Book Haul
2.16.2016
I turned 25 (!!!) a few weeks ago and one of my favorite gifts I received was a slew of books I've had on my "to read" list for ages. Now, here they all are piled up on my desk and ready to go through one by one. The range in genre is vast so I thought it'd be nice to share my honest to goodness reading list here. It's not scholarly or necessarily sophisticated, but it's what what I truly find enjoyable! Charlotte's Web and Out of the Dust were two of my favorite books from childhood. It was important to me to have them in my collection and I also wanted to re-experience them again as an adult, why not! The Perfect Letter is a complete indulgence. I am obsessed with the Bachelor/Bachelorette, no shame. I read Mindy Kaling's first book (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?) and loved it / felt like we're destined best friends so naturally I could not wait to get my hands on her latest book, Why Not Me?. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was another childhood favorite, so again, when Go Set a Watchman was released it became a must have. The Year of Living Danishly and The Kinfolk Home are two lifestyle books I am so looking forward to diving into for personal inspiration and motivation to live a slower and more intentional life.
I find reading to be one of the most relaxing things to do, especially at the end of the day. After being slightly burnt out from reading after completing an art history minor in college, it occurred to me about a year and a half ago that I could finally read for pleasure and pleasure only – finally! Though, I do find myself flipping through the pages of my art history text books from time to time (NERD), I've found immense joy and satisfaction in always having a book I'm invested in. I have made a habit to read before bed (almost) every day. It's the perfect night cap and I find that I sleep much better than if instead I had been staring at my phone or the tv. I am always on the hunt for what to read next so I'd love to hear what your favorites are in the comments!
Go Set a Watchman | Harper Lee
Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch—"Scout"—returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town, and the people dearest to her.
The Kinfolk Home | Nathan Williams
The Kinfolk Home welcomes readers into 35 homes around the world that reflect some of the key principles of slow living: cultivating community, simplifying our lives and reclaiming time for what matters most.
The Perfect Letter | Chris Harrison
As the longtime host of ABC’s hit shows The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Chris Harrison has witnessed the joys and heartbreak of men and women searching for everlasting love. A true romantic at heart, he believes that everyone deserves their own fairytale ending. Now, in his first work of fiction, Chris draws on his unique insights and wisdom in a remarkable debut novel that explores love and its consequences—a must-read for Bachelor fans and hopeless romantics everywhere.
The Year of Living Danishly | Helen Russell
From childcare, education, food and interior design to SAD, taxes, sexism and an unfortunate predilection for burning witches, The Year of Living Danishly is a funny, poignant record of a journey that shows us where the Danes get it right, where they get it wrong, and how we might just benefit from living a little more Danishly ourselves.
Out of the Dust | Karen Hesse
This gripping story, written in sparse first-person, free-verse poems, is the compelling tale of Billie Jo's struggle to survive during the dust bowl years of the Depression. With stoic courage, she learns to cope with the loss of her mother and her grieving father's slow deterioration. There is hope at the end when Billie Jo's badly burned hands are healed, and she is able to play her beloved piano again.
Charlotte's Web | E.B. White
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter. E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.
Why Not Me? | Mindy Kaling
In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behavior modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.
