Nothing beats curling up with a good book by a big window in the final weeks of winter—except finding new books to enjoy. Our friends at Books Are Magic—a team favorite among our Brooklyn-based staff for all our new reads—crafted the ultimate disconnection reading list for the season, so we can all curl up with the best new books everyone’s talking about.
Longing for Less by Kyle Chayka
In this thoughtful new cultural history, journalist and cultural critic Kyle Chayka takes on the rising lifestyle trend of minimalism, exploring the philosophical and spiritual origins of why we often feel less is more. We are all familiar with popular templates to clear our homes of clutter in order to bring more peace to our lives, but Chayka delves deeper in the movement, including a series of mini-biographies of artists, writers, and visionaries who have grappled with ways to reach deeper emotional understandings, and investigate the implications of presence versus absence. While spending some extra time indoors this winter, this is a great book to get introspective about the spaces we inhabit, both physically and spiritually.
Modern Love, Revised and Updated: True Stories of Love, Loss and Redemption by Daniel Jones, Andrew Rannells, Ayelet Waldman
Drawn from the beloved “Modern Love” column of the New York Times, Modern Love, Revised and Updated is the perfect book for anyone interested in the messiness of dating and the human heart. This anthology collects dozens of the most memorable essays in the column’s fifteen-year run. We learn about a young woman’s journey through the five stages of ghosting grief, a widower struggling to decide whether to introduce his new girlfriend to his children, a woman in her seventies reflecting on the highs and lows of her past relationships. By turns funny, provocative, and heartbreaking but always honest, this colorful collection is the perfect companion for a weekend getaway.
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
An uplifting and heartfelt book about six strangers who connect over their renewed, shared commitment to honesty. It all begins with a little, green notebook, which is left in Monica Café by Julian Jessop, an elderly artist who wishes people would be more honest with each other. From that point the journal—a la Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—trades hands among strangers, as it becomes a catalyst for the intimacy each person craves. Along the way we get to meet a cast of charming and eccentric characters, each revealing their true selves to each other in their respective entries. The result is an inspiring, thought-provoking query into the power and potential of authenticity.
Be Here by Dalai Lama
Letting go can be one of the hardest things for us as humans. Sometimes, we need a little time away to forget our everyday stressors to recenter the larger picture. This tiny hand-held guide is highly recommended as a portable resource, filled with accessible wisdom from His Holiness the Dalai Lama to staying present in the moment. Complete with discussions about Buddhist concepts of attachment, emptiness, and compassion, it’s never too late to release our past attachments and future fears and embrace the fullness we embody right now.
The Essential Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Perfect for snuggling with loved ones and getting lost in a nostalgic favorite, this treasury includes the first two Calvin and Hobbes collections, as well as an original full-color 16-page story of the beloved best-friend-duo on their imaginative adventures. While full of silly humor and antics, Watterson’s comics are a classic for their poignant moments of wisdom and tenderness.
Ready to escape with your new reads? Book your Getaway today.