Summer is here, and people of Kodan are frolicking in the sun for the next 4–5 weeks. Good times!

As a company, we want you to have a relaxing summer. So, don’t think about your work, or anything else related to it during your holidays. Forget your password. Have a drink, or twelve. Swim naked and fall in love.

Or… read something nice! To make it easier for you to switch on the summery mood, we asked our developers and designers for some relaxing book recommendations. Here we go:

Our developer Tommi recommends Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. He says it’s full of useful information, and it reminds us why sleep is important. It’s also a good reminder for people to ensure that they sleep enough. Sleep tight, Tommi!

Tommi also recommends a manga series called Barakamon by Satsuki Yoshino, because “it’s a light-hearted comedy that makes you appreciate the small things in life”.

Our designer Ville is planning to spend his summer with a series of fantasy/horror themed short story anthologies called FAN. We let him explain: “I used to read these books when I was a kid, and stumbled upon one of them at the local library again this spring. That sparked the idea to read several of these books. Last summer my reading theme was Tolkien, so this summer I decided to go with something lighter and faster.”

Our developer Jan is going to choose a totally different path. Jan, who is also known to be a 100% mökki-person, recommends The Scythe Book by David Tresemer. Jan urges everyone to give scythe a chance: “Quality of mökki-life has greatly improved by replacing all that clumsy, smoky pörinä with more civilised old-timey elegance and effectiveness of a scythe.”

Our developers Oliver and Othman are both planning to read something called The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers. Oliver tries to explain: “I read that when I was 11. For some reason I thought about it as well while thinking about suggestions for this list.” Oliver, trust your subconsciousness.

The last recommendation is also by Oliver: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Oliver says that the book “is a poignant reminder in these… times”. Tommi also has something to say about the book: “George Orwell’s 1984 is well known and often referred to in public discourse. Brave New World shows you what lies in wait at the other side of the coin.”

That’s it. Have a super-relaxing summer. See you in August!