Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins

Ever wondered about the story behind the label on your pack of Camel cigarettes? Look no further. Even if you don't feel like reading a whole book while you're rocking in your hammock, read chapter two of "Still Life with Woodpecker." It's only two and a half pages. If you have any reverence for Elvis Presley or the man in the moon, you'll be itching to read the rest of the book.

Robbins narrates the trials of two fiery redheads (no, not ginger kids- I'm talkin' the power of a redhead here) who fall in love in the midst of redhead #1's attempt to blow up the convention which redhead #2, a Hawaiian princess, is attending.

In "Still Life with Woodpecker," Robbins succeeds at integrating vulgarities and uncomfortable situations into a gorgeous, hilarious piece of literature. As he writes, "Those who ignore the whimsy of things will experience rigor mortis before death." So go ahead, chat with your pet frog. I won't tell any one that you too, are still waiting for him to turn into Prince Charming.

"Love is the most important thing. There's no point in saving the world if that means losing the moon."

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins

Beet pollen. Dancing shamans. Jitterbug perfume. All of these things beget the others in this shimmering epic about immortality, immediacy and infallible love. Robbins weaves a tale from ancient Bohemia to modern New Orleans revolving around King Alobar and his eventual wife, Kudra.

The mystical novel explores questions of religion, fate and death with characters befitting a blend of Shakespeare and Shrek 4. In this novel, Robbins explores immortality in its link to elements of life we don't normally associate with longevity, but more often with immediate pleasures such as deep breaths, intellectual thirst and sexual hunger.

The plot is driven by the search for secrets: the secret of immortality, the secret of "Erleichda," a dying man's last words, and the secret of the beet. This love story isn't "The Notebook" – it's dark and complex and beautifully crafted.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate the relationship that develops between Alobar and Kudra lies in this exchange following Kudra's flight from being burned alive in a tribal ritual: "'Now I shall probably have to endure a hundred more lifetimes before I reach Nirvana and gain my final release' [said Kudra]. 'What difference does it make if you live a million more lifetimes? At least you can enjoy this one' [responded Alobar]. 'To believe in reality and the permanence of the fleeting everyday world is foolish.' 'Then why are you here and not in an ash head at the cemetery?' 'Perhaps because I am a foolish woman.' 'Good.' Alobar smiled. 'My own foolishness could use some company.'"

"The next time you encounter the Bandaloop, it will be a dance craze sweeping Argentina in 1986." -Fosco, the shaman

Trout Fishing in America by Richard Brautigan

Brautigan's novel stumbles somewhat in the vein of a Beatnik version of the movie "Big Fish," but with a twist of East Coast cynicism. Oddly enough, but perfectly characteristic of Brautigan's sense of humor, the main character's name turns out to be Trout Fishing in America. The sad comedy that develops feels almost like a bad night of drinking with Mark Twain and William Faulkner.

Brautigan's meandering style of writing makes this already short story even easier to read in a hammock, occasionally drifting off into a summer nap, because you can read any chunk of the novella in any number of chronologies and still come to the same conclusion — none, really. Brautigan never really makes a point. But his story is still funny and twisted.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

Many writers have hit the pages in search of the American Dream, but no one has tackled the unruly beast with as much ferocity and blotter acid as the famed Hunter S. Thompson. If you've seen the movie, still read the book. It's better.

For all the colors and sounds and paranoia Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro translate visually, Thompson expressed the scenes with more gumption and bite in his original writing. The film captures as much as it can, but no technology can keep up with Thompson's imagination. Contrary to popular associations, "Fear and Loathing" is not about drugs, though they play a major role. It's about being present and affecting people.

At one point, Thompson writes, "You could strike sparks anywhere. There was a fantastic, universal sense that whatever we were doing was right, that we were winning." Still, you might fall out of your hammock a few times from the toxicity wafting off the pages of the book, but if you read "Fear and Loathing" with an open mind, you'll enjoy "the ride," as Thompson calls it.

In the novel, mostly set in Vegas, Thompson regales the misadventures of Raoul Duke, a reporter, and his Samoan Attorney, Dr. Gonzo who tags along to offer Duke guidance such as, "Don't waste any time with cheap shucks and misdemeanors. Go straight for the jugular. Get right into felonies."

One of the times the duo is fleeing death, they take a break for a snack at a diner off the strip. Naturally. They explain their situation to the sad, greasy waitress and she turns to the short order, short-tempered cook and says, "Hey Lou, you know where the American dream is?" I'd sum up Thompson's answer for you, but then you wouldn't have to "buy the ticket" and "take the ride."

Warning: do not read this book if you are taking barbiturates or human adrenal gland in any regularity. You will not enjoy the result of the mixture.

"But our trip was different. It was classic affirmation of everything right and true and decent in the national character. It was a gross, physical salute to the fantastic possibilities of life in this country- but only for those with true grit. And we're chockfull of that." – Raoul Duke

White Noise by Don DeLillo

If floating in a hammock is your darkest vice this summer, "White Noise" can still make you feel guilty for it. Although inducing guilt in a Catholic isn't much of a challenge, DeLillo explores our modern American escapist methods and sources of solace in "White Noise."

With statements like, "Whatever relaxes you is dangerous," DeLillo challenges readers to crack their pace of complacency and embrace the moment. So take a risk. Step to the edge of the world. Submerge yourself in your hammock sin and read this book.

"The power of the dead is that we think they see us all the time. Perhaps we are what they dream. May the days be aimless. Let the seasons drift. Do not advance the action according to a plan."

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

"The Picture of Dorian Gray" is akin to the leaf floating in the lake next to your hammock. It drifts smoothly from questions of death and morality to truth and beauty without lecturing or patronizing or philosophizing. Most importantly, in the context of all the books on this list, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" considers the fleeting power of youth.

As Wilde writes, "Ah! Realise your youth while you have it. Don't squander the gold of your days, listening to the tedious, trying to improve the hopeless failure, or giving away your life to the ignorant, the common and the vulgar. Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you! Let nothing be lost upon you. Be always searching for your sensations. Be afraid of nothing."

If ever there was a time to consider your vitality, that time definitely rests in a hammock this summer. Plus, as Wilde also writes, "Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense." You wouldn't want to develop common sense, would you? Where's the fun in that?"

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

There's really no better summer reading than "On the Road." I've read it every summer for four years and I still haven't finished it. It's perfect for hammock-reading. There's no real plot, but Kerouac's poetic spirit illuminates an otherwise bland story.

Rumor has it that Kerouac wrote the original transcript on one very long drug trip on one very long piece of paper. That makes "On the Road" all the more conducive to reading when you face such trying distractions as the hot dog your mom just offered you for lunch.

I really can't talk about this book without sharing one of the greatest passages in hammock-reading history: "But then they danced down the street like dingledodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes, 'Awww!'"

Feeling antsy in that hammock yet?

"Until you realize the importance of the Banana King, you will know absolutely nothing about the human-interest things of the world."

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

Yes, there has been a bustle of controversy over the truth and falsity of Fray's account of his recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. No, that doesn't affect the quality of the book. It is an addicting novel that you will want to read in one gluttonous sitting. Whether Frey was really deprived of Novocain during a root canal or not, he still writes the scene with fervor and tact that will keep you engaged.

The tales of his fellow recovering addicts range from sad to infuriating with plenty of disturbing images in between. Still, for every vice that afflicts each character, Frey graces them with redeeming qualities that allow readers to connect with them.

You will want to know what drives a beloved college administrator to prostitutes and crack cocaine and whether or not he can win back his wife and daughters.

This novel makes great hammock-reading because it's not complicated, but it has depth and Frey pulls you through the book at a heart racing pace. You'll never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

"Cat's Cradle" will change the way you see the world. Naturally, more questions of mortality grace this list of not-so-light summer reading. Vonnegut, who passed away on April 11, uses the tale of the narrator, John, to explore the brilliant but destructive career of Dr. Felix Hoenikker, who invented the atomic bomb and "ice-nine." Ice-nine was created as a war tool to freeze water at battle sites and the enemy soldiers in it, but, problematically, the effect continues until every drop of water on the planet freezes solid.

Where Kudra and Alobar strive for immortality in "Jitterbug Perfume" and the characters in "White Noise" bond over their fear of the inevitability of death, the characters in "Cat's Cradle" face the imminent challenge of an ice-nine spill which could lead to the end of life on earth. The tension of the chaos threatenting to ensue leads to incredible exchanges between the characters. In these vibrant scenes, Vonnegut dilutes his bleak cynicism about man's self-destructive path with a wild sense of humor and a brilliant satire on religion.

Bokonism, Vonnegut's new religion, rests on the principles that people are obligated to take care of each other, but they can't save themselves from ultimate destruction. The book opens with a quote out of the first Book of the Bokonons: "Live by the 'foma' (harmless untruths) that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy." Life is short. Don't be afraid to lie to yourself to keep happy.

One More Time by Mike Royko

"One More Time" is full of delicious afternoon snacks. It's a collection of the columns of legendary Chicago journalist, Mike Royko. This is the best book for those of you who have the most limited hammock time- or even a train ride to work.

You can read one flavorful column at a time and still appreciate Royko's monumental writing. His crass wit and direct sense of humor, underlined by his genuine love for the people of his city, create stories that anyone from any city can relate to. With columns from the 1960s to the 1990s, "One More Time" broaches issues such as race, politics and family with characters everyone can recognize, like Jackie Robinson.

In his column from Oct. 25, 1972, which Royko wrote the day Jackie Robinson died, Royko, a life-long Cubs fan, regales his experience with Robinson's first appearance at Wrigley Field from the naive perspective of the young kid he was in 1947. Royko's ability to manipulate his voice to relate to all people, Cubs fans or not, allows for all readers to enjoy this book. Even people from St. Louis can appreciate Royko.

Heck, even people from the South Side of Chicago can appreciate his care for others and investment in effecting change for the better in modern America.