Through a book, you can educate yourself. Get fresh ideas. See the world from a different perspective. Deepen your empathy. Experience a cleansing, cathartic cry. Or temporarily escape into another world, because sometimes a joyful mental vacation is very healing, too.
If you’re looking for something new to read (fiction, non-fiction, or both), here are some books I strongly recommend...
Fiction
Kawaii Strong Washburn
I could not stop reading this incredible book. Like an opera, or a Greek tragedy, this is one of those stories that deals with "all the big stuff" (love, sex, family, death, power, poverty, hope), and leaves you aching to find out what happens next.
Justin Reynolds
A young-adult romance that is heartbreaking and wonderfully funny. You will fall in love with the characters immediately, and you'll wish they were your real-life friends.
Jenn Bennett
A young woman with a sleep disorder falls in love with her co-worker during the graveyard shift at a Seattle hotel. And they solve mysteries together. Also, there's lots of pie and coffee and foggy ferry boat rides. A delight!
Tricia O’Malley
There are 7, or maybe even 8, books in this series (I've lost count!), and I devoured every single one! If you want a romantic story set in Ireland amidst rocky cliffs and enchanted coves...where everyone is constantly drinking tea and eating scones and having amazing sex by a roaring fireplace in a charming stone cottage...this is for you. A vacation for your weary brain.
Elizabeth Gilbert
This book transported me to 1940s New York City, and now I want to be a showgirl dripping in jewels and sipping gin martinis in the back of a taxi cab with a mysterious suitor and whatnot.
Non-fiction
Luvvie Ajayi
Luvvie is hilariously funny, snarky, and direct, and she is definitely judging you: for undertipping, for body shaming, for sitting on the sidelines and saying nothing while people tell racist jokes, for all of it. This book will make you laugh, cry, assess your behavior, and feel motivated to "do better."
Jennifer Senior
If you, like me, are still undecided about whether you want to have children or not, I highly recommend this book. It's an honest (one could even say, brutally honest) look at how kids change your life—and how, ultimately, it is possible to have a rich, full, and joyful life either with or without kiddos in the picture.
Emily Nagoski, PhD and Amelia Nagoski, DMA
A well-researched look into why so many women feel threatened, stressed out, and exhausted all the time...and what we can do about it.
I really appreciated the diversity in this book--the diversity of stories told, and how the authors emphasize that while all women experience stress, some women (particularly women of color, women who are disabled, and women who are not cisgender) experience stress on a completely different level. This book helped me understand myself and others more deeply.
Admiral William H. McRaven
I love tiny books--books that are brief, simple, uncomplicated, yet deliver a powerful message. This is precisely one of those books. Filled with short essays on how to be a kind human being, accomplish difficult things, and lead your best possible life.
Next on my reading list
C. René Washington
C. René has a question for you: "What if it's not too late to live your best life?"
In this book, she urges you to stop moping around and to go live boldly. Get those spunky red glasses instead of the boring ones. Get in the car and take that life-changing road trip. Literally and metaphorically: go take the trip!
C. René is a colleague and former client (she wrote this book while enrolled in my program, The Tiny Book Course) and I am so proud-cited (proud + excited) for her! I ordered my copy and can't wait to dive in and see the finished work of art.
Sierra Crane Murdoch
The true story of Lissa Yellow Bird, a badass Native American woman who, after being released from prison, decides to becomes a private investigator and track down missing people. I learned about Lissa when she was featured on This American Life. Do yourself a favor and listen to the episode. It's incredible.
Thank God / Goddess / Universe / etc. for books.
Love,
-Alex
PS. Have you always dreamed about writing a book? But it sounds really intimidating? Or, you keep daydreaming about writing a book, but you're not sure if you really wanna do it? Here's a free class called Should You Write a Book? which might help you decide.
PPPS. What have you been reading lately? Email back and share, if you want! I'm always looking for book suggestions. Thank you!