Philpott is a kind of modern-day Erma Bombeck or Nora Ephron, spinning extraordinary stories from life’s ordinary details. In this witty and moving memoir-in-essays full of spot-on observations about home, work, and creative life, Philpott takes on the conflicting pressures of modern adulthood.  She offers up her own stories to show that figuring out who you are, who you’re not, and where you belong doesn’t just happen during one midlife crisis; rather, it’s an ongoing journey that doesn’t … [Read more...] about I Miss You When I Blink

Declutter and Organize to Make Room for More Happiness

“Don’t Wait to Start Creating Order” is one of the many valuable “tidying up” tips that Rubin offers in her action-packed (by that I mean get-you-butt-in-gear kind of action) book on ways to create outer order so that you can have inner calm.  As one professor of sociology and gerontology observed, “After age 50, the chances that a person will divest himself or herself of possessions diminishes with each decade.” Uh oh.

Not to worry.  … [Read more...] about Outer Order Inner Calm

The opening description of a 17-year-old girl playing a pickup game of basketball on the streets of NYC in the 90's is electric. Captivating story, thought-provoking themes, incredible writing. I devoured this book and just sent it off with my 22-year-old son on his trip to Florida. Maureen Corrigan at NPR reviews it here. She loved it too! Maureen Corrigan's review of The Falconer … [Read more...] about The Falconer

This was so funny and helpful--no pun intended. Adored this book and am recommending it to everyone. Powers is witty and cheeky and thought-provoking. A gas to read. Rachel Rosenblit of The Post said, "Marianne Power had me at hello. I’d only read a few pages of her blog-turned-memoir, “Help Me!: One Woman’s Quest to Find Out If Self-Help Really Can Change Your Life,” and I was already all in." Me too, Rachel!!!!! … [Read more...] about Help Me!

Oh, wow! Poetic, fascinating, brilliant writing. I gave this book to my son for Christmas, and I think it changed his life. By that, I mean, he's become a reader. He can't stop. (Talk about sparking joy in ME!) What could be a better endorsement than that. But if you still need convincing, read what The New York Times has to say about A Poet Who Loves Tennis Follows the Grand Tour, in Prose. … [Read more...] about The Circuit

Lydia Perez lives in the Mexican city of Acapulco. She runs a bookstore. She has a son Luca, the love of her life, and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. Lydia unknowingly befriends the jefe of the newest drug cartel when he begins to frequent her bookstore. They discover that they share a love of many of the same books and develop an intense friendship. But after her husband publishes an article about this man’s drug cartel, catastrophe and horror strike, forcing Lydia and her … [Read more...] about American Dirt

Weingarten is a long-form story writer for the Washington Post. I fell in love with his writing in this collection of his best work. I was enthralled by the final chapter where Weingarten enlists the help of Joshua Bell, one of the finest violinists in the world, to pose as a street musician in a busy subway station in D.C.

Weingarten wonders if people can recognize genius out of context and if people will make time for beauty.

Loved this book! … [Read more...] about The Fiddler in the Subway

A Washington Post reporter and his wife spend hours each day traveling to and from their jobs in D.C. With young twins, they feel the pangs of lost time with their children because of their commutes.

When Christopher does a story on the worst and best counties to live in America, he unknowingly sets in motion a new twist to his family's story. After publishing the worst place to live, that community invites him to come and visit.

Christopher is charmed, and when he returns home, he … [Read more...] about If You Lived Here You’d Be Home By Now