Greetings from the end of the month of…July? How we’ve nearly reached the conclusion of the second month of summer, we do not know. Time, it does indeed fly.
In conjunction with our June & July theme, we here on team Wit & Delight are all aiming to allow ourselves at least some time the remainder of the warm season to slow down, take deep breaths, and enjoy the simple pleasures of these lives we lead. On that list of simple pleasures? Reading the books (and stacks of magazines!) we’ve had sitting on our nightstands for…a while now. We’re going to sit on porches and on beaches and on park benches and curl up in bed at night, too, and we’re going to dive into reading the things we haven’t had a chance to yet this season.
Find all of our reading recommendations below and please, as always, share your own recs in the comments! We’ve got empty Amazon shopping carts/library hold lists and we are ready to fill ’em up.
01
Kate Arends | Creative Director & Founder
Girls Burn Brighter: A Novel by Shobha Rao
Why I’m Reading: This is an incredible story of friendship between two girls who were separated in horrific circumstances. This book tackles topics on the tips of many of our tongues: domestic abuse, human trafficking, immigration, and feminism. It is gorgeously written.
A few other books on my list this summer are:
- Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom: This book includes whip smart and humorous thoughts on race, money, and beauty.
- Do Not Become Alarmed: A Novel by Maile Meloy: A great, fun thriller for summertime indulgences.
- After Birth by Elisa Albert: This book is raw motherhood. It’s for those of us who had complicated and contentious entrances into the motherhood “club.”
02
Bridgette Dutkowski | Brand Director
Entertainment Weekly
Why I’m Reading: This is embarrassing to admit, but I think the last book I read was when I was still pregnant with my daughter over a year ago…and I think it was A Wrinkle in Time.
I have no idea what is out there to read, but what I would LOVE to do is sit outside with a glass of wine, and read the stack of Entertainment Weekly’s that are piling up. Nothing serious, just fluffy, light articles on pop culture from 6 months ago (how is Game of Thrones going to end?!).
03
Paige Gardiner | Strategic Partnerships Coordinator
City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert
Why I’m Reading: I’m heading up north to my cabin next week and plan to read City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert while I’m away. Stepping back into the fiction space, Gilbert shares the unique love story of a young woman living in 1940s New York City. Reviews promise no shortage of promiscuity, as one discovers you don’t need to be a good girl to be a good person.
04
Raquel Benedict | Graphic Designer, Illustrator, & Art Director
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
Why I’m Reading: I just moved in with a new roommate (hi, Francine!!) which means…a new and robust collection of books! The one that caught my eye the most is Feel Free by Zadie Smith. It’s a collection of essays separated into sections: In the World, In the Audience, In the Gallery, On the Bookshelf, and Feel Free. I’m really excited to keep this in my bag and dive into many different shorter stories and essays throughout the day as opposed to the traditional novel that I usually go for. If you’ve read it, let me know what you think!
05
Allie Liebl | Account & Community Manager
Heads Will Roll by Kate McKinnon
Why I’m Listening: This is a super funny audio series by beloved SNL cast member, Kate McKinnon. Kate McKinnon stars as an evil queen alongside a cast of characters including Tim Gunn, all the guys of Queer Eye, Meryl Streep, and more. It weaves in pop culture references to a medieval story line, all read aloud by Kate in that endlessly captivating way of hers. This one is a great listen if you’re an audio book first-timer (like me).
06
Judith Marilyn | Art Director, Stylist & Graphic Designer
Get Your Sh*t Together and Calm The F*ck Down by Sarah Knight
Why I’m Reading: Because honestly, I need to do both. Do you feel me? Life can be busy and stressful and sometimes it feels like things are moving forward at a mile a second, whether I’ve approved said speed or not (which is kind of rude of life, no?). I for one am not above accepting some guidance for both getting my sh*t together and calming the f*ck down, and I’m eager to dive into these books in the latter half of the summer.
07
Jackie Saffert | Editorial Director
Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett
Why I’m Reading: This book recommendation is brought to you by the queen of my Twitter feed, Kristen Arnett. Kristen’s absolutely delightful presence on said feed has convinced me to take a departure from the nonfiction books typically taking up residence on my nightstand in favor of her (very well-reviewed) book, Mostly Dead Things. The novel follows the path of a daughter who’s trying to manage a family business (and a family, in and of itself) while grieving the death of her father. At its core, it’s about loss and love—those two very central tenants of the human experience—and I can’t wait to dive in.
BY Team Wit & Delight - July 25, 2019
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Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.
Hi, I'm Kate. Welcome to my happy place.
Need to check some of these out. In need of a new poolside book!
xo Jessica
My Style Vita