Friday Favorites | #1

I’m not sure yet how much I enjoy writing, but I know for a certainty that I love to research and find new resources. There have been many books, podcasts, audiobooks, articles and essays that I have been impacted by in the past year, so I thought taking Fridays (as often as I am able to post on Fridays — no promises) to share some resources that I have enjoyed and why they were meaningful to me. Here goes.

1. Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan — Alden picked this up at our favorite bookstore; he read me a few pages from the introduction, and stole it from him. I have never bothered to touch a subject that sounded so . . . dry, but after the first few pages of Naked Economics , I was hooked. Wheelan writes in a “bring-the-topic-to-the-masses” style that makes economics [for dummies] enjoyable and approachable. He provides many examples of the real-life consequences of poor economic policymaking. I now take the political promises from well-meaning (I hope) lawmakers with a grain of salt. Externalities are a force to be reckoned with.
2. Library card coffee mug — Also picked up at my favorite bookstore. It speaks for itself.
3. China’s Social Credit System by Planet Money — A sobering look into the lives of those affected by China’s new social credit score. A nod to the crippling power of externalities (see above).
4. Jill Lepore Tells America’s Story in ‘These Truths’ by KQED — I intend to read These Truths this year (and it may well take all year), but this interview breaks down the overarching narrative of her book: the historical arc of America, the lesser-known figures who shaped that arc and whether the people who formed that history lived up to American ideals along the way.
5. Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson— A practical and inspiring guide to reducing your waste. I wish I were all the way on board with Bea’s lifestyle (note: three small children), but her message has encouraged me to take baby steps towards frugality and reducing the waste our family generates.
6. The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore— I read this one last year and loved it so much that it’s the second book I recommend to people looking for a new audiobook to listen to (the first comes next). Based on a true story, The Last Days of Night tells the saga of the trademark wars between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison. Some if it is too crazy to believe, except that it’s true. Graham Moore (the screenwriter for The Imitation Game) writes a gripping story. I think I finished this in 3 days, and may have neglected all of my other life duties.
7. Educated by Tara Westover— The first audiobook I recommend. Tara’s memoir documents her upbringing in a survivalist household in Idaho. Despite the fact that she never received an education (at home or in a school) and suffered abuse throughout her adolescence, Tara decides that she wants that education. She goes on to Harvard and Cambridge and becomes a wildly successful writer. The process of discovering a world wholly other than the one she inherited from her family and of coping with her past made me cry and fume and hope. This is probably the most impactful book I’ve read in five years. Don’t wait — it’s worth your time. Just plan to spend many sleep-deprived nights listening late.
8. Home Education by Charlotte Mason — Charlotte Mason is a well-known figure in home education circles. Her advocacy for excellent literature, time spent in nature, character formation and the power of habit all resonated with me early on. I revisit this book every couple of years to remind myself why the things I prioritize for my kids in their little years are the right priorities.
9. The Life-Giving Home by Sally Clarkson — Anything Sally Clarkson writes will find its way onto my bookshelf at some point. This book is by far my favorite of hers and one that I revisit regularly for fresh inspiration. The Life-Giving Home is a testament to the power of home to create a sense of “belonging and becoming” in a world that wears us down. The meals, stories, discussions, celebrations and traditions of our homes create a haven of rest and refreshment not only for the members of our household, but for anyone who walks through our doors.
10. The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart — Do you remember that foundational college course you were required to take for your degree? You know, the one with 300 other students in a large lecture hall with a professor droning on for 2 hours? Do you remember the thrill you felt as you scribbled notes to remember every detail of what he said, how you and your friends gathered around coffee afterwards to discuss how impactful that lecture was in your life? Do you find the material you learned timeless and applicable to your work now? No? Me either. The Brave Learner tackles, with humor and brutal honesty, why the ways that we attempt to educate our children create the same effect as that college lecture — it is not impactful because the learner is not engaged. For inspiration on how to make your children’s learning (and your own learning, for that matter) not only rigorous, but enjoyably rigorous, give it a read.
11. Bibliophile by Jane Mount — This book is just gorgeous. It is a perfect coffee table book, but it is so much more than that. Bibliophile is an illustrated collection of book lists, famous bookstores, author biographies, and even bookstore cats. There is something in here for everyone: booklists for picture books, memoirs, essays, cookbooks, mysteries, dystopias, comic books, etc. I thought that I had read a bit of variety before, but after taking the Strand book quiz I realized that to own (or work for) a bookstore someday, I need to up my game. This book will help me to do just that.

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! It’s cloudy and cold here, so it’s the right climate for hunkering down with a new read.