. I love the romance of his writing. It makes me want to blow this popsicle stand and live on a beach in Caracas for a year.”

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: “Ishiguro also wrote Never Let Me Go, and, while they are of wildly different subject matter, they both feel melancholy but also beautiful and life-affirming. This one I especially recommend for Downton Abbey fans, as the plot is about an aging butler coming to terms with changing times in a great English house. (Carson-esque!)”

IQ84 by Haruki Murakami: “So, so strange—this book is out of my comfort zone as far as genres go. I usually lose patience with sci-fi, but if you can get through, oh, 200 pages, you’ll be engrossed in the story. It’s so different and genuinely weird that you have to finish it because you want to know what in the world is happening.”