With summer kicking off this month, it’s officially the season to chill outside by the pool with a good book. Or, perhaps you prefer to read inside where there’s plenty of air conditioning. Either way, Tulsans and people obsessed with Tulsa have steadily been churning out new literature. We’ve selected a few recent releases to consider for your summertime reading needs.
If you haven’t already signed up for the Tulsa City-County Library’s summer reading program (with different levels for adults, teens, children and littles) you can find out how to do so at tulsalibrary.org/summer.
‘The Coffee Purist’
By Brian Franklin
“The Coffee Purist”
Fittingly printed as a coffee table book, “The Coffee Purist” by DoubleShot Coffee Founder, Owner and Roastmaster Brian Franklin gives profound insight into his entrepreneurial journey. Filled with many of Franklin’s own personal stories and photographs, the book takes the reader on an international tour as it follows Franklin’s step-by-step process to discover how to brew the perfect cup of coffee.
If you want to learn more about roasting beans or get a behind-the-scenes perspective on some of DoubleShot’s most notable moments over the years, you can grab a copy at DoubleShot (1633 S. Boulder Ave.) or find it online at purist.coffee.
‘The Great Beckoning’: Books One and Two
By Kirby Lee Davis (Author), Sapulpa Historical Society (Contributor), Sapulpa Main Street (Contributor)
“The Great Beckoning: Book One”
Courtesy
Just in time for the Route 66 Centennial, discover the history of Sapulpa in a packed, two-volume series written by Kirby Lee Davis in partnership with the Sapulpa Historical Society and Sapulpa Main Street. The set of books explores little-known stories from colonial times to the rise of Route 66 as a major pathway for travelers from across the country.
The series includes historical photos pulled from the contributors’ robust archives, providing compelling imagery to go along with Sapulpa’s complex history. If you are a fan of history or interested in learning more about Oklahoma’s origins, look no further. You can find both volumes on Amazon.
‘In the Great Quiet’
By Laura Vogt
“In the Great Quiet”
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Looking for something a little steamy wrapped up in an engaging history lesson? Check out Tulsa author Laura Vogt’s latest novel, “In the Great Quiet.” Inspired by the real-life story of her great-great-grandparents, Vogt’s romance takes you to pre-statehood Oklahoma.
The reader finds main character Minnie Hoopes trying to make her own way through the frontier in 1893 — an ambitious task, especially for women of that era. Vogt paints the tumultuous time — complete with a chaotic land rush and other instances of lawlessness — with a complex cast that (naturally) includes a dreamy, mysterious outlaw, Stot. Learn more about Vogt and where to find your own copy of “In the Great Quiet” at lauravogt.com.
‘Lee Roy Chapman’s Tulsa’
By the Center for Public Secrets
Available for preorder, “Lee Roy Chapman’s Tulsa” explores the legacy of the book’s namesake, Tulsan Lee Roy Chapman. A key inspiration for the FX series “The Lowdown” — which has been filming its second season in Tulsa over the last few months — the historian, journalist, artist and activist spent much of his life shedding light on Tulsa stories that had been kept in the dark.
He helped establish the Center for Public Secrets, which hosts pop-up exhibitions and events at 573 S. Peoria Ave. Learn more about the Center for Public Secrets’ ongoing work and sign up to preorder a copy of “Lee Roy Chapman’s Tulsa” at centerforpublicsecrets.org