Kids are back in school, maybe you have 30 min during the day to sit back and crack open a good book? Check out my Fall Reading List…
Grab one of these. You won’t want to put it down.
The Stranger In The Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit – Michael Finkle
I. Could. Not. Put. This. Down.
The Stranger in the Woods is the true story of Christopher Knight who, in 1986, parked his car on the side of the road in rural Maine, walked into the woods and had no interaction with another human being for 27 years.
Journalist Michael Finkle is granted access to Christopher after the hermit is arrested in 2013 for burglary. The story of Knight’s self imposed hermetic existence is told in his own words as well as accounts of area residents who at one time feared and pitied the strange man in the woods.
I was fascinated and weirdly inspired by Knight’s strange life. Who hasn’t, in moments of total overwhelm with the world, thought about walking away and just getting lost? Could the desire for quiet, peace and alone be so strong that total isolation for decades is the only answer? But WHY did he do it??
Read and find out.
I Owe You One – Sophie Kinsella
Sophie Kinsella, of Shopaholic fame, is one of my favorite authors. She has mastered the rom-com, love-able but slightly ridiculous heroine who reaches her happy ending after several missteps and awkward situations.
I Owe You One introduces us to Fixie Farr. A helper/fixer of everything and everyone in her life except, of course, herself. There are misguided romances and palm-to-face moments but you end up rooting for our sweet, sad leading lady. I can’t say this book was revolutionary or a “thinker” but like all of Kinsella’s writing, it’s highly entertaining, totally engrossing and a fabulous little escape.
Harry Potter Series – J.K Rowling
I know, I know. Who HASN’T read Harry Potter. Actually, ask around. You’d be surprised…
This year marked the 20th anniversary of the release of the 3rd book (damn, we’re old) in the series, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and since that was pretty much my favorite I decided to re-read from the beginning starting with The Sorcerer’s Stone.
Reading these books as an adult, knowing J.K Rowling’s story, gives a deep level of appreciation for the fantastical and immersive world created in this series. All these years later the storylines, characters and visuals remain some of the best every put to paper.
Go read it. Or re-read it. Just do it.
In Pieces – Sally Field
I am a huge auto/biography fan. I find the lives of others immensely fascinating and even more-so when YOU THINK you know but realize you had no idea.
Sally Field’s re-telling of her life story is equal parts riveting, heartbreaking and triumphant. Field’s raw and unhindered voice will have you cheering for her, ready to go to battle for her and just wanting to wrap her up in a hug.
Still Me – JoJo Moyes
The last book in the Me Before You trilogy, Still Me follows the ever tenacious Louisa Clark on her next endeavor, this time as an assistant for a crazy wealthy New York family. She finds flashes of her past, debates what future she may have and ultimately finds pieces of herself she didn’t even know were there.
JoJo Moyes tells another beautiful story of self discovery, heartbreak, love and the ability to just be you. I ate this book up and was left feeling like Lou’s new best friend and biggest cheerleader.
Andy Warhol Was a Hoarder: Inside the Minds of History’s Great Personalities – Claudia Kalb
Was Andy Warhol a hoarder? Did Einstein have autism? Was Frank Lloyd Wright a narcissist? You guys…they may have been!
This truly fascinating book by health and science journalist Claudia Kalb looks at the lives of several high profile historical figures (Princess Diana, Betty Ford, Charles Darwin and Frank Lloyd Wright, just to name a few) through the lens of modern day psychology. Knowing what we know now, can we say for sure that Marilyn Monroe suffered from a personality disorder and that Howard Hughes was, in fact, crippled by his OCD?
In a culture that seems to be obsessed with “a diagnosis”, this book presents compelling evidence and an interesting perspective on the mental health of some of the world’s most influential people.
What’s the last great book you read!? Leave me a comment, I’m always on the lookout 🙂
Happy Reading!
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