There has, really and truly, never been a better time to dive into a good book than the here and the now. Time is a luxury, and however you choose to prioritize what falls within the scope of your time, I hope that it brings you joy.
For me, that has meant even more time doing this I care about such as getting lost (and found) in a good book. I put together a guide to the best books that I read in March, that books that are on my list for April, and some of my all-weather favorites that might be particularly interesting and relevant in this moment. Please read any of these April books along with me, and report back with thoughts and feelings!
Don’t forget to follow #caros_reads on Instagram for ideas, and follow along with my stories as I read each book. Happy book worm-ing!
What I Read in March
The Genius Life – When Max Lugavere’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, he began a deep-dive into the world of functional medicine and nutrition that resulted in his astoundingly well-researched debut book, Genius Foods. The Genius Life is his second book, and expands outwards from the food focus of his first book to include things things like sleep, circadian rhym, movement, and fasting, among many others. The book reads quickly, even as you’re learning massive amounts of information about how we can be living for optimal brain, gut, and full-body health.
The Water Dancer – I’ve been a fan of Ta-Nehisi Coates since I read his first book (you can also check out my write-up of his other masterpiece We Were Eight Years in Power), but this fiction debut rocked me to my core. It tells the story of slavery in the American South, the Underground Railroad, and also ties in elements of magic and surrealism that are absolutely captivating and heartwrenching and deeply moving.
Quit Like a Woman – Oh boy, this book. I have had my own internal and external examination over the past few years of how alcohol exists in our culture and impacts each of us, and this book did a phenomenal job of articulating and elucidating so many of the thoughts that I’ve had and really kept to myself. Holly Whitaker is such a clear and powerful female voice, and I loved this deep dive into the cultural constructs around alcohol particularly through the female lens. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.
A Long Petal of the Sea – I’ve been a fan of Isabel Allende since I read Daughter of Fortune many moons ago, and I actually heard about this newer book via a friend on none other than Instagram. It’s the story of an exodus from the Spanish Civil War that jumps between time and place, and I’m excited to dive in.
Food Fix – I’m a huge fan of Dr. Mark Hyman’s functional medicine approach to well, everything, and listen to his podcast, The Doctor’s Farmacy, on the reg. His newest book, Food Fix, takes things a step further and weaves together the connections between food, our economy, the health of our plant, and our political landscape. It’s startling, troubling, but also solution-oriented, and I believe should be required reading for all.
What I Am Reading in April
Grow a New Body – I’ve heard Dr. Alberto Villoldo speak on a few podcasts over the past year, and am fascinated by his perspective. He deals with the connection between medicine, science, the body, and the spiritual realm, and I could not be more excited to learn about his shamanic background and his advice for optimizing overall health.
The Undocumented Americans – I read this synopsis line, “One of the first undocumented immigrants to graduate from Harvard reveals the hidden lives of her fellow undocumented Americans in this deeply personal and groundbreaking portrait of a nation” and I knew that I needed to read this book. Her story brings together the voices and narratives of the undocumented from across the country to light.
A Little Life – I first read this epic in 2016 when it came out, and but am finally circling back to reread it once more. This haunting story is no light read, but I felt amazingly attached to the darkness and weakness present in these wholly human characters. While disturbing at times, I found this life-encompassing novel to be incredibly redemptive.
Apeirogon – I’ve long been a fan of Colum McCan (read Let The Great World Spin if you haven’t already), and his newest novel about the friendship between an Israeli man and a Palestinian man that’s actually based on two real people he met in his travels.
Leave Only Footprints – This memoir covers the author’s Acadia-to-Zion journey through every national park over the course of a year. What started with a broken engagement turns into a road trip for the ages, with many life lessons learned along the way to boot.
Awkword Moments – This book is about words…I was instantly hooked. It’s a compilation of 100 words and phrases, from Latin phrases I get nostalgic about (took the language for 7 years) to cultural references such as sturm und drang (remember that from Art History 101?).
And a Few More…
What else is on my list for 2020
Caro's City 