Spring has sprung! With each season, I always come up with a new excuse to spend extra time reading. This month, it’s the warmer temps, fresh springtime air, and sunshine that make me want to grab a stack of books and plant myself under a tree. There’s nothing better than finding a reading tree to sit under with a good book and, in my case, both of my massive Goldendoodles to snuggle up with.
Two out of three of this month’s selections are longer, so I kept this list shorter. Here we go:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
I read Bird by Bird every spring. It’s the perfect book to lift a creative person out of the winter cave of darkness, and into the springtime light. Part writing guide and part memoir, Bird by Bird shares actionable tips to help writers get words from their minds onto the written page. One of the hardest parts about writing is finding the inspiration and motivation to write. Lamott helps us overcome some of the difficulties of being a writer with simple techniques, shared in her classic quippy style. One of my favorite exercises from this book is to write about your school lunch experiences. Who knew how much you could learn about yourself, and the people around you, by reminiscing on the dreaded cafeteria days? By studying ourselves, we study the world around us, which allows us create meaningful stories.
For fans of Laurie Colwin
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
This book has been on my TBR list for approximately 12.45 years, and I just now was able to turn the final page. It’s long, at a smooth 544 pages, but it’s very, very good. The novel follows a tight-knit group of Classics students at a high-end New England college as they navigate their way through life led by their devoted professor, Julian. When their passion of Greek history leads them to do a terrible thing, each student walks down a path that brings them to their own individual reckonings. This novel is a thorough piece of writing on human nature and ultimately, good vs. evil. How does one cross over the line of being a good person, to being a bad one? Are any of us 100% evil? These are all questions you will ask yourself after you’ve finished The Secret History.
For Fans of Anthony Doerr
Circe by Madeline Miller
If you’re a sucker for Greek mythology, this one is for you. Madeline Miller crafts a magnificent tale, giving one of the most misunderstood enchantresses the story she deserves. We learn about Circe’s upbringing and life experiences, giving us more background on why she decided to start poisoning the men who sailed to her island. You will recognize a number of characters in her story, from the great goddess of War, Athena, to the beloved literary traveler, Odysseus. The biggest takeaway from reading Circe is that we are much more than our actions – everyone has a story.
For fans of Natalie Haynes
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, so next month’s recommendations will highlight books that share survivor stories. First up on my reading list is Erika Krouse’s Tell Me Everything. ‘Til next month!