What’s your reading routine?
I tend to be an episodic reader. I either don’t read at all or whiz from the title page to the last page with as few distractions as possible in between – losing or missing nuances and subtleties along the way.
One of my “besties” approaches reading in an entirely different way: she reads a page and wonders how someone could choose the words they did to convey such amazing thoughts, ideas and such beauty. She treats herself each day to a few minutes with a book she has put in her library that she loves – reading just a few passages or pages. “It puts me back in the book,” she observes. “And, of course, every time we read something, we read it from who we are at that moment, which can change its meaning in many ways.”
And when discussing books? How about me and my two writing buddies, Lisbeth and Paula, plus six margaritas between us? That discussion got very lively.
No matter what your choice of genre, specific book, or reading practice is, my long-time friend Dan’s comment on his choice of favorite tome sums it all up: “I keep changing my mind, but all these good ones make me remember how great it felt reading them and the sadness when I finished.”
That’s okay, Dan, because there’s plenty more! As promised last week, here are top books selected by a wide range of my social circle with a few insightful comments sprinkled in:
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Deckle Edge
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Bel Canto – by Ann Patchett
Born a Crime – by Trevor Noah – riveting – being made into a film
Bronze Horseman (a trilogy) – by Paulina Simons
Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators
by Ronan Farrow – Women still are not safe in our society.
Constantine’s Sword: The Church and the Jews – by James Carroll – Written by a former priest, it’s about the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jews over the centuries, contrasted with his own experience. I learned a lot of history and was reminded that everyone has roots even if those roots have been forgotten by most.
Dean and Me (A Love Story) by Jerry Lewis
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman – Takes place at the turn of the 19th to 20th century – centers around her huge art collection
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn
Fleishman Is in Trouble – by Taffy Brodesser – Glad I survived my forties
Hawaii by James A. Michener – How descriptive great writing can be, along with the history of Hawaii, of course!
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
Somewhere Between Luck and Trust – by Emilie Richards – The story hooked me….part romance, part mystery, part life not working as expected. Normally, I love mindless romance. No brain power required!
Status Anxiety by Alain De Botton – Author attempts to reconcile the general decline in happiness and fulfillment in humans with decline of the hierarchical structures. People have struggled to find their place and purpose and this has resulted in a kind of “status anxiety” that plays out in fascinatingly different ways.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – Realizing one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation
The Art of the Personal Essay – An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present by Phillip Lopate
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown – A great story about teamwork…strategy… and how good we have it now. Couldn’t put it down.
The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede – Loved the show of humanity amidst the inhumanity
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz – Don’t take anything personally, always do your best
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Haj by Leon Uris – Only for a history buff
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Placco – wonderful for kids too…mine is falling apart!
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff – World War 2 story of women undercover agents. Reflects how war can bring out both the best in people and the worst.
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo – Devotion and love cannot be separated by time
The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah – Our spirit and strength can endure tragedy and rise above it to carry on
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant – Biblical history story showing the power women have and how to use it.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carolos Ruiz Zafon – Writing is lyrical. The story grabs from the get-go. The mysteries keep piling up and deepening. The kind of book you want to read more than once. Read it two years ago and haven’t stopped talking it up since.
The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani – Beach book and great couch potato lit as well!
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell
The Tools by a renown psychiatrist from New York – gives specific tools to deal with facing life head on and keeping you moving forward
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements by Eric Hoffer – Published in 1951, this classic social psychology work is as relevant today as it was then. It’s a study of extremist movements and the characteristic of those who follow them. Hoffer explains the similarities among believers on all sides of the political spectrum. Merits a couple of hours of conversation – a life-changing book
The Turquoise Table: Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard by Kristin Schell – The librarians at Port Tampa Library were so inspired by this book they put a turquoise table in the side yard for library patrons to enjoy.
The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger – Native American babies were taken from their families and raised in homes where they were denied and “cleansed” of their culture. Beautifully written.
Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents by Jane Isay
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – a very popular choice
Will by G. Gordon Liddy – Perseverance in the face of adversity.
Thanks to all the men and women who have traveled along with me on this journey called “life” and so generously shared their thoughts and wisdom time and time again. You surprise me with your choices, energize me with your feedback and sustain me when I’m wilting and fading.
Keep Preserving Your Bloom,
Iris Ruth Pastor