With the year half over and the northern hemisphere's summer in full swing, it's time for vacations, long-lazy days of hanging out, and the great outdoors.

Growing up in..., well growing up just about everywhere, my summers usually meant staying outside until it was dark out and my parents were serving dinner. But nowadays I think a lot of folks spend their summers inside playing video games and watching TV.

I have nothing against electronics and gaming, but why not blend the best of both worlds? During the month of July that's exactly what Kotaku will be trying to do: Tapping into the greater world of video game culture to talk about some of the more physical, more cerebral, more out-of-doors ways to have fun in the sun without abandoning your favorite pastime.

We're kicking off Kotaku's Summer of Gaming a bit later today with a great summer reading list of video game books meant to be a handy guide to the novels you should take along while traveling, sunning and kicking back.

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the month for plenty more fun features that tackle everything from game design and summer blockbusters to arcade guides and outdoor games.

Who says you can't get a tan while playing video games?

[Pic]