Don't Miss Out: These Are The Classic Books Everyone Is Reading During Summer 2026

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Forget hot girl summer — for readers, it's decidedly a classics girl summer. According to data from Google Trends, interest in books you might not have read or even thought about since high school English class is way up. This includes some of the standard books you'd find on Rory Gilmore's reading list, like "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë and "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger, but some titles surging in popularity are unusual picks for the book girlies.

One of the most surprising books that seems to be on everyone's summer TBR is Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove". While the 1985 Western is one of the genre's classics, it reads considerably more masculine than the average modern chart-topper. The same is true for "The Count of Monte Cristo", Alexandre Dumas's 19th-century ode to swashbuckling revenge that's currently experiencing its own renaissance. Finally, John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" is surprisingly trendy for a mythical family saga that's spicy in a way unlike most of today's sexy stories — that is, philosophically speaking.

As is usually the case when an older title sees a rise in sales, most readers are probably interested because these classic books are getting fresh on-screen adaptations in the coming months. In February 2026, Working Title Films announced that "The White Lotus" and "Sex Education" star Aimee Lou Wood will be starring in a 2027 television adaptation of "Jane Eyre," and Netflix released the official teaser for its "East of Eden" series, coming in Fall 2026 and starring Florence Pugh, back in May. And — while there may not be any upcoming adaptations on the docket — the 2024 "Count of Monte Cristo" miniseries has been quietly climbing the streaming charts since March 2026, and July 16 marked the 75th anniversary of the publication of "The Catcher in the Rye", likely igniting interest in both books.

As for "Lonesome Dove," the Western revival credited largely to Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" television franchise has pushed many of the genre's most famous titles back up the bestseller list. In fact, Sheridan told Woman's World in June 2026 that "Lonesome Dove" was his favorite book, having contributed a new foreword to its 40th anniversary rerelease the previous year. With the "Yellowstone" spin-off's July 2026 season finale in the bag, fans of "Dutton Ranch" are probably looking for books to add to their TBR, and "Lonesome Dove" is sure to land at the top.