15 cozy nonfiction Archives

A Thousand Feasts

by Nigel Slater

Ginger says: Book Club members may remember I chose this as my best book of the year in December, but then a couple (hi, Jill and Lindsay!) shared their practice of rereading their favorite book each year from the previous year. Say less. I downloaded the audio version this time and listened as Nigel Slater himself narrated his memoir in my earbuds. I savored each short essay (some very short: just a single, perfect sentence). Think the gentility of Martha Stewart wrapped up with the roaming stylings of Anthony Bourdain. Each essay was like a Dutch still life painting that came to life.

The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom

by Andrew Peterson

Ginger says: This spiritual memoir is a life told through trees, from the giant maples in the front yard of the parson’s house, Peterson’s childhood home, to the trees that make up the Chapter House, where the singer-songwriter houses his studio. His simple sketches throughout add to the beauty, and made me think about the trees of my life: the pear tree in my Mamaw’s yard, the weeping willow in a certain young man’s neighborhood where we stole kisses as a teenager, that giant live oak covered in Spanish moss that I paced and paced and paced around as a young adult, listening and learning to a wise older mentor, the puny, but priceless Japanese maple in my current yard that I’ve fallen in love with and hope to care for as long as I’m able.

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden

by Camille T. Dungy

Ginger says: If there’s anything cozier than actual gardening, it might just be armchair gardening. Camille Dungy writes about her project to diversify the plants in her garden—branching out in the vegetables, herbs, and flowers she grows in a quest to protect biodiversity on her planet, but also as an image of what diversity can do in a community. Readers say to pick this up if you loved The Serviceberry or The Comfort of Crows.

84, Charing Cross Road

by Helene Hanff

This is the true story of the twenty-year relationship between a New York writer and a gentlemanly London bookseller, as told through their correspondence. A must-read classic for bibliophiles, you'll feel compelled to discuss the heartwarming way books bring people together with all your book-loving buddies. If you're craving a gentle, warm, and witty read, this short book belongs on your nightstand.

Heart: A Personal Journey Through Its Myths and Meanings

by Gail Godwin

Ginger says: I adored this literary tour through the symbolism of the heart—including its place in various cultures and religions, famous letters, and fields of study like medicine and history. What a delightful compendium. I can barely sum it up better than this passage where she describes how an editor pitched the idea to her: "a lush, intimate book with a narrative arc. It should have world history and religion and psychology and the arts in it, but it shouldn't be a plodding survey... like a long conversation with that writer over drinks or tea, about books and lovers and mystics and animals and gardens — all sorts of weird and curious stories about the heart." She brings together a rich collection of prophets, poets, playwrights, and painters that I'll revisit again and again.

Mastering the Art of French Eating: Lessons in Food and Love from a Year in Paris

by Ann Mah

As a foodie memoir devotee, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Journalist Ann Mah moves to Paris when her diplomat husband is given a three-year assignment there. She's overjoyed at the opportunity until he's reassigned to Iraq for a year-long solo stint and must figure out life in Paris on her own. And so she does, one pain au chocolat and boeuf Bourguignon at a time.

The Country Commonplace Book

by Miranda Mills

Ginger says: I’m a big fan of Miranda Mills on YouTube. Her videos are full of the English countryside, recipes for sweet treats, cups and cups of tea (usually in her collection of Emma Bridgewater mugs), and her own mother-daughter book club. When she put together a commonplace book, a dear friend you might happen to know (wink, hi Donna!) sent it my way. I’ve had the most delightful time slowly perusing her selections of recipes, poetry, and seasonal quotes.

The Light of the World: A Memoir

by Elizabeth Alexander

In Alexander's words: "The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and is not a tragedy but rather a love story." The author's husband died just four days after his fiftieth birthday. A few years later, Alexander looks back on their life together, their love, and the impact of that loss in her life. The author is a poetry professor at Yale, which is obvious in the story's richness and language. Her source material is fantastic: Alexander is an American, born in Harlem. Her husband was born in Eritrea, in East Africa, and came to New Haven as a refugee from war. Both were artists—that’s his painting on the cover of the book—and their home sounds like this amazing, vibrant, multicultural extravaganza with food and friends and music and art. I could barely put this down, and while sad, it exudes joy. Heads up for audiophiles: Alexander's narration of her own work is magnificent. Published April 15 2015.

Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box

by Madeleine Albright

Ginger says: I’m on record as only making pleasurable New Year’s resolutions. Throughout the years, I’ve made it my goal to wear real pajamas, drink only out of my finest tea cups all year long, and watch all the rom-coms I’ve missed. But this year, I decided to finally put to good use all the brooches I’ve been collecting since childhood. And I’ve turned to the late diplomat Madeleine Albright’s memoir-in-pins for inspiration. She talks about politics, of course, but through the lens of when she decided to wear a snake brooch to a particular meeting, or a piece of turquoise to honor her guests at another assembly. I’m starting to see the way you can say so much without having to move your mouth. Instead, read my pins.

My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South

by Rick Bragg

This is one of the best things I've ever listened to—which I did NOT expect from an essay collection. Bragg reads 70-ish pieces of his nonfiction work, most of which have been previously published. Some are just a few minutes long; the longest runs for about fifteen. He covers A LOT of ground: football, fishing, book tour, his mama's cornbread, wardrobe concerns, New Orleans cuisine, natural disasters. These stories are compact, wistful, funny, and poignant. So good.

From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

by Tembi Locke

You find out at the very beginning that Tembi Locke's husband died young. Locke sets out to tell a story of how she fell in love with her husband though perhaps they didn't look on the surface like they belong together because of race, class, and culture; how they overcame a lot to be together; why he meant everything to her; why losing him was so painful for her; and why it's a story that needed to be told. Locke does a great job telling how she found him, how food and chance brought them together. His Sicilian family was not wild about him marrying an African-American woman from America and that splintered the family for many years and seemed like would break them forever. She shows how love and perseverance really did conquer all. This was beautiful; I'm glad I read it. If you love grief memoirs—and I'm not saying that ironically, some people really truly do—I thought this was excellent.

Summer at Tiffany: A Memoir

by Marjorie Hart

Ginger says: Who hasn’t had that one perfect summer coloring the memory of what the season should be for the rest of your life? For Marjorie Hart that summer was 1945 in New York City, surrounded by girlfriends, lunches at the Automat, handsome sailors… and Tiffany & Co jewelry. She and her best friend miraculously land coveted jobs at the famous jewelry store, and become the envy of all of their pals, having the summer of their lives. Marjorie and Marty prove that diamonds aren’t really a girl’s best friend, best friends are. Fizzy and friendly.

In Other Words

by Jhumpa Lahiri

Ginger says: Beautiful in every way—the writing (of course, because it’s Lahiri), the language, the layout (two languages side by side), even the cover. This distinctive memoir of a life lived, and written, in two languages is one that only Lahiri could have written. She falls in love with Italian after a trip during her college days, and it sets her on a course to learn the language, and make the move to Rome to immerse herself in her newfound voice this way. Language and self are so intertwined; we see how Lahiri learns more about herself and where she truly belongs in the pages of this revealing journal.

Hill House Living: The Art of Creating a Joyful Life

by Paula Sutton

Ginger says: Transport yourself to the British countryside with Paula Sutton. Her old-world style is completely charming. This would be a perfect chance to bring out the matching highlighters and mark up your book. My copy is flagged on so many pages—including her checklist for creating the perfect “Quiet Nook” and her best practical tips for searching out pretty decor in secondhand shops. I have given this as a gift on more than one occasion.

Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes

by Shauna Niequist

Imagine the best of the Food Network, with a lot more girl talk mixed in. Niequist's food writing will make your mouth water, but this book isn't just about the food. Her recipes are vehicles—to conversation, community, and all good things that happen when people gather around the table. Bread and Wine contains some great-looking recipes (Green Well salad, Michigan blueberry crisp, magical white bean soup) that will inspire you to get cooking. The short chapters make this perfect summer reading. Just clear your calendar for that dinner party you'll want to throw when you're finished with it.

15 cozy nonfiction

Buckle Up!

summer reading starts May 16th