Attacked from Beneath by Carp and from Above by Seagulls

For the past twelve years, out of a tiny but well-lit corner of the McSweeney’s offices in San Francisco, The Believer has published essays and interviews that are great for all seasons. But this collection is not interested in 75 percent of those seasons. Included in this eminently beach-tote-able digital edition are interviews, essays, poetry, and reviews that cover all the staples of summer—beach houses, amusement parks, surfing, road trips, honeymoons, failed Gen X sodas, and Taylor Swift. Judy Blume and Lena Dunham discuss Fifty Shades of Grey; Sarah Silverman makes her grandma cry; Peter Schjeldahl shares secrets from his annual fireworks display; Simon Rich wins an epic basketball game; and a lake in Lago Vista, Texas named “Fun" reveals itself to be anything but. Perfect for long, lazy days, this issue represents the best of The Believer’s buoyant (and slightly sunburned) side.