5 Books You Should Read This Fall

Reading is a gift, a pleasure, a means to educate oneself and an escape to other worlds.

Like Ann Lamott said, “Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: they feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.” 

Here are 5 books you should read this fall! I, for some unknown reason, liken authors and books to food. Hemingway to me reads like a hearty and simple meal; crusty bread and cheap red Spanish wine. Fitzgerald? A delicate and frosting covered peti-fore that melts on your tongue. 

Along that vein, here are our fall recommendations! 

1. Jeremiah Johnson by Raymond Thorpe and Richard Bunker 
This short but adventure packed book reads like the juicy venison and honey dripping biscuits that Jeremiah is described as cooking over an open flame. Warning: This book is violent and has some sexual references. 

2. The Scarlet Feather by Maeve Binchy 
If you like Ireland, meat pasties, a glass of ale to wash it and the family problems down with, then this book will hook you right off the bat. Seriously, READ IT!!! 

3. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
There are many varying views regarding Harry Potter, but personally I think the writing is stupendous. And it just feels right to read them when the air gets crisp and the leaves begin to change, like going back to school. So grab a blanket, a tumblr of butterbeer and a sharpened pencil as your wand, and be transported to a different world. 

4. Paul and Virginia by Jacques-Henri de Saint Pierre 
This tragic but beautiful short story will break your heart, intrigue and transport you to the luscious island of Mauritius and leave you wondering at 18th-century writing. Coconut milk and fresh fruit is a general staple of Paul and Virginia, so grab a can of Coconut water and enjoy.

5. Seven Wild Sisters by Charles de Lint
This feisty and lovely novel will leave your ears ringing with fey woodsy music and your hair smelling of appalachian stories. Grab a crisp apple while you curl up with the Apple Tree Man and a mug of herb tea that Aunt Lillian would brew for you herself, you won't be able to put this gem down until the last page is turned. 

What are your favorite books? What volumes do you find yourself pulling off the bookshelf again and again? We're always looking for new reading material, we'd love to hear what moves and excites you! 

xo xo Liz