What I'm reading and the difficulty of recommending books
"Sometimes, not knowing what you’re looking for is an opportunity to discover something entirely new."
I get asked for reading recommendations often, and I don’t know why. I wonder if people assume I read a lot because I’m a writer, if they have no one else to ask since books are less commonly consumed over shows nowadays, or if they simply want to learn more about me.
If five people asked me what I was reading over a span of one year, they’d likely all get the same answer. I read slowly. I currently have about 100 pages left of a mystery fiction novel I started last summer. My list of unfinished books keeps growing. And because of that, I don’t re-read books often. There are too many amazing stories in the world for me to do so. Especially at the pace I move.
I’m not embarrassed to say so. One reason is that I’m usually reading several books at the same time, merging my consciousness with different authors depending on the time of day and what I’m currently working on. Depending on if I need a creative boost, if my hamartia feels louder than usual, if I want to learn about a topic, or need to sharpen my writing tools—I have a round-up of books ready.
When someone seeks a book recommendation, I noticed that they often struggle to articulate what they’re looking for.
The issue, though, is it becomes difficult to remember what happened where you left off. Key plot points become blurry. To jump back in easily, it always helps read slowly, annotate in the margins, and save notes in a journal or device. I’ve been using a planner lately to jot down quick points that inspired me while reading. A thought could later become the framework for an article like this one. We all have different reading styles that work best for us. In the end, I don’t mind forgetting what I read. I see it as a chance to return to old words with fresh eyes.
I find it difficult to recommend books because I believe it to be a deeply personal and intuitive experience. There are popular books displayed at store window fronts that I haven’t been able to sink into. Sometimes, it’s just the timing. The first series I ever read was The Hunger Games. I was sick, bedridden, and had nothing else to do. At that point in my life, I wasn’t yet a reader. Easily distracted, I found it difficult to become immersed in the imaginary world through words. Then, I found a story that resonated with me. I haven’t stopped reading since.
The best books, and things in life, are the ones you fall for unexpectedly.
I know I said I don’t like to re-read books, but I actually re-read The Hunger Games around seven times (that was the only exception, and I was bedridden for more than seven days). I was captivated by the story of a young girl put in impossible circumstances, relying on nothing but love and her hunting skills to survive. This reminds me that the best books, and things in life, are the ones you fall for unexpectedly. The ones that you wouldn’t normally pick up but something about it struck you and now you don’t want to put it down. The ones that resonate with you today.
When someone seeks a book recommendation, I noticed that they often struggle to articulate what they’re looking for. Sometimes, not knowing what you’re looking for is an opportunity to discover something entirely new.
Now, if someone asks, I like to respond to a book recommendation request by sharing what I’m currently reading. If our conversation gets to that point, I’ll also explain why I like a certain book, such as for the way the author captures emotion or a new point of view. If you look closely, you’ll see shadows of these authors show up in my writing. This gives a peek into my mind—what inspires, makes me curious, what I want to know, and where I wish to be.
The list below is shared with you in humility. Whether you read one or not, I hope you are inspired to keep looking for what resonates with you.
📖 On my night table
Here is a list of my current book rotation. You can read a brief description and why I love them below.
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane | Fiction, Psychological thriller
When they were children, Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle were friends. But then a strange car pulled up to their street. One boy got into the car, two did not, and something terrible happened—something that ended their friendship and changed all three boys forever.
Twenty-five years later, Sean is a homicide detective. Jimmy is an ex-con who owns a corner store. And Dave is trying to hold is marriage together and keep his demons at bay—demons that urge him to do terrible things.
In marriage, a homicide case, grief, love, or everything all at once—heart-wrenching scenes cause me to empathize and connect with the darker side of humanity. I found Mystic River in a box of free books by the beach in Barrie last summer. Although I tend to not read anything too gruesome, it is now one of my favourite fiction novels.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell | Non-fiction, Psychology, Social Science, Business
In understanding successful people, we have come to focus far too much on their intelligence and ambition and personality traits. Instead, Malcolm Gladwell argues in Outliers, we should look at the world that surrounds the successful—their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing.
Gladwell is my role model when it comes to helping the every day person understand complex psychological studies and see why they matter and how they impact us all today. He uses simple sentences to paint revolutionary ideas that can shape the world. Details, such as the day elite hockey players are born or what the richest people have in common, graciously point out how our current views of success are insufficient. I zoomed through the first three chapters of Outliers last week.
Drama Free by Nedra Glover Tawwab | Self-help, Psychology
Every family has a story. For some of us, our family of origin is a solid foundation that feeds our confidence and helps us navigate life's challenges. For others, it's a source of pain, hurt, and conflict that can feel like a lifelong burden. In this empowering guide, licensed therapist and bestselling relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab offers clear advice for identifying dysfunctional family patterns and choosing the best path to breaking the cycle and moving forward.
It’s difficult to break patterns and old behaviours. Tawwab guides readers through difficult family relationships by removing the shame and guilt around setting boundaries and by providing tools to help make better decisions for a healthy and happy life. Her lists and exercises throughout the book are simple tools that make this book easy to pick up whenever I’m in need of relational advice.
Show your work! by Austin Kleon | Writing tools
Show your work! puts an end to the destructive myth of the lone genius by showing artists and writers, makers and creative entrepreneurs how to join the new ecology of talent. It is about getting found by being findable, about using the network instead of wasting time networking.
I graduated from a creative-writing program where I learned how to write well, but not how to share my work online, something I’ve always been a bit shy to do. Sharing work online, Kleon says, is brave and generous, a way to document the process, give to other creatives and create good work. He condenses years of personal experience into ten principles that are fresh and invaluable. I consider him like a mentor to me now. Whenever I’m stuck, I flip open this book and immediately know what I need to do next.
What’s on your night table? Feel free to share it below in the comments or request book recommendations below!
I love this article, Elisa! Thanks for sharing honestly about your reading life! I'm gonna remember this line: "I don’t mind forgetting what I read. I see it as a chance to return to old words with fresh eyes."