I Love My Purseby Belle Demont. My toenails are painted red right now. Why? My little boys wanted me to paint mine with them. So I did. Then we read this beautiful picture book about a boy named Charlie who loves carrying around his grandmother’s red purse. At first everyone challenges him! But, then, they realize they don’t need to always conform to social or gender norms, either. Heartwarming and beautiful.
Calypsoby David Sedaris. Years ago I waited till around 1am in the basement of an old theater in downtown Toronto to meet David Sedaris. I was by myself. My phone died. I was thirsty. By the time I got near the front I hated David Sedaris. I loved his books but where did he get the nerve to make me wait four hours to get my book signed? Who did he think he was? Space Mountain? But then I got to the front. And he sat there calmly. And it was clear I could lead the conversation. So I did! I asked him about my favorite essays in Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day and something like five or ten minutes later he wrote “Neil, I am so happy you’re alive” in my book. Now that’s a book signing! Patience, connection, intimacy. I’ve tried to adopt the same approach and feel it's the most beautiful part of the writing world. As for David Sedaris, I haven’t loved his latest books as much but was thrilled to get my hands on an early copy of Calypso before it comes out this Tuesday. (I’m interviewing him for 3 Books!) Calypso may take the position of Best Sedaris Book Ever. Slower, darker, and – wait for it – it has an arc! All the hilarious essays sort of weave together to give a sharp portrait of middle age with everything that entails. A father in his 90s. Losing a sibling. Everything sounding loud in airports. Easily the funniest book I have read all year. I highly recommend it.
Forest Bathingby Dr. Qing Li. A stunningly beautiful book about the Japanese art and science of shinrin-yoku or the life-changing magic of walking in the woods. As Dr. Li says “Indoors, we tend to use only two senses, our eyes and our ears. Outdoors is where we can smell the flowers, taste the fresh air, look at the changing colors of the trees, hear the birds singing and feel the breeze on our skin. And when we open up our sense, we begin to connect to the natural world.” Great photos throughout. This belongs in every dentist, accountant, and occupational therapist waiting room.
Best. State. Ever: A Florida Man Defends His Homeland by Dave Barry. I grew up reading Dave Barry’s syndicated humor column. Together with newspaper comic strips and MAD Magazines it was one of the rare little geysers of comedy in my life. (I love this little online treasure trove of his 2008 US election and convention coverage.) Best. State. Ever is a hilarious driving tour history of Florida’s many oddities. And, before you ask, Dave Barry is also an upcoming guest on 3 Books. I flew down to meet him in his hometown Books & Books bookstore in Coral Gables which is an absolutely mesmerizing place complete with giant outdoor magazine stand, publisher-themed rooms, and the best damn chicken salad you’re gonna find in a bookstore. Can't wait to share the conversation soon.
A Little History of The Worldby E.H. Gombrich. Do you have a curious 12 year old in your life? Buy them this book. (Same if you have the brain of a curious 12 year old yourself.) Back in 1935 E.H. Gombrich wrote this book in German. It took him six weeks and the audience was a friend's young daughter. And that tone and style is still there in the English translation which didn’t appear until seventy years later. Covers everything from The Stone Age to the atomic bomb. This is like a Wait Buy Why blog post written a hundred years ago.
The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Timeless Teachings To Raise Self-Reliant Childrenby Wendy Mogel. I love the title of this book and her other book for raising teens which is called The Blessing of a B Minus. In the opening she discusses how she found her Jewish roots and then studied Jewish parenting books thousands of years old. The original sub-title for this book was “Using Jewish Teachings To Raise Self-Reliant Children” but it’s been updated to "timeless." The content isn’t revolutionary! But if the title intrigues you then the book serves as a generous and warm-hearted guidebook to getting there.
