I love that you do this (list). Reading before bed is really the one way I sleep well, so I'm adopting this new term--the holy shied. Vowing to make this time for myself more sacred, and add a few of these to my own list.
I keep the ones I really like, because I tell myself that I'll want to go back to them and read again or save for my children...in reality, I rarely do reread, but having them on my shelves brings me joy. I look at them sometimes when I lie on the couch in front of the shelves and I remember the periods of life I was in when I read them. But I do have to cull books periodically or I'd be living in a book jungle. Ones I didn't love are either donated or sold to a used bookstore so I can credit and buy more books... :) And my bookshelves include LOTS of unread books, still! Ha
Dec 16, 2022·edited Dec 16, 2022Liked by Luisa Weiss
I am an addict of Books Read lists and have kept mine faithfully for many decades. It's been a long time, but I read "Mr. Bridge" and "Mrs. Bridge" in high school, and found them very sad and empty lives, especially Mrs. Bridge. It helped form my antipathy to marriage. "The Light Years," I read two decades ago, and it spurred me on to reading all Howard's books, but that flamed out. Nancy Mitford's "The Pursuit of Love" is enchanting; how could you not immediately read "Love in a Cold Climate?" And "Don't Tell Alfred." "Pride and Prejudice" is wonderful, though "Emma" is my favorite. I am on my 101th book of the year (I always aim for at least 100), an extremely long one.
Goodreads is an excellent place to record your books and write reviews for your own benefit. Thanks for sharing your list!
I picked up "American Wife" on a whim and wasn't really excited to read it based on the synopsis. But I was drawn in completely, and loved it! I also enjoyed "The Palace Papers" and highly recommend Tina Brown's earlier book, "The Diana Chronicles," which is smart, gossipy and has an interesting perspective on the British media.
I never in a million years thought I would be interested at all in American Wife; I LOVED IT. So much so that I went on to read Ann Gerhart's biography of LB! And yes a million times to the Diana Chronicles. I made my book club read it!
Dec 16, 2022·edited Dec 16, 2022Liked by Luisa Weiss
Just now, I was wondering what to do with the package of ground beef thawing in my fridge. I have a vague recollection of a lasagna recipe I saw somewhere, one with bechamel and not ricotta... must be Luisa Weiss. I check the index of My Berlin Kitchen, but it's not there. Feeling disappointed, I go to check my email, and there at the top is Letter from Berlin. Synchronicity!
As for the books, I've started The Land Where Lemons Grow, dipped into Crying in H Mart, and Black Sea has been on my list for a while (I love the Samarkand cookbook). I'm a very slow reader, but looking forward to winding my way through these and more next year.
Feeling chuffed that I read some of the same books this year! Ha! I think 50+ books is an amazing number for a mother of young boys, even without considering your book writing and recipe tasting. I’m retired, do very little of anything these days, and read 58 books this year. I only read them at bedtime and stayed up way too late a lot of nights, which is my next goal: get to bed earlier and get my reading in before midnight! Thanks for sharing your list, it’s nice to have some good recommendations.
I am so grateful for this post! One book that I made time to read recently was The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and I wondered, "Did Luisa flash this title on Insta or did I listen to the review on NPR?" Now I can purview your lists to see if I come across it.
I had already decided that this next year I will try to get to bed earlier and read- watching old reruns of shows I already know to calm me down enough to sleep is really getting old! So thank you for this list- it adds so many books to the ones that are already waiting for me on my night table 😅
I started a tattoo session when I realized I forgot my book. Frustrated, I went to my inbox to see if I had any newsletters to catch up on. This was high up on my 'unreads.' I scroll through and see the first book listed is set (partly, I'm learning) in Laos. It was a serendipitous find to help with my literary prep prior to our trip to Laos in March! Even better, my library had a copy available, so I could start reading it during the session. Thanks for sharing, Luisa!
It's actually written by Ann Fadiman, but it's about a family in the Hmong community in California that are experiencing a medical disaster and the difficulties that arise in the relationship between the family and their spiritual beliefs and the western medical establishment. It is profoundly moving, fascinating, heartrending, eye-opening, masterful - a true classic.
I love that you do this (list). Reading before bed is really the one way I sleep well, so I'm adopting this new term--the holy shied. Vowing to make this time for myself more sacred, and add a few of these to my own list.
It really makes such a difference in calming down the nervous system, right? x
This is so great and encouraging. Do you keep most the books you read? You have so many in your living room, it seems!
I keep the ones I really like, because I tell myself that I'll want to go back to them and read again or save for my children...in reality, I rarely do reread, but having them on my shelves brings me joy. I look at them sometimes when I lie on the couch in front of the shelves and I remember the periods of life I was in when I read them. But I do have to cull books periodically or I'd be living in a book jungle. Ones I didn't love are either donated or sold to a used bookstore so I can credit and buy more books... :) And my bookshelves include LOTS of unread books, still! Ha
I am an addict of Books Read lists and have kept mine faithfully for many decades. It's been a long time, but I read "Mr. Bridge" and "Mrs. Bridge" in high school, and found them very sad and empty lives, especially Mrs. Bridge. It helped form my antipathy to marriage. "The Light Years," I read two decades ago, and it spurred me on to reading all Howard's books, but that flamed out. Nancy Mitford's "The Pursuit of Love" is enchanting; how could you not immediately read "Love in a Cold Climate?" And "Don't Tell Alfred." "Pride and Prejudice" is wonderful, though "Emma" is my favorite. I am on my 101th book of the year (I always aim for at least 100), an extremely long one.
Goodreads is an excellent place to record your books and write reviews for your own benefit. Thanks for sharing your list!
100 books a year is an amazing goal!
I picked up "American Wife" on a whim and wasn't really excited to read it based on the synopsis. But I was drawn in completely, and loved it! I also enjoyed "The Palace Papers" and highly recommend Tina Brown's earlier book, "The Diana Chronicles," which is smart, gossipy and has an interesting perspective on the British media.
I never in a million years thought I would be interested at all in American Wife; I LOVED IT. So much so that I went on to read Ann Gerhart's biography of LB! And yes a million times to the Diana Chronicles. I made my book club read it!
Oh, I'll look for that biography! <3
Just now, I was wondering what to do with the package of ground beef thawing in my fridge. I have a vague recollection of a lasagna recipe I saw somewhere, one with bechamel and not ricotta... must be Luisa Weiss. I check the index of My Berlin Kitchen, but it's not there. Feeling disappointed, I go to check my email, and there at the top is Letter from Berlin. Synchronicity!
As for the books, I've started The Land Where Lemons Grow, dipped into Crying in H Mart, and Black Sea has been on my list for a while (I love the Samarkand cookbook). I'm a very slow reader, but looking forward to winding my way through these and more next year.
Synchronicity indeed!! Did you find the lasagne recipe? It's in a newsletter, I'll post it if you need it.
Yes, I found it, thanks! I'll be attempting the "truly, truly traditional" spinach pasta version.
I‘ve had The Latehomecomer on my shelf for eleven years, and this was the year i finally read it. It was one of my favorite books this year.
Thank you for doing this every year. It‘s fun to compare my list with yours, and I get lots of ideas for what I want to read in the future.
I'm so glad.
Feeling chuffed that I read some of the same books this year! Ha! I think 50+ books is an amazing number for a mother of young boys, even without considering your book writing and recipe tasting. I’m retired, do very little of anything these days, and read 58 books this year. I only read them at bedtime and stayed up way too late a lot of nights, which is my next goal: get to bed earlier and get my reading in before midnight! Thanks for sharing your list, it’s nice to have some good recommendations.
Mrs Bridge!!! What a book
Thank you for this list! I love the image of a holy shield to protect my reading time. It really is a sacred time of day.
Love the Cazalet Chronicles! Discovered them this year and read all in the span of a month
I am so grateful for this post! One book that I made time to read recently was The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and I wondered, "Did Luisa flash this title on Insta or did I listen to the review on NPR?" Now I can purview your lists to see if I come across it.
Yes, I loved it! On Insta...but now I can't remember what year.
Any list that includes Laurie Colwin is a good list
It definitely was not her strongest work, but I love her writing. My favorite LC novel so far was Family Happiness.
I love Family Happiness too (and have such a different reaction to it in my mid 40s than I did in my 20s)
Yesss!!!!
I had already decided that this next year I will try to get to bed earlier and read- watching old reruns of shows I already know to calm me down enough to sleep is really getting old! So thank you for this list- it adds so many books to the ones that are already waiting for me on my night table 😅
I started a tattoo session when I realized I forgot my book. Frustrated, I went to my inbox to see if I had any newsletters to catch up on. This was high up on my 'unreads.' I scroll through and see the first book listed is set (partly, I'm learning) in Laos. It was a serendipitous find to help with my literary prep prior to our trip to Laos in March! Even better, my library had a copy available, so I could start reading it during the session. Thanks for sharing, Luisa!
OMG, if you haven't yet, you must read When the Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down! Have a wonderful time in Laos.
Thank you! Never thought I'd be turning to the author of Classic German Baking for all my Laotian literature needs, but happy it happened!
It's actually written by Ann Fadiman, but it's about a family in the Hmong community in California that are experiencing a medical disaster and the difficulties that arise in the relationship between the family and their spiritual beliefs and the western medical establishment. It is profoundly moving, fascinating, heartrending, eye-opening, masterful - a true classic.
Thank you for sharing your list! Always looking for good bks. I have to agree with your comment on “Lucy by the Sea”!
Have you read “Woman is no Man”? Although I could not put it down, it was horrifying.
Also-The Girl with Seven Names
Happy reading
Merry Christmas! 🎄
No, I haven't read either! Off to investigate...
Very similar reading recommendations ! I loved a lot of the books you listed here, and, like you, I can’t wait for the new Sittenfeld