I don’t know how your reading habits are doing during these strange, quiet days, but mine fell off the wagon for a while. Part of the problem was not having the right book. I had been trying to get through Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed for my book club, but after trudging through three quarters of it I decided to toss it aside. I wanted to get back into that love and craving of reading, and so I decided to find a better book to do the trick.
Roald Dahl came to my rescue. I downloaded an e-book version of The BFG and started reading it to the boys and it was just what I needed to get me excited about stories again. We’ve all been loving it and I look forward to the moments when we curl up on the bed together and read a chapter or two.
With libraries closed (*tear*) I’ve looked through my shelves to see what books I’d like to reread. I decided on the audible version of Stephen King’s On Writing, which he narrates himself! It’s one of my favourite books on writing, and even if you’re not a writer you’ll be captivated immediately by his storytelling. I’ve also been slowly working my way again through John Kabat Zinn’s book on mindfulness in everyday life, Wherever You Go, There You Are. And I say slowly because this book is so packed with applicable wisdom that reading it too quickly will have you miss much of that richness.
My dear friend and neighbour gathered a stack of books from her shelves to lend to our family, and in it I discovered Carol Matas’ little treasure After the War. It’s just over 100 pages long so I read it in one sitting and it brought me right back to my elementary school days when I couldn’t get enough of historical fiction books set during World War 2. I decided it was time to build on my own collection of these beloved stories, so I jumped on the Chapters website and ordered my childhood favourite, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, along with The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Devil’s Arithmetic, The True Story of Hansel and Gretel, and The Upstairs Room. So, if you need me next month you know where I’ll be!
I’m also looking forward to rereading Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl as a companion during these days of self-isolation.
When my e-book hold on James Clear’s New York Times Bestseller Atomic Habits finally became available I think I actually let out a squeal of excitement. I can’t put this book down. I love learning about habits and already in the beginning chapters he has offered lots of practical advice that has me re-thinking the way I structure my daily activities.
Okay, now it’s your turn. What are the best books you’ve been reading these days? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
xo Andrea
before you go 