Books We Love

Everyone has at least one of those books. The kind of book that fills your cup, perhaps because the words on the page feel nostalgic, meaningful, to your soul. Words have that power. For some people it may be a novel you read in seventh grade, and every summer after. For my Nan, I have a strong feeling it may have been her cookbooks, she was Catholic, but I always thought The Joy of Cooking was her Bible. Paula Dean, her savior. (She would not have laughed at that joke). I love to read, a trait passed down from my Great grandmother, Marion (Nan's mom), we called her grandmother because she was a classy broad. Grandmother was a no nonsense kind of woman, but she instilled a love for words in my family. There were some years that I was not a faithful reader, I often skimmed over novels that were assigned in high school. I can honestly count on one hand the books I finished for those classes. I never gave enough of a shit to read the books. I was too busy watching Jersey Shore, or Saturday Night Live, not reading The Odyssey. Those were some interesting years. I have mentioned in previous blogs, I was all things zebra print-obnoxious glitter-ratted hair.  I was in no way a fan of reading meaningful literature. I don't believe that my fashion choices were the reason I wasn't reading, but I could only imagine the amount of hair spray I was using was probably affecting my ability to think clearly. It's probably hard to read anything when your inhaling those fumes. I have attached a picture  of my voluptuous hair below- enjoy. It wasn't until college that I realized how impactful  good books are. I only realized this when I completely BS'd my way through a scholarship paper, on my favorite book. At the time my true favorite book was Bossypants by Tina Fey (READ THIS BOOK), but I wanted to sound like I knew classic lit, so I lied and said my favorite book was To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is an amazing book, but I hadn't actually read it until months after my bogus scholarship paper was submitted(I didn't get the scholarship). When I finally read it, I felt guilty for claiming I had, it was so powerful. I learned that it's okay to love books, the way I love Bossypants, but I also have to read books that are out of my comfort zone. I have started to really love reading, even when the book is difficult.  I think it's becoming a lost skill, to read books that challenge us. I struggle when I read books that widen my vocabulary and test my values, but those are the same books that have made me better in conversation, and a more open mind.  I love the people who introduce me to a good book. When you share your favorite books, you are showing people words that make you feel whole,  make you laugh harder, cry deeply, and think meaningfully. The ultimate compliment to me, is when someone tells me that they thought of me when they read a book, or a poem. There is something so concrete in knowing someone felt your presence in the words.
​Here is a small list of books, from your girl Lib (comment on the blog if you ever want more recommendations, or have any for me) 
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
-To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
​-1984 by George Orwell
-Yes Please by Amy Poehler 
-The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
-The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald 
-Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 
-The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
 -Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
-Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

-Libby 


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