Read Any Good Books Lately?
Here's my list of favorite reads from the past couple of years
As a slow reader my entire life, it is miraculous how much I’ve consumed over the past couple of years. For someone who slogged through a book a year (if she was lucky), this is a radical shift.
I don’t recognize myself!
…
This transformation is all due to my discovery of audio books, which has changed the game and my life forever. (You can read “My Breakthrough Story” via the link below.)
Because I pair reading with walking, it forces me to get out the door every day and move. Double win!
With summertime here (or winter as the case may be) I thought we could share a few of our absolute favorite books in the comment thread.
Listed below are the books I’ve read most recently that I absolutely LOVED.
As you can see, I lean towards historical fiction, memoir, and stories of female protagonists who find their voice and power against all odds.
All of these books (except for the last two, which I read the old fashioned way) are exquisitely narrated. The voices that bring out the authors’ beautiful prose to life makes me love this selection all the more.
Happy reading (or listening)!
Ahhh 📚
My favorite reads of the past couple of years
Fiction/ Women finding their voice
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. (I laughed, I cried, I cared. Couldn’t put this down. Brilliantly narrated by Miranda Raison.)
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. (It took me a while to get into this very long Oprah’s Choice book, but it was worth it in the end. The story went deep into my bones and I still think about it. Narrated by the author.)
Weyward by Emilia Hart. (Time travel book. Narrated by three women, each with the most divine voice that transports you to England during three different time periods.)
Historical fiction
The Kingsbridge Series by Ken Follett. (A big commitment of 5 books but totally worth it if you loved Pillars of the Earth. Narrated by the exceptional John Lee.)
The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. (History brought to life in these 3 books that take you through the 20th century. I learned more from these books than in my high school history classes. Again, brilliantly narrated by John Lee.)
Memoir
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight. (Couldn’t put this down. Narrated by Tony-award winning actor, Norbert Leo Butz.)
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. (The gritty backstory of man turned famous actor. Who knew!? McConaughey shines as narrator of his own story and takes you on a thrill ride.)
Spirituality/Memoir
Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart by James R. Doty, MD. (An unbelievable true story beautifully and authentically narrated by the author himself, making this book one of my absolute favorite reads the year!)
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer. (Practical wisdom to live by. Should be required reading of every human.)
The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection by Michael Singer. (Read this one after the one above. Another mind bender.)
Your turn…
What book(s) have brought you the most joy recently? (Read: they were so good you still think about them)
What’s your favorite way of reading them (paper, digital, audio)?
Where do you enjoy reading and when?
In case you missed these…
My Breakthrough Story
What would take most people a couple of weeks or just days of pleasure to get through, would take me many tortured months. Sometimes years. It wasn't until recently that I discovered something big about myself ...
In Praise of Books and Those Who Read Them
From libraries and bookstores, to writers and readers, enjoy this treasure trove of images from around the world.
Surprisingly I’ve read some of the same books. Loved the Covenant of Water as much as his previous book Cutting for Stone. Hearing it read for 30+ hours in the authors voice was wonderful. I’m now listening to Mind Magic by Dr. Doty, a sequel to Into the Magic Shop. The Untethered Soul was life changing. I read the book but now have the audio version to listen to. Interestingly Verghese and Doty are both physicians affiliated with Stanford. I Read the Pillars of the Earth Series several years ago. I’m looking forward to reading Matthew McConaughy’s Greenlights. I have to read some of your other selections too especially Weyward. Reading has been a lifelong passion and I don’t think many days have passed in my 80 years that I wasn’t reading something.
Thank you! I always appreciate book recommendations. My favorite way to read is ebooks. “Real” books are so hard to read for me now, they are so dark compared to my phone or ipad. I love having my books with me whoever I go. I generally read a little before work and on my lunch break and at the end of the day. I’ve been posting book reviews/summaries on my Facebook. I’m just getting started on Substack and will be posting them here as well now.
My mother read voraciously, and my sister and I followed in her footsteps. Some of my fondest memories are going to the bookmobile when it came to our little town and making special trips to the “big library.” But when computers came along, I was all-in and spent more and more of my leisure time online. I got my first computer in 1993. I loved meeting friends online and hanging out in chat rooms and on message boards. I started journaling online in the late 90’s. And then social media took over, sucking more of my time. When I did read, I felt like I “should” read spiritual and self help books. I have a lot of unread nonfiction. Thankfully I started reading fiction again and now find a better balance between books and social media (and playing games on my phone…)
Anyway,I saw the title of this in email when you posted it and meant to comment because you mentioned historical fiction and female protagonists. I love books with strong female characters and love historical fiction. I would highly recommend the author Kate Quinn. I still have a lot of hers to read but my favs so far have been set during war The Rose Code (codebreakers in Engand), The Alice Network (spies), the Diamond Eye (Soviet sniper and war hero) - but my fav is the Huntress that has one of my favorite characters ever, a Siberian woman who becomes a pilot and part of an all female Soviet night bombing regiment. She bases her books on actual events and/or people. Another fav author with strong female characters is Kristin Hannah. I’m currently reading her newest book, The Women, about nurses in Vietnam and post-Vietnam. I also loved The Four Winds (set in the dust bowl during the depression) and The Great Alone (set in Alaska).
Happy Reading!