A few years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would read more. I found myself mindlessly scrolling on social media and rarely reading an actual book. Since then, I’ve read 12 books per year, one a month. A modest goal but one I’ve been proud to keep! 

Here are some of my favorite reads over the last few years.

• Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
• I typically read a lot of nonfiction but this novel was fantastic. I found myself lost in the story of Olga, a Manhattan-based wedding planner with an incredibly interesting family story. I was so sad when I finished the book! 
• "Don’t underestimate this new novelist. She’s jump-starting the year with a smart romantic comedy that lures us in with laughter and keeps us hooked with a fantastically engaging story." ―The Washington Post

• How to Change Your Mind, by Michael Pollan
• This is a super interesting book about the power of psilocybin. I knew nothing about this topic before jumping in, but was a Michael Pollan fan from reading the Omnivore’s Dilemma over 15 years ago. It was super interesting to read about the effects of psychedelics on the brain. 
• This book was selected as one of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of 2018

• Bringing Up Bebe, by Pamela Druckerman
• I read this while I was pregnant with Jules, such a good book about how American parenting isn’t necessarily the norm across the rest of the world! Good to have some context for what is “normal” beyond our own backyard

• The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing
• My mom read this book in her 20’s and it was so formative for her. She has fantasies of being a homesteader, just living off the land and growing her own food. This is a story of a couple who turned that dream into a reality in their 50’s!

• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• A very technical nonfiction book about what sleep does for the brain and body, it’s truly amazing!

Check out what some of our other staffers are reading!