Today I have the opportunity to share something that says "summer" to me, and it just so happens to be Memorial Day. 

Traditionally, it seems that Memorial Day is used to kick off the summer season, because many of us find ourselves with a three- or four-day weekend.  But a long weekend isn't the only reason Memorial Day is important.

 

I like to remind my children what Memorial Day isn't, because it seems that the day's highest meaning seems to be lost.

It isn't just another day off from work or school.  

It isn't a day to sit fuming with road rage trying to get home after the first getaway of the summer.

It definitely isn't a day to get a good deal on a mattress.  

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a hallowed day in the United States.  

Today is a solemn day for us to remember the service and the ultimate sacrifice of our Nation's fallen heroes.

For me, it's a challenge to think of anything more to say about summer on a day I view with great reverence.  I racked my brain to come up with something to share and finally decided that one of my favorite things about summer is the chance to read with abandon.  

I've seen plenty of lists of lighthearted books, or "the best beach reads."  Personally, I prefer reading non-fiction books, especially history books.  This summer I'll be curling up with a few books that are worthy of sharing with you today. 

On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery by Robert M. Poole 

Poole details the history of Arlington's 624 acres, created at the end of the Civil War, as well as the time-honored traditions and rituals in a place where every tombstone tells a story of how we honor the fallen heroes. 

The Longest Winter: The Battle of the Bulge and the Epic Story of World War II's Most Decorated Platoon by Alex Kershaw  

This book is on my book shelf as both hardback and paperback copies.  You can either take that as I have so many books I forget what I have, or that it's a great book to read.  Or perhaps both.  This book is only 285 pages long but is an intense and engaging story of valor and heroism. 

The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman

In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors by Doug Stanton 

This is another book I've been meaning to read for quite some time.  I've heard some mixed reviews about this one, but for all I've heard, the story is captivating, and as the title says, extraordinary. 

It remains to be seen if I can get through all four of these books this summer.  At a minimum, I'll try to read through the three I haven't read yet and fit in Kershaw's book again if time permits.

I know my choices aren't typical lighthearted summer reading, so I'd love to hear what you're reading this summer.  

Joy blogs at quilty joyjoy and shares quilting tips, tricks, and tidbits at Wild Prairie Design Studio.  Joy is a regular contributor for The Blended Blog.  She dreams in fabric scraps, is fueled by too much coffee, and has a propensity for buying more books than she can possibly read in a lifetime.