I’m a huge believer in the power of books.
Great books fill in history holes (aka craters) from my school years, provide entertainment, and comfort me when life nosedives. And, as I’ve mentioned, I consider good books to be a perfect dessert (no calories).
If you’re also dropping sugar from your evenings try this hack: after dinner, brush your teeth, climb into bed and read, read, read.
The list of awesome books compiled here are either funny or inspirational.
And these gems are listed by alphabetical order — not by favorites. I honestly love them all.
Let’s go:
Fiction.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. Hilarious and poignant.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. A masterpiece written by a surgeon. Mere coincidence, but I was reading Cutting for Stone while waiting to see a surgeon. As he entered the room he saw the book and said, “that is a great story.”
Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. I’ve heard some readers love Dear Edward while some really don’t like it. I’m Team Love. Read to page 100 before deciding for yourself.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. So funny and so sweet.
Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee. Standing ovation for this author’s second book.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. Her first book snagged the Pulitzer’s Fiction Runner Up in 2018 and is proof that aliens live among us.
The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson – Funny and phenomenal.
Non Fiction.
Bad Blood – Secrets and Lies Behind a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carryrou. Remember Elizabeth Holmes, the young woman who invented a device that could do a full health diagnostic on “one drop of blood?” Welp, spoiler: turns out the device was empty. John Carryrou was the reporter who broke the story and wrote one page-turner of a book. (I think I inhaled this in an afternoon.)
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins. Awesomeness thy name is David Goggins (I suggest first reading Living with a Seal, before reading Can’t Hurt Me).
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover. Word to the wise: don’t screw over Tara Westover like her parents did or she’ll write a book about you that will stay on the New York Times bestseller list for years and be translated into 45 languages. Just sayin’.
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance. This book is awesome to listen to on audio. The writer took what could have been a dry topic – I mean, rockets and electric cars? — and made it super entertaining. As a husband, Elon needs work, but as earth’s reigning deity? Not bad.
Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld. Jerry at his best, but you definitely want to listen to the audio version that Jerry voices. Fun. Nee. (Plus Jerry is the gold-standard in the dad and husband department.)
Living with a SEAL — 31 days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet by Jesse Itzler. This book was written by the guy who married Sara Blakely the Spanx founder. (He founded a bunch of companies too.) They’re both cajillion-aires, but are very salt-of-the-earth people whom you’d love to have as neighbors. The book is funny and smart.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. Such a funny, wonderful, and true (ish) story, but definitely listen to the audio version to hear the various southern voices.
Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt. I grew up with Linda Ronstadt’s music and never thought much about her, but after reading her memoir I now get it: Ronstadt was a powerhouse in the rock world.
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Edith Eger. I’ll admit that I never read stories about concentration camps (too horrific), but this book is a five-star, don’t-miss wonder. The author — 94 as I write — shares stories about “boob” contests, her mother’s love of Gone with the Wind; and even an astounding escape from the communists in her country (a few years after WW II ended).
The Elephant in the Room — One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson. What a better world we’d live in if this book were required reading in all schools. A generation of kids with a deeper understanding and compassion for those with weight issues? Not only is it time, but Tomlinson is showing us the way.
The Color of Water by James McBride. OMG-audio-memoir alert! The story and the audio is phenomenal. As you can see, I love memoirs and have read many, but this one is unusually wonderful.
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance during the Blitz by Erik Larson. Wow. That’s it: just wow. (One cool thing about this book: problems seem tiny compared to Churchill’s challenge of ridding the earth of Hitler and his flying monkeys.)
Does this Beach Make Me Look Fat by Lisa Scottoline and daughter Francesca Serritella. Lisa made her mark by writing mysteries which I’ve yet to read, but her memoir books are hilarious.
What are three of your favorite books?
And remember, it’s not just your imagination. Health is hard.
♥, Wendy
P.S. Have you read Buh-Bye Aunt Bea Bod: 13 Tools to Lose Weight & Maintain a Forever Loss?
I packed Aunt Bea with every essential method I used to lose fifty-five and still use today.
Remember getting your driver’s license? How learning to drive wasn’t a “one and done” thing? Same with Aunt Bea. The Aunt Bea post is your ride to embedding Smart Eating habits into your life, habits that will have your back forever.
To the right of this screen above categories just add your email and click the pink button. Aunt Bea will arrive in your email inbox. If you don’t see it, check your spam. And you can always email me: Wendy@TheInspiredEater.com.
Click Begin Here. ♥♥♥ Print Aunt Bea, and tape her inside a kitchen cupboard, on your car’s dash, under your pillow, and so forth.
Apply to life as needed. 🙃
30 Comments
EXCELLENT list Wendy! I’ve read many of them and agree 100% with your assessments (which are great btw!) I’ll be getting the others this year for sure! Thanks for the great suggestions!
Thanks Barbara! Now I’m wondering which books you read!!
Thanks for all the memoir recommendations! My favorite!
You are so welcome!
Wendy
Barbara, Have you read Kite Runner and 1000 Spendid Suns? So good!!
Great list Wendy! I also believe in the power of books and I love buying books so much! Each time I go to Mall I stop at the book store and buy at least 2 books…and I have used all of them (I prefer to buy non-fiction in my speciality area so they all will have a purpose).
Have a great week!
Thank you Sinziana!! I agree re: buying non-fiction in your specialty area.
We’ve made two huge moves so my joke is that I keep my book collection at the library!! I buy very few now.
Wendy
I really enjoyed Educated and A Man Called Ove too. I have the hardest time picking out favorite books as I tend to like so many of them for many different reasons.
I think you’d love Eleanor Oliphant. It has a very humorous thread running under the story.
Wendy
Lovely list of Books, I really enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant and the Hundred year old man. Reading is so good for you, and much better than a bar of chocolate.
The two books my Min Jin Lee are outstanding too.
I inhaled Bad Blood in two days. Really interesting.
Wendy
Always looking for new reads. Pinning! Also great advice!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Thank you!
I give the two by Min Jin Lee as gifts to friends and family. That woman can wriiiiiiiite.
Wendy
Thanks, I just ordered a few new books from the library. Thanks to your list.
Awesome to hear! ♥
Wendy
Thanks for sharing this great list! Most people only share fiction choices, so it was nice to see some non-fiction as well. 🙂 I only read non-fiction these days, so I will have to check a few of those books out at my library!
Jenna ♥
Stay in touch? Life of an Earth Muffin
I love non-fiction too. I don’t remember why I picked up the Churchill book, but man, was it awesome. I’ve ordered more of his books.
Thanks for writing,
Wendy
I read a few of the books you mentioned, like Educated and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, both amazing. I am curious about a few more books from your list, so I will check them out. Someone else recommended The Choice too, and it is on my to-read list.
Not to brag, but it’s an awesome list. 🙂 Just kidding.
I can’t wait for the author who wrote Eleanor to come out with another. Did you know that Eleanor was her first. Amazing.
Thanks for writing!
Wendy
Thanks for this list! I have read several of the fiction ones but none of the nonfiction. I love Seinfeld too!
The non-fictions are excellent, there’s not a snoozy of the bunch. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Wendy
There are multiple books on your list that I want to read but haven’t gotten around to. Bad Blood sounds fascinating – I need to pick this one up!
Bad Blood was/is awesome!! After you read it, the guy who wrote Bad Blood is doing a podcast on the Elizabeth Holmes trial that started 8/31. His episodes come out every Thursday. Really good!
I love your blog — and your pup!
Wendy
Great list, I need to find more time to read more 🙂
I m always looking for new books to read.
http://www.chezmireilefashiontravelmom.com
I loved Educated and hadn’t expected to at all. And when i read Midnight in the garden of Good and Evil, I devoured it – but a long time ago…maybe i should revisit it?
I could talk all day about books. If you loved Midnight in the Garden, you will love the audio version. The person who reads the book does all the southern voices. It’s so good I listened at least twice. The best audio I’ve ever heard. 🙂
Wendy
I’ve read many of the fiction books listed, but found a couple new authors, too! I have SO many favorites. One that comes to mind is Prince of Tides. Honestly, the writing was absolutely entrancing. I’m currently reading Louise Eldrich’s novel, The Night Watchman. Her background and knowledge of Native American issues is really enlightening. So many books, so little time!
xx Darlene
Thanks so much for this list, Wendy! I needed it. So many of these will be on my list now too.
Thanks for sharing your list. Some great ideas. I already have The One Hundred Year Old Man on my TBR list #BookwormsMonthly