Looking for recommendations for books that are easy to both pick up AND put down, maybe even learn something from, that live on the side table in our living room so I can read a physical book in front of my kids (instead of my phone). I’ve always got a novel or two on my kindle, but just trying to find some good book recs that live between engrossing fiction and picture-forward coffee table books. Open to poetry but don’t know where to start!

Question

juliana · Answer

At Home:  A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson: a room-by-room tour of his own english country home that somehow turns into a sweeping history of everything — food, furniture, hygiene, architecture, technology.

a perfect book if you love random facts and you’re interested in interiors, homes, and history. somehow perfectly thorough and easily digestible.

Karen Fischer · Answer

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin: I just finished this, and I really liked it! It would also be very meta in your situation.

Tricia · Answer

The Book of Delights (Ross Gay): Short essays by poet Ross Gay, who is a delight! He started by recording one good thing a day, and found by paying attention that there were so many good things for even a second book. (Tip: one way to get into poetry is to start with a poet’s prose.)