My students often ask me for book recommendations -- and as many of them know, I'm always happy to share! My true love is fiction, but I'm a huge fan of memoir and short stories, and have recently gotten more into non-fiction as well. So, as you can imagine, I have a pretty huge stack of books on my night table...some of which I've read already, and even more that are in the line-up for a future beach vacation!
Here are a few that are sitting at the top of the pile:
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff -- I just finished this book and absolutely loved it! I'm fascinated by books that play with perspective, and this novel about marriage, identity, and how we narrate the stories of our lives to ourselves and others is split into two: one half is from the the husband's point of view, and the other is from the wife's. I highly recommend this book!
We Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live: Collected Nonfiction by Joan Didion -- I read my first Didion piece, "Goodbye to All That," in an essay writing workshop in college and I've been a fan of her essays and journalism ever since. Didon's work is a really interesting vehicle to learn about various moments in time (I especially love her writing on the counterculture of the 1960s), and as someone who reads lots and lots of essays, I really admire her use of the form. The best part about this collection is I can easily pick it up and put it down depending on my interests, mood, and how much time I have.
Girls and Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein -- I just started this book after reading various reviews, and am really interested in Orenstein's observations, especially about the way that social media affects teenage girls and their self-esteem, self-perception, and interactions with their peers. I've already had conversations about this book with a few moms, and am looking forward to finishing it soon.
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer -- Someone told me about this book last week and I ordered it immediately. I haven't started it yet, but can't wait. It's all about how memory works and what we can do to improve our own ability to remember things!
Be sure to check these books out and let us know what you think!