HarperCollinsPublishers recommends several books for self-improvement in the new year. After reading about these books, I have picked three that you might want to consder. njuta: The Swedish Art of Savoring the Moment by Niki Brantmark is a book that celebrates Swedish culture. The word ‘njuta’ means ‘enjoy’ or ‘delight in.’ This principal, as explained in the book, is a way to find happiness in
Those of us who live on Kiawah and in other scenic parts of the world know how much joy we derive from communing with nature. In my case, it’s the wildlife I love the most. This time of year, I look out onto the golf course and see, every morning, about 8 white ibis congregating on the bank of the pond and then pecking their
There were many books published in 2023 that are certainly worth reading but that we didn’t have time for. Of course we don’t have time to read all the good books. My friend Rebecca Peace has an Instagram spot called beckyonbooks. She lives in Saint Simons Island, Georgia. In her most recent post she says “If you have not read these books, don’t delay. Each
It has been years since I have looked through a copy of Parade Magazine. I used to read it every time I visited the beauty salon in Atlanta. I haven’t lived in Atlanta for fifteen years, so I guess I haven’t looked at a Parade Magazine since then. The magazine, while focusing mostly on sensational Hollywood stories, had some great ideas for books to give
This just in from Goodreads, books which were voted on by readers: Best Fiction Yellowface, R. F. Kuang Best Historical Fiction Weyward, Emily Hart The author tells the story of three women across five centuries. In the Southern Review of Books, May 17, 2023, Nicole Yurcaba writes that the book is one that “hums with endurance and carfully places a magnifying glass over the complexities
Susan Zurenda contacted me several months ago about her new book The Girl From the Red Rose Motel. I recently had a chance to read indepth reviews about the book, and I think it is one followers may want to buy or order, especially since so many of you have worked with students. Amber Wheeler Bacon, in the Southern Review of Books, September 8, 2023,
This one from Shelf Awareness FictionAmerica Fantastica by Tim O’Brien (Mariner)Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Ajdei-Brenyah (Pantheon)Good Night, Irene by Luis Alberto Ruiz (Little, Brown)In Memoriam by Alice Winn (Knopf)The Laughter by Sonora Jha (HarperVia)Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward (Scribner)Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes (Avid Reader Press)Prophet by Helen Macdonald & Sin Blaché (Grove Press)Shark Heart by Emily Habeck (Marysue Rucci Books)Whalefall by Daniel Kraus (MTV Books) NonfictionBetter
FICTION WINNER Blackouts, Justin Torres NONFICTION WINNER The Rediscovery of America, Ned Blackhawk Books of interest that were finalists in the selection process: Chain-Gang All-Stars, Nana Kwane Adjei-Brenyah (mentioned in an earlier blog post, this book is a type of “hunger games” meets the private prison system.) The End of Drum-Time, Hanna Pylvainen This author sets her fictional story in 1851 Scandinavia and tells,with exquisite
Yes, and I don’t mean Christmas lists. I mean the ones that reflect on the best books of 2023. The New York Times has already come out with its list, so take a look: The Bee Sting, Paul Murray An Irish family pulls together to overcome the 2008 financial cirisis as well as their own individual demons in a book that is full of hopefulness
Two blog readers responded with some recommendations for short books. Thank you to Beverly and Bette. Beverly Biersdorf–“Yes, I was going to mention “Animal Farm.” Also, from back in the day, I would mention “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway (96 pp) and “Jonathan Living Seagull” by Richard Bach (144 pp). More current short reads are “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom
