Before I get to the fun of recommending some good books to read for May, here’s a quick bit of book-self-promotion: Mother’s Day is coming up on May 10. If you’re looking for a good gift for a mother in your life, may I suggest…you guessed it…Better Than Before.
Because nothing boosts happiness more than a great book, each month, I suggest:
· one outstanding book about happiness or habits
· one outstanding work of children’s or young-adult literature–I have a crazy passion for kidlit
· one eccentric pick–a widely admired and excellent book that I love, yes, but one that may not appeal to everyone
Shop at the wonderful Brooklyn indie WORD, BN.com, Amazon (I’m an affiliate of all three), or your favorite local bookstore. Or visit the library! Drumroll…
An outstanding book about happiness or habits:
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
An outstanding children’s book:
In a Mirror by Mary Stolz
An eccentric pick:
The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
Some readers have said that they wished that I’d describe and make the case for my book choices, instead of just providing links. I’ve noticed that many times, when someone describes a book to me, I want to read it less. And often, weirdly, the better a book is, the worse it sounds.
In any event, I assure you that, for all the books I choose, I love them; I’ve read them at least twice if not many times, and they’re widely admired.
If you read last month’s recommendations…what did you think?
Lately, I’ve been doing some good reading on airplanes and in hotel rooms, while I’m on tour for Better Than Before. I just finished Jane Gardam’s The Hollow Land.
Speaking of my own book…things are going very well for Better Than Before: it was an instant bestseller, has received a lot of great attention in the press, and I’ve been able to talk with many readers as I’ve been on tour. Thanks as always, readers, for your enthusiasm and support.
If you like the book, and you have the time and the inclination, it’s a big help to me if you write a review or rate the book on the online bookselling sites. Readers really respect the views of other readers. As a big reader myself, I know that I often see what other readers have to say, before I head off to the library or bookstore or click “buy.”
Happy May, and happy reading! So many good books…
