It’s May! Already! Anyone else feels like March lasted approximately 17 million years, and April was only a couple weeks? What even is time these days.
Anyway, May is shaping up to be a big month for us. Charlotte’s due to arrive next month (June 29th!), and we’ve kicked preparations into high gear. We’re very close to having everything we need for her, so May will be full of preparing freezer meals and taking care of last minute home projects before our precious little lady takes over. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be reading! Here’s what I have on deck for May 2020:
#1 How to Raise a Reader by Pamela Paul & Maria Russo
I know, another “parenting book.” But here me out. I actually have been spending a little time with this one for a few weeks, and I plan to finish it this month. It is such a fun read. If you’ve been a lifelong reader, obsessed with books from the start (like me), you’ll identify with the techniques presented here and delight over the age-appropriate book recommendations. I love that it emphasizes having books and reading as normal parts of life rather than forcing them on your kid which can have the opposite than intended effect.
I also really appreciate that it reminds parents that there are many different ways to be a reader, from graphic novels to audiobooks to nonfiction to comics. It’s all reading! And of course, the best way to cultivate a reader is by being a reader yourself. I absolutely love the idea of bonding with Charlotte over stories one day! <3
#2 Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
As someone who spent her high school and college years taking as many literature classes as possible, it’s probably not great that I haven’t read this one yet. But in my defense, I’ve always been drawn to the more ~flowery~ writing styles chock full of metaphors, imagery, and the like. I just loved (and still kind of love) the craftsmanship of using words to paint pictures when it’s done well. It’s only recently that I’ve come around to the beauty of straightforward language. Maybe law school made me this way. After reading case after case with seemingly pointless tangents and being forced to write legalese, I truly appreciate any writing that is clear and to the point. It’s not as easy as it looks!
I have read some Steinbeck, namely The Pearl and, of course, The Grapes of Wrath. Similarly, Tortilla Flat seems to serve as a commentary on human nature when faced with various trials and triumphs. This (very) short novel follows the life of a homeless, rambling paisano in Monterey, California. After returning from WWI, he finds that he’s inherited two houses, and this changes his world…for a little while. The book chronicles Danny and his friends’ experiences in their pursuit of money which always seems to be spent on more wine.
#3 The Toll by Neal Shusterman (Book #3 in the Arc of a Scythe Series)
After finishing Thunderhead (post with recipe pairing coming soon), I am PSHYCHED to dive into this one! This novel picks up a few years in the future after the crazy events that took place on Endura that resulted in mass death for the scythedom.
In this universe, natural death has been eradicated as the Thunderhead (the benevolent technology that governs all) has essentially perfected human life. Death is still necessary, so the decision of who dies and when has been left to the scythedom. Scythes are the bringers of death (by “gleaning”), and as such, they enjoy an elevated status in society. Thunderhead left the world with the question of whether death will be treated as a matter of great magnitude, respect, and significance, or whether the scythedom will come to be governed for those who glean for a less honorable purpose–the love of killing.
That’s my list for May! What are you guys planning on reading this month? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to link to your own TBR posts. Also, if you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the first two installments of my quarantine sourdough journey where I cultivate a starter and actually bake a loaf. More sourdough to come on my Insta, @eliztrogers. 🙂
Just an FYI, this page contains affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price for you, but I may receive a small compensation from any items bought from this site. Fear not, however, my picks and and blurbs are all my own!
