I’m often asked what I’m reading, what I’ve read, what I’ve liked.
While I don’t have nearly as much time as I used to to read for pleasure, I do love to talk about books (at least for as long as my piddly memory can remember what I’ve read). I’ll keep track here of some I’ve liked and what I’m currently reading. The “current reads” don’t change at a lightning pace, so don’t be surprised to see the same book for a few weeks!
Books I recommend:
- Half a Life by Darin Strauss
- Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
- Lisa Genova’s Still Alice
- Rebecca Skloot’s The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
- If I Loved You, I Would Tell You This by Robin Black A short story collection that will stay with you.
- Katie Rosman’s If You Knew Suzy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Reporter’s Notebook Read the blogpost I wrote about If You Knew Suzy: A Mother, A Daughter, A Reporter’s Notebook
- Joe Wallace’s Diamond Ruby
- Rosanne Cash’s Composed
- Julie Klam’s You Had Me at Woof
- Devotion by Dani Shapiro (read the blogpost I wrote about this book and why writing in the margins was such a struggle for me)
- Seth Mnookin’s The Panic Virus. This is an important and interesting book about the spread of non-facts by non-experts. In a society where celebrities with no medical training and doctors who fudge statistics can take center stage and endanger the health and safety of others, it’s gratifying (and necessary) that someone delve into the issue more closely. Mnookin’s carefully-researched book is a must-read for those who want to know more about the ramifications when emotion trumps reason. Here’s the WSJ Review
- The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier
- Friendkeeping by Julie Klam
- The Good House by Ann Leary
- The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
- Gene Weingarten’s The Fiddler in the Subway
- Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker A social history of blood transfusions. A great example of science and storytelling combined.
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I have just garnered the courage to read Emperor of All Maladies and it is excellent.