The best books to read for summer 2021

<p>From Nobel-winning greats and pacey thrillers to memoirs and historical novels, Times Radio's Stig Abell returns to the podcast for our guide to the best reads for the beach.</p><p><br></p><p><em>This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe before June 29th and save 50% on your first 6 months at: </em><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/subscribe/digital/?utm_source=podcast&amp;utm_medium=audio&amp;utm_campaign=podcastsubs&amp;utm_content=storiesofourtimes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes</em></a><em>. </em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Books recommended in this episode:</strong></p><p><br></p><p>Non-fiction:</p><p>1) <a href="https://amzn.to/3j7u8K4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>The Sleeping Beauties And Other Stories of Mystery Illness</em> by Suzanne O'Sullivan</a> (<a href="https://amzn.to/3j7u8K4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hardback</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3qmAtmm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">audiobook</a>)</p><p>2) <a href="https://amzn.to/3h4WnpV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time</em> by Craig Brown</a> (<a href="https://amzn.to/3h4WnpV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hardback</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3y42PVp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">paperback</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/2T4bQyz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">audiobook</a>)</p><p>3) <a href="https://amzn.to/3h07Ffn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West</em> by Catherine Belton</a> (<a href="https://amzn.to/3h07Ffn" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">hardback</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3xVSuL7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">paperback</a> / <a href="https://amzn.to/3vU27Zc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">audiobook</a>)</p><p><br></p><p>Fiction:</p><p>1) <a href="https://amzn.to/3h1FU