It’s no secret that I’m a pretty big nerd when it comes to books. I love to read and chances are, if I know I’ll have some down-time, there’s a book in my purse. As part of my 101 in 1,001 list, my goal was to read 50 books and since I’m about one-fifth of the way there, I decided to share of few of the books that have made their way onto my bookshelf lately:
The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman
I picked up Adelle Waldman’s debut novel before heading on vacation with my family earlier this summer, and shameless disclaimer: I’m a sucker for an author’s first book. There’s something so unique about the first novel an author publishes and based on this one, I’m hungry for more from Waldman.
In a lot of ways, her protagonist Nate is every 20-something guy I’ve ever dated, at least in some way. He’s smart and witty but also self-involved and pretentious. I would absolutely recommend this digestible piece of fiction and tore through “The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.” in about a day and a half. I also need to read Waldman’s Kindle single written through the eyes of Nate’s friend Aurit.
#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
I wasn’t worried about loving #GIRLBOSS and again, devoured this bluntly honest memoir in about a day. Sophia Amoruso is absolutely the kind of kick-ass lady you want to spend 80 hours a week working for and learn from. Because, she’ll be the first to tell you, the story of how she built NastyGal is nothing short of unconventional and there’s lots to take from that. Plus Amoruso’s tell-it-like-it-is, no-nonsense advice will make you want to drop whatever you’re doing and start creating something legendary.
Meanwhile in San Francisco by Wendy MacNaughton
This beautifully illustrated book was a gift from a dear friend of mine who knows how much I appreciate visually focused narratives. While I’ve never been a permanent Californian, I loved a road trip I took to San Francisco a few years back and it was great to see the city through natives’ eyes. “Meanwhile in San Francisco” has been a great addition to my coffee table—and would be a great gift for the illustration-nerd in your life.
Priceless: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures by Robert Wittman
I picked up this great memoir after learning last month that the author, Robert Wittman, would be visiting the Des Moines Art Center. I’ve always loved a good heist story and been fascinated with art crime, so hearing the man responsible for founding the FBI’s art crime team was pretty incredible. In person Wittman is just as hilarious and off-the-cuff as he is in his great memoir where he shares stories of his time with the FBI recovering everything from Civil War memorabilia to a $35 million Rembrandt.