My sister-in-law is a very active person. After a recent operation, she was instructed to rest as much as possible, not easy for such an energetic, athletic woman. I wanted to send her something special to while away the time, but what? I knew she didn’t need any more flowers; she wasn’t up for candy; and the house was overflowing with get well cards. My first choice was to send this avid reader some good books. But wait, that’s not really resting, is it? Finally, I asked her point blank, and the solution became obvious. Books on compact discs would let her put her feet up and close her eyes while keeping her mind entertained.

There’s no hotter book this summer (sorry, it was just too easy) than Lisa See’s DREAMS OF JOY (thirteen discs, $40). For fifteen and a half hours, the year is 1957, and the country is China. Those who read the bestselling “Shanghai Girls” can enjoy following the continuing saga of sisters Pearl and May. The story revolves around Pearl’s rebellious 19 year old daughter Joy, and her quest to find her birth father, the artist Z.G. Li. Enchanted by this charismatic man, Joy becomes involved with the dangerous Society of Red China. Pearl is devastated by the fact that her beloved daughter has run away, and vows to find her and bring her home, at whatever cost. From exotic Shanghai to the remote countryside, the bonds of love draw these women inexorably together.

Fierce love and great obstacles also figure prominently in VACLAV & LENA (eight discs, $35), by Haley Tanner. The protagonists are children in Brooklyn when they first meet; they are attending class to learn English as a second language. For ten hours, join them as Lena basks in the glow of Vaclav’s esteem, and the warmth of his family; she then disappears from his life for the next seven years. Every night, Vaclav says goodnight to his lost love; he never loses the feeling that they are connected for eternity. Very absorbing.

For ten hours, the great friends of Ann Brashares’s “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” are back together again, all grown up. They have a SISTERHOOD EVERLASTING (eight discs, $40), although they’ve changed a lot along the way. Tibby sends a plane ticket, and invites to a reunion all her girlhood chums: Carmen, now a successful New York actress; the always restless Bridget; and Lena, who still wonders what might have been with her old boyfriend from Greece, Kostos. Almost as good as being there; after all, they’re our old friends, too.

Definition of Irish Alzheimer’s: Forget everything but a grudge. If you don’t believe me, set aside seventeen and a half hours this summer for a journey to the Kelleher family home in MAINE (14 discs, $45). J. Courtney Sullivan doesn’t miss a trick in conveying the ups and downs of three generations of Kelleher women in a house filled with rampaging kids, teary songfests, secrets, guilt, and all the other good stuff that makes this story a real humdinger.

There are also some great musical CDs on the market. Anyone who saw Broadway star Matt Cavenaugh as Tony in the recent production of “West Side Story” can vouch for both his appeal and his singing ability. He’s joined by Jenny Powers, his equally talented wife, on GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME. While both Powers and Cavenaugh ably show off on their solos the talent that illuminates the Great White Way, my favorite cuts are those which feature duets, “The Best Is Yet To Come” and “I Get Along Without You Very Well.” The CD follows the universal path of youthful romance. I wish this beautiful young couple every happiness and lots more recordings.

Though hardly an old timer, Jamie de Roy has had a long and fruitful career in show business. Her CD WISH ON THE MOON makes it clear why she’s been so successful. De Roy is equally adept at getting across the heartbreak of the Rodgers and Hart classic “He Was Too Good To Me” and the humor of “Jews Don’t Camp.” Her “Sixty Going On Seventy” will render you unable to ever listen to the “Sound of Music” ditty the same way again.

If you blinked, you missed WONDERLAND on Broadway, and it’s a shame. Fortunately, we have the CD of this Frank Wildhorn show which died too soon. A must have for theater aficionados.

There’s a new concert recording of KNICKERBOCKER HOLIDAY. Recorded during performances at Alice Tully Hall in January, the CD features top Broadway luminaries Victor Garber, Kelli O’Hara, and Christopher Fitzgerald. The witty Maxwell Anderson lyrics are funny and topical. Garber singing “September Song” is a knockout.

So if you’ve got a long car ride, love to stretch out in the sun with your eyes closed, or want to make the time go faster when you’re doing chores, pop in a CD or seventeen and enjoy the books, the music, and the summer.

To buy any of the featured CDs on Amazon click on the title in RED.

Michall Jeffers is an accomplished Cultural Journalist. She writes extensively, both in print and online. Her eponymous cable TV show is syndicated throughout the tri-state area, and features celebrity interviews, reviews, and commentary. Michall is a voting member of National Book Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle. www.michalljeffers.com