If You Read Books, You Might Like Reading These Books

Quick hits on my favorite books from 2024. Maybe you'll find your next read!

Thanksgiving in our bitty home

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara

uplifting, unexpected, motivating

Standout Quote: "All it takes for something extraordinary to happen is one person with enthusiasm." pg.27

This book inspires creativity, initiative, and follow through whether you're in the weeds of the restaurant industry or someone who invites people over for dinner sometimes. The topnotch storytelling has made multiple readers cry (so I've heard). Because I read this book, I was delighted, but not surprised, by my experience at Canlis (a famous Seattle restaurant mentioned in the book).

The Experience: My husband and I made reservations at Canlis to celebrate our 15th anniversary. There was an old rotary phone next to our table with a dial tone (of course I checked). I asked our waitress (Heather) for the backstory, and apparently one of the Mr. Canlises used to work from that table of the restaurant, so they've left the phone there in his honor. As she finished her story, complete with a photo she brought to the table, the phone rang! "I think that's for you," said Heather. I answered the phone to someone wishing us a very happy anniversary.

So delightful. So very on-brand with Unreasonable Hospitality. Read this book and plan to forever be on the lookout for your rotary phone moments - giving or receiving. (And make reservations at Canlis.)

Bonus Quote: "Don't ruin a story with facts."

visiting the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial with my family

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu

innovative, provocative, precise

Standout Quote: "Every act of communication is a miracle of translation." pg.vii preface

I don't think I had read a short story since being traumatized by The Lottery in high school. (Side note: I just found out The Lottery is set in Edmonds where I currently live?! No thanks, Shirley Jackson.) Ken Liu's stories that address the morality of technology, identity, culture, and family dynamics wade into deep waters. They do so with precision and an impressive dose of imagination. This book would certainly spark stimulating book club conversation (human intuition vs. AI calculation, tradition and progress, the soul's evolution). My favorite short story was "State Change."

a favorite piece of art in The Met

Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson

quirky, unveiling, specialized

Standout Quote: "His pace was rebellious in its calm." pg.198

Did not see this book coming. It was gifted to me after raving about my visit to The Met (thanks, Ainsley!), and I wish it came with a map of the museum and reference photos. The author worked in the museum for over 25 years and - through the art of fiction - gives a peek into the inner workings that make The Met possible. In Coulson's stories, a chair speaks, artwork lines up to be interviewed, and there is access to Egypt in the basement.

smelliest car ride of my life

Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour

life-saving, empathetic, amusing

Standout Quote: "Sending our teens to school is like sending them to a buffet where they are required to try everything being served. As adults, many of us have figured out what we like and what we don't, and we select for ourselves accordingly...Teenagers, however, must consume everything on the menu. There is no way they will like all of it, and we should not expect that they will. I find that the school-as-mandatory-buffet metaphor brings needed neutrality to the loaded topic of academic motivation, so I'm going to risk beating it into the ground."

We are months away from our oldest turning 13, so it's dig-deep, lean-in, game-face, Go Time. (I know it's never not Go Time when parenting, but this feels big.) I will love Lisa forever for reminding me how it feels to be a teenager and helping me thread the needle of empathizing with my kids while being the responsible adult. She gets very practical. She covers hot button issues. She made me laugh. If you're around teens in any capacity, this is a good read.

block print experiment

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

challenging, exploratory, communal

Standout Quote: "In the face of experience, the whole question of belief is rendered obsolete."

This sucker is a 12 week workbook meant to be completed while meeting regularly with a group, so buckle up for a commitment on this one. Daily Morning Pages (filling 3 per day with your own writing) and Weekly Artist Dates (taking yourself out for a unique experience) are also on the agenda. I was challenged to create when I didn't feel like it. I enjoyed some new experiences I otherwise would not have gifted myself. If you're in the market for community support and a nudge in the right direction as a creative, this is a worthwhile undertaking. Lucinda Caldwell of Giddy by Nature led my group - high recommend!

one of my favorite book titles & covers

Ordinary Things Will Be Signs for Us by Corita Kent

vibrant, delightful, nostalgic

Standout Quote: "And we came in as good amateurs come in, with the idea that everything is possible."

One of Corita Kent's artistic practices included looking through a paper viewfinder, in order to shift her perspective and make unique connections. The images and quotes arranged in her book are joyful and thought-provoking. One of my favorite spreads includes a photo of an auditorium filled with people tossing around colorful balloons alongside a close-up shot of someone's hair absolutely filled with confetti. I've started gifting this book to my creative loves and may never stop.

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Drop a comment below with a book I need to add to my list!