July Preview

Greetings to a new month. Summer is cruising along so it’s time to step up the summer reading, which has been in slow motion here. This month’s new book releases (see list at right) perhaps don’t look as full as June did, but still there are some to look for. Notably, Deborah Harkness is back with her follow-up to her blockbuster “A Discovery of Witches” with “Shadow of Night,” and Tana French returns with her fourth novel of the Dublin murder squad in “Broken Harbor.” I am also looking forward to

Chris Cleave’s third novel “Gold” about track cycling and the 2012 Olympics, which comes nicely before the London Games. I’ll tear through it like I did his first two books, “Incendiary” and “Little Bee,” but there are plenty of others. Which July books are you looking forward to?

If you need an onscreen diversion this month there’s always Spider-Man and Batman (see movie list at left). The caped crusader is looking for a massive box office haul with “The Dark Knight Rises,” but will it come up short of “The Avengers” opening weekend? Or will Christian Bale’s final turn as Batman lure people out?

I’m guessing probably “The Avengers” will edge “The Dark Knight.” But if super heroes aren’t your thing and you’re looking for something a bit more artsy, then you might seek out the British drama “Trishna,” which is based on the Thomas Hardy novel “Tess of the D’Urbervilles,” and is opening in the States mid-month.

As for July album releases (below at left), I can’t say anything thrills me too much. I’ll just have to dabble and see what I come up with. But there’s plenty of concerts and musicians on the road this month. So let me know if there’s any you see or like, or better yet, tell me your July book, movie, music picks or what you’re looking forward to. Cheers. And happy Sunday.