Better late than never, right?
I’ve been wanting to consolidate some of the books I’ve gone through into a covid reading suggestions for quite some time now, but am finally just getting to it. I’m taking the lazy way out and linking to a description, along with some minor commentary where I felt necessary/inclined. Note, I tend to always prefer to read non-fiction so a lot of this is exactly that. I made an exception for my little seven year old nephew and finally tore into the Harry Potter books – I decision I do not regret. I’ve written about that a bit before, but worth a mention here also. Hope you enjoy some of these books like I have!
Between Two Kingdoms – This was my first binge of the pandemic, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially loved that the author also had a schnoodle (like, Lu!). But it was reading about her courageous battle and her solo travels that really inspired me.
How to Love, How to Connect, How to Relax – I started off with How to Love. I had walked up to my favorite bookstore (The Brookline Booksmith) one afternoon to try and find some inspiration for my two dear friends’ (Kara and Ry) upcoming wedding, that I had the honor of officiating. Part of this was writing a potential script (to be worked on collaboratively with Kara and Ry). I ended up building off of a poem I found in How to Love, and while I was there, I also picked up How to Connect and How to Relax. I believe there are eight books in this mindfulness series, by Thich Nhat Hanh, all of which I bet are worth a read.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – these next four are a direct result of my nephew. I somehow got away with never reading the Harry Potter series growing up so when my 7 year old nephew began reading them during the pandemic, I jumped on it (as mentioned above). I’m about a quarter the way through book four, but will keep plugging!
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Home Body – this is a great coffee table/book shelf book. It’s written by Rupi Kaur, who is a poet that I’ve admired from a distance via social media for sometime. I’m not typically one for poetry, but this was an exception to that rule again.
Over the Top – I can’t remember why or when I started reading this, but I think it was around the time that a new season of Queer Eye came out in 2020. I had little to know back story on any of the cast, and really appreciated getting to know more about JVN.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – I’ve been quoting Maya Angelou for years, without ever taking the time to sit down and page through a story of hers. When I stayed over my two best friends house earlier this year, I picked this book off their shelf in the morning. I was really captivated by her story, as I had no idea where Maya Angelou really came from. I’d highly recommend it to anyone, especially those like myself, who have been using her quotes for years, without any credit really.
Eat a Peach – David Chang took some heat earlier this year, and admittedly I didn’t really tune in. So opinions on that aside, I enjoyed reading this one as well. I at times find Chang to be quite whiny, but I think he’s a self admitted pessimist, so it feels okay. There aren’t many stories I wouldn’t read about a person, and getting to know a bit more about David Chang was certainly worth it to me.
Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World – I haven’t finished this one yet but it’s a really interesting read. It’s focused on the ongoing epidemic of loneliness and written by Vivek Murthy – The Surgeon General when Obama was in office as well as the current Surgeon General.
Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life – I picked this off the table at the Brookline Booksmith – one of my favorite places to find/buy a book I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. This was written by Christie Tate on the topic of group therapy. It follows along her journey and is extremely honest and real. I found myself invested in her story by the end of it, which made this a definite page turner.
People We Meet on Vacation – speaking of page turners. This was another one for sure. Written by Emily Henry this fiction novel was an easy and refreshing read. I’d definitely recommend for a light read that will entertain you along the way.
Little Weirds – this is another one that I haven’t quite finished, but I have it on my table and have flipped through a bit of it. Written in almost little blurbs, it’s a good book to just have around when looking for something to, well, look at. Jenny Slate is a hilarious comedian and originally from the Boston area, which of course automatically makes me like her more. Again, thanks Booksmith. I think I got this on the “bargain books” table.
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