a lifestyle blog for book lovers

Links I love and what’s on my nightstand.

My favorite finds from around the web:

How to graciously say no to anyone. “I must decline, for secret reasons.”

Why you should still read Go Set a Watchman. I’m so glad I read this before I read Watchman this week. (Pssst—I preordered a copy last week, forgetting that I’d already preordered long ago, and was surprised when two copies showed up on my doorstep on Tuesday. I’ll give one away on the blog on Monday.)

The words that cost me my most important friendship. “I knew as soon as I heard the connection click off that I’d been insensitive. What I didn’t know was it would be the last time we would communicate for seven years.”

A day in the life of Misty Copeland. I’ve been intrigued with Copeland and her career ever since I previewed her book Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina for the summer reading guide.

Go Set a Watchman

What I’m reading this week: 

Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee. I’m glad I read this. More thoughts coming Monday.

Little Women, Louise May Alcott. I’m almost done with this book that everyone has read but me.

The Long Way Home by Louise Penny. Now I’m all caught up with the Inspector Gamache series and impatiently waiting for the next in the series to come out late August.

On the blog: 

Two big-picture concepts that help me plan my days/weeks/months. “The planning stuff does not come naturally to me, but I’ve finally realized that my life goes much, much better when I embrace rhythms and routines.”

What self care looks like for me right now. “Self care right now looks like going for a walk with no headphones, for a drive with no radio, for sitting in the backyard with no book. It looks like listening to the silence, and listening to myself. It looks like giving myself the opportunity to get bored and feel lonely, if only for a few moments.”

We have lost our minds, and his name is Bingley. All about our new puppy. I know this went in a direction a lot of you didn’t expect. (Good news: he started obedience training on Wednesday, and the trainer’s verdict was that while he might be kind of a knucklehead, he’s far from hopeless.)

What I’m reading lately: summer reading progress. I’m trying hard to actually stick to my summer reading list this year: my thoughts on the ones I’ve read so far.

Have a great weekend!

8 comments

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  1. Kate Unger says:

    I didn’t read the Times review of Watchman, but that link makes me want to read it for sure. I don’t remember liking To Kill a Mockingbird when I was younger, but I need to get a copy, so I can read both books. Thanks for sharing.

  2. Hey! I just finished HOW TO FLY A HORSE: THE SECRET HISTORY OF CREATION, INVENTION, AND DISCOVERY, and your first link really speaks to it: I’m too busy creating to be involved or sometimes even answer your request.

  3. liz n. says:

    RE: “The words that cost me my most important friendship”…Gurwitch’s “I See You Made An Effort” is a good read if you’re a woman closing in on the age of 50 (or if the age of 50 is in your rearview mirror).

  4. Gina says:

    Funny about Little Women. What do you think of it? My 12 year old daughter and I have been reading to each other for about a year. I’m not a fan. I think I’m just not very good with the old way of saying things. Frequently we have to stop and say “what are they actually saying here?” I’m plugging through it solely because so many people say they LOVE it…it just doesn’t do anything for me but I’m waiting for the magic to kick in.

  5. Emma says:

    I’m so intrigued by Misty Copeland too – I’ve been reading everything I can find about her. And I love the how to graciously say no article – so important for people like me who have the tendency to always say yes!

    Let us know what you think of Go Set the Watchman, will you? Happy Monday!

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