By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
Most kids are going back to school this month, and if you are like me, you feel a little envy. Back to school season is all about new beginnings with freshly-sharpened pencils and making new friends. The weather is getting chillier and you secretly love the “get-to-know-you” games during the first few weeks. Why can’t school be a lifelong experience?
I love to dig into a new book this time of the year. Reading on the porch in a sweatshirt with a cup of coffee is heaven.
There’s a book for every kind of reader, whether you prefer self-help nonfiction, comic books, a spicy romance, or a thriller that makes your jaw drop. Reading should be a pleasurable experience that expands your mind and imagination. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy
This anticipated biography sold out on Amazon within a few hours of its release. McCurdy, known by many as Sam on iCarly and Sam & Cat on Nickelodeon, has overcome major obstacles such as facing abuse, living in a hoarder house, wrestling with her Mormon faith, and becoming a child star. This book will make you laugh and cry within the same sentence. It’s that good.
The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara
Sci-Fi enthusiasts, this one’s for you. Athena Rao is accused of murdering her father, King Rao, the top Big Tech giant of the future. To prove her innocence to the Board of Corporations (the oligarchal authority of the planet), Athena must access the Harmonica, an internal device that records memories, which her father implanted in her. Readers travel back in time through Athena’s subconscious and witness unspeakable traumas. If you constantly question the danger of technology and overreach of government, this book will light your fire.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
The author of the infamous ‘Love Hypothesis’ is back with another STEM-centric love story (she is a neuroscientist herself). Science lovers will laugh at the academic jokes and fall in love with the main characters. It’s brainy and sexy at the same time. Enemies to lovers will never get old.
Alive at the End of the World by Saeed Jones
Jones pieces together beautiful poems speaking about the little traumas of our daily lives. It’s haunting, witty, and expressive on themes such as complex grief, betrayal, and social injustice. The poetry collectively forms a memoir of Jones’ experiences, full of authentic hope and hostility. This book has just been released, so add it to your Amazon wishlist today.
The Psychology of Stupidity by Jean-Francois Marmion
Marmion dissects how qualities like laziness, stubbornness, and poor social skills lead to ‘stupidity.’ Media manipulation, psychology, education and civil discourse all play a role in whether your coworker clicks ‘reply all,’ someone cuts you off on the highway, your aunt posts ignorant statements on social media, or the cashier takes too long to calculate the change owed. Prepare to be enlightened.
