In 1876, Rev. T. De Witt Talmage warned Americans that summer novels were “literary poison.” 150 years later, BookTok’s nearly 2 billion users have turned summer reading into a major cultural phenomenon

Every summer, book recommendations begin appearing across the internet. NPR, Oprah Daily, the New York Times Book Review, Forbes, and BookTok influencers share lists of novels meant to be read during vacations, at the beach, or while relaxing in the summer.

But the tradition is much older than social media. What is now known as the “beach read” has roots going back more than 150 years, when the growing popularity of summer travel gave publishers an opportunity to boost an otherwise slow publishing season.