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Pre-'Potter,' books for the beach brigade

The final installment of the Harry Potter series isn't out until mid-July, but you don't have to go bookless to the beach; there are plenty of titles out there perfect for relaxing in the sun.

The final installment of the Harry Potter series isn't out until mid-July, but you don't have to go bookless to the beach; there are plenty of titles out there perfect for relaxing in the sun.

Pirates are in this summer, with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End out in theaters, and that makes Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign (Crown), by Stephan Talty, a good choice. The book tells the tale of the famed Henry Morgan and his exploits in the Caribbean in the service of the English.

The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down (Harcourt), by Colin Woodard, is about the "Flying Gang," when a number of famous pirate captains such as Blackbeard joined forces.

Another seafaring adventure, Last Flag Down, by John Baldwin and Ron Powers, deals with the Shenandoah, the last ship to lower its flag during the Confederacy.

For a more lighthearted read, The Sleeping Beauty Proposal (The Penguin Group USA), by Sarah Strohmeyer, is about Genie Michaels, a woman who thought she needed marriage to make her happy - until her boyfriend proposes to another woman on national television.

The Entitled (Sourcebooks), by sportswriter and NPR commentator Frank Deford, is a tale about the boys of summer in the modern era. Protagonist Howie has finally been given a shot to manage in the big leagues, but America's pastime has changed.

Another sports-themed book is Tales From Q School: Inside Golf's Fifth Major (Little, Brown), by John Feinstein.

"He's got a strong fan base and he does these kinds of books really well," said Ann Binkley, spokeswoman for Borders Inc.

Loving Frank (Ballantine Books), by Nancy Horan, a fictional account of a love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney, is poised for big summer sales, booksellers said.

"It's just really well done and extremely well written," Binkley said.

Thrillers are always a big hit during the summer months. Killer Weekend (Putnam), by Ridley Pearson, is a new series out midsummer. The first book deals with the efforts to thwart the assassination of a woman candidate for president.

Among the noteworthy debuts this season is The Blood of Flowers (Little, Brown), by Anita Amirrezvani. It's the tale of a 17th-century Persian woman who makes her way with her mother from their village to a rich uncle's house in the city of Isfahan.

"A great summer beach read is a book that . . . has a great compelling story that you don't want to put down, even to reach for the sunscreen," Binkley said.