New Favorite Reads
January 18, 2011
Hi all! I’m on an airplane across the country today, one of several trips I’m taking over the next few weeks. Airplane travel always justifies a trip to the bookstore for some new books plus a handful of glossy magazines, so I picked up some new reads today.
There’s a few great books on my nightstand right now that I’ve read lately, so I thought I’d share.
Let’s start with the eye candy. I’m loving Suzanne Kasler’s Inspired Interiors*, 200 pages full of classic elegant spaces, just my style!
Also, Jan Shower’s Glamorous Rooms, more timeless beautiful spaces and understated elegance on all 200 pages.
I’m also been enjoying Nina Garcia’s The One Hundred: A Guide to The Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own. It lists all the classic fashion essentials from A to Z, from a camel coat to knee high boots. It was just released in paperback too, this one makes a great gift for any girlfriend!
The best witty fiction I’ve read in years is Muriel Barbery’s The Elegance of the Hedgehog. I laughed my way through the entire book, it’s incredibly well written.
Here’s a poignant collection of short reflections on change and grace that I’m truly enjoying, Shauna Niequist’s Bittersweet. “Change is good in a way that childbirth is good, heartbreak is good and failure is good . . . it can push us, pull us, rebuke us and remake us. . . it is a function of God’s graciousness not life’s cruelty.” Love that.
At the bookstore today, I picked up The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and City of Thieves by David Benioff. I haven’t read them yet, but I’m about to get started. Have you read either of them? What did you think?
With my kids, we’ve been enjoying the classics The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, and The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I loved both of these when I was young, so it’s nostalgic to read them to my children.
For my little boy, we’re also enjoying these recent finds, If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen and Shark v. Train by Chris Barton. My four year old son loves these two!
My six year old daughter is reading the classic Imogene’s Antlers by David Small, Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin, and Someday by Eileen Spinelli.
And I’ve been brushing up on my Home Rules by Nate Berkus. Not only does he have impeccable taste and the most sensible style, he is the king of creating inviting spaces.
But most relevant because, drumroll please . . . .
I’m going to be on his show on Wednesday!!!!
Hence the plane trip to NYC today !
I’m excited but a little nervous too.
I keep having that dream, you know the one where you’re called onstage, then as you walk in, you slip and fall and your skirt goes flying up, and all you can hear and see is the crowd laughing out loud in extreme slow motion? Yeah, that dream. I keep having it. Let’s hope it doesn’t become a reality.
If you follow me on Twitter, I’ll be showing little glimpses of my day in NYC and The Nate Show taping on Wednesday. Wish me luck, I’m gonna need it!
What’s on your nightstand that you’re loving right now? Got a great design book you recommend? A witty work of fiction or nonfiction? A great children’s book? Do share!
*no affiliate links anywhere here, just my favorite reads right now
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