If you’re anything like me, you had a mini heart attack when you realized that it is already August, and you have not crossed off any of your summer goals, especially catching up on your reading list. However, if you’re anything like the person I want to be, you have scoffed at my above statement, looked down at your completed list, and thought, It’s only August? Either way, I have the best comprehensive hipster reading guide ever. Get excited. 1. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – Now that Harry Potter has finally defeated Voldemort in the books and the films (omg, did I just spoil that for some of you? #getonit), it is the perfect time to relive the magic and revisit Harry when he was just a boy who lived under the stairs. If you are unlucky enough to not have read these books, or you know, you weren’t allowed to as a child like I was (don’t worry, I sped through all seven years at Hogwarts in the past year), do yourself a favor and do it now. I promise, no matter how skeptical you may be, you will not regret it. 2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – Perhaps the most quintessential book to a hipster’s library, this awesome book is filled with honest emotion, poignant writing, allusions to The Smiths and J.D. Salinger, AND it is being made into a film, starring Emma Watson. What more could a hipster ask for? 3. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer – Narrated by a nine year old boy whose father died two years before due to 9/11. I’ve heard it is absolutely amazing by numerous hipsters and literary fiends alike, but I wouldn’t know, I haven’t read it. That’s why it’s on this list. ha. 4. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan – One of the best books and worst film adaptations I have ever witnessed. I’m sorry but if you watched the movie and have not read the book, go out to the nearest Borders #RIP and buy it asap. Written by two talented authors, alternating between the voices of Nick and Norah, this novel is original, hilarious, and has one of the best openings I have ever read. 5. East of Eden by John Steinbeck – My personal favorite of John Steinbeck’s work, which is saying a LOT. John Steinbeck is a literary god. After reading this, which you will, you will indeed find yourself with a very large literary boner that is rather difficult to get rid of. 6. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway – My most favorite literary character, Miss Brett Ashley, stars in this fantastic novel about unrequited love. Strong and fashionable, Miss Brett Ashley embodies exactly who I want to be – even if some people think she’s a bitch. #wehavethatincommon 7. Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs – I’ve never read this one either, but apparently it’s about a junkie who takes on a myriad of aliases as he travels from the US to Mexico. The novel is structured as a series of brief accounts in which the protagonist draws from various experiences and his addiction to miscellaneous drugs throughout his journey. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) This one has got me hooked by the title, I mean, why naked lunch? Why not naked dinner? Naked 4 a.m. snack? I’m so intrigued. 8. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – Rule #1 of Fight Club does not apply to me because I LOVE talking about Fight Club. Palahniuk is a genius at embodying the character of a cynical, repulsive yet intellectual madman…though he may seem a bit redundant after a few novels (but that’s why we love him). He has his own special, unique snowflake kind of way to describe things. For instance, he won’t say that the grass was green but instead he’ll say it was like that dark green color of your grandmother’s favorite pendant that she liked to wear on Thursdays (LIKE WHY IS THAT SO GOOD AND WHY DOES IT MAKE SO MUCH SENSE?!). And unlike Nick and Norah, the film adaptation is just as stupendously kick-ass (I love you, Ed Norton). 9.  Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman – Klosterman has a writing style that makes you believe he is actually in the room talking to you. And not to mention he’s insanely hilarious (I not so secretly wish that I had enough skillage that could write something even remotely close to Klosterman’s godly prose). 10. A Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers – Eggers is the king of hipster literary fiction with enough wit and self-deprecation to feed the entire world. Do yourself a favor and finish this book once you’ve started. Too many people let its genius go to waste. 11. On the Road by Jack Kerouac – Uh, it’s Kerouac. I don’t need to say more. I’ve already said too much. And if you’re still reading this and not reading that book then you’re doing something wrong. 12. The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories by hitRECord – Produced by Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Collaborative Production Company, hitRECord, this amazing little book contains brilliant tiny stories that are perfectly illustrated. Like what you see? Get in on the action over at hitRECord and submit your own tiny stories. They just might end up in the next volume. 13. Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life vol. 1 – 7 by Bryan Lee O’Malley – If you enjoyed the movie, then you will LOVE this series. If you didn’t, well we just can’t be friends. Though it is the best film adaptation of any book that I have ever seen (thank you, Edgar Wright), the series is so jam-packed with action and absolute hilariousness that an hour and a half film still can’t do them justice. AND each volume takes less than an hour to read, perfect for last minute summer reading since by the end, you can brag that you at least read seven books this summer. #win 14. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – I actually didn’t follow my rule of “read the book before you see the film” for this one…and I think that’s okay because the film is amazing. Though I may only think that because I’ve never read the book. But whatever, Zooey Deschanel is the main actress, how could I resist?! I’m sure the book is just as hilarious…let’s find out together shall we? 15. Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg – No hipster reading list would be complete without a nod to the original hipster himself, Allen Ginsberg. With alliterations that make my mind melt (see what I did there?), Howl is one of the greatest and most famous works of the beat generation, originally deemed so obscene that upon its publication, Ginsberg and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti were arrested. For lack of better words, it’s absolutely brilliant and a must-read for anyone who has an appreciation for words. Remember kids, reading’s not just for summer, Melissa