In the spirit of Thanksgiving… instead of my usual reviews of reviews, I want to use today’s blog to offer thanks for some books that changed, enriched, enchanted, or otherwise affected my life. And I’d love to hear which books EDIWTB readers have similar feelings about.
A few of them are ones I have already mentioned at some point in the blog:
Nickel and Dimed, for making me appreciate how good I’ve had it my whole life. (Barbara Ehrenreich)
Evening, for exposing the transience and frailty of life without being depressing. Still one of the most haunting, beautiful books I have ever read. (Susan Minot)
Here are a couple more:
The Zygote Chronicles, for accompanying me through pregnancy with honesty, wit and shared fear of the unknown. (Suzanne Finnamore)
The Corrections, for living up to the hype. (Jonathan Franzen)
Prep, for a truly entertaining read and for proving that adolescence is universal. (Curtis Sittenfeld)
The Lost Daughters of China, for offering a heartworming and unforgettable glimpse into the fascinating and beautiful world of international adoption. (Karin Evans)
Pack of Two, for its honest and insightful portrayal of the bond between man and dog. Caroline Knapp, you are deeply missed. (Caroline Knapp)
The Romantic Movement and On Love for making love and relationships seem predictable, mundane, formulaic, and yet utterly irresistible. (Alain de Botton)
24/7: Living it Up and Doubling Down, for the sheer joy it brought me to learn that someone else appreciates Vegas as much as I do. (Andres Martinez).
So there are a few of the books for which I am most thankful. Please comment below and let me know which ones you’re most grateful for this year. And happy early Thanksgiving!