Hello sweet friends!
I hope this Sunday proves to be a restful cure to bleary eyes and weary backs. That’s what I’m hoping for myself and I’ll just pass those hopes on to you. It’s a short list today, but I promise this week will have some recipe gems and good vibes. There’s more to come. Here’s our Sunday reading for here and now:
โข I first listened to this story on The Daily Podcast (linked in the story as well). Give it a read / listen. It’s very human and gives life to a perspective we might not always see this closely: Becoming a Steelworker Liberated Her. Then Her Job Moved To Mexico.
โข In search of perspective with an openness that is important. Inspired By #MeToo, I Talked To A Sexist I Actually Love.
โข File under, Not Surprising At All: The Secretive Family Making Billions From The Opioid Crisis
โข My goodness, honestly: Why Are Prosecutors Putting Innocent Witnesses In Jail?
โข 9 Book About Money That Every Woman Should Read. Getting our dollar bills are important. Not long ago I asked my financial planner friend Jessi to give me the low-down: Pro Tips From A Financial Planner. Don’t talk about it, be about it.
โข Very shortly I’m going to figure out how to make this wreath for myself: Magnolia Leaf Wreath. And in related news, I’ll have a paper flower poinsettia tutorial up on the blog for you after Halloween.
โข An offering for your Autumn Baking List: Pear Crumble Coffee Cake.
โข I’m putting together a more comprehensive schedule of events for workshops and classes at The Bakehouse! Find the schedule here! This weekend we had a pretzel making adventure (see photo evidence above). And! There will be more classes for this holiday season added soon! Also, follow along with the adventures on Instagram: @thebakehousenola. Hope you’ll come play!
โข What’s on your reading list right now? This is a cry for help.
โข Excuse me while I shut out the world and sit on the couch in this sweater for as long as I want.
โข When it comes to cookies, it literally doesn’t get better than these: Milk Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies. I remade them just last week and praise-hands there is still dough left in the refrigerator.
Enjoy this day!
I think you’re great.
xo Joy
89 Responses
Joy, I just finished reading The Righteous Mind. Highly recommended, even if I didn’t agree with all the conclusions he comes to.
Sourdough by Robin Sloan is an adventure in bread-making and finding oneself. I can’t rave about this author enough. His first book Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore is incredible.
The Art of Fielding. I cried when it was over, I was so sorry to say good bye to the characters. Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari, too!
Great links as always, Joy! I look forward to this post every Sunday.:)
Currently reading:
What Happened by HIllary Rodham Clinton (Sooooo good!)
Beartown by Fredrik Backman (I started this one on Monday night and I am enjoying it so much. So beautifully written!)
Books I can’t stop recommending:
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (The best book I’ve read this year! I read it in 24 hours. I couldnโt stop my hands from shaking while reading certain parts. I cried, I laughed, I felt sick to my stomach, but I mostly, I felt angry.This is a story that desperately needed to be told and Thomas tells it with such honesty, intelligence, courage, clarity, passion, and wit. This should be required reading for every human. )
Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston (I flew through this YA novel in two days. This story will stay with me.)
Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips
Happy reading!
Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, for the naturalist and perfectionist in all of us. It’s a good one. :)
Reading list:
My Glory Was I Had Such Friends
The Bright Hour
Priestdaddy
Not particularly light reading, but I always think about you when the weather gets cooler because you once posted a winter reading list and said in winter you like to destroy yourself. Me too!
I’m reading Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter from your recommendation. It is a great book!
The Sign by Raymond Khoury is my all-time favourite book. :)
Our book club just finished A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. It was universally loved.
Hi Kristen!
I am currently reading and loving Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Highly recommend if you haven’t read it.
I’m almost finished with 1Q84–excellent! And for humor, I like Jasper Fford’s Thursday Next series.
History of Wolves by Emily Fridlund–a brilliant first novel that is both a thriller and coming-of-age story.
Clear your schedule before you begin. No joke.
I’ve now read Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel twice and it was just as epic and thrilling as a reread. Another recommendation based on rereadability: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Also: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, and my favorite Margaret Atwood is Cat’s Eye
I’m in the middle of a really good food memoir- “The Comfort Food Diaries” by Emily Nunn. Food writer goes on a self-healing, edible journey after a breakdown. Recipes included!
I’m a New Orleanian too and I’m reading The Moviegoer by Walker Percy for the first time. I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Pick it up, I know you’ll freak out over it!
I’ve been recommending “Euphoria” to all of my friends lately: historical fiction, inspiring lady adventurer, love triangle, yet with lots of nuggets to keep thinking about. Also randomly my book club is reading “Murder on the Orient Express”– good escapism as is needed of late.
Any book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips because – as she says, โBecause lifeโs too short to read depressing booksโ
Reading: Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. I solely picked it up because it was recommended by Georgia on MFM. Iโm about halfway in & neglecting everything else for the rest of the day so I can finish it. Itโs so good!
I also enjoyed this one! I recently picked up his book, The Good Father and so far so good!
The two best books I’ve read lately are The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – I highly recommend the audiobook version – and My Grandma Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman for something real but a bit more lighthearted.
I am currently reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate and have been thoroughly sucked in – basically I want to be reading it at all times… And on my to-read list next are Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb.
Love reading all the book recommendations in the comments!
I completely agree with you about The Hate U Give! I can’t stop thinking about it and recommending it. I felt all the emotions! I recently picked up Little Fires Everywhere. Also reading and loving Hillary Clinton’s memoir, What Happened, Beartown by Fredrik Backman, and The Alice Network by Kate Quinn!
I finally read The Secret Life of Bees & loved it. I’m now reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Wonderful writing! I’m having a hard time putting it down.
Two latest books:
Dark Matter by Black Crouch – I don’t like Sci Fi but this came highly recommended. I read it in two days. I’m also convinced it will be a movie, and the main character will be played by Matt Damon, so there ya go.
Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle Kuo. A memoir written by Kuo, who taught middle school in the Mississippi Delta. After going to law school she finds out one of her students is in jail for murder, so she goes back and spends a year tutoring him in jail. All the feels, all the thoughts on race, inequality, literature.
Beartown by Fredrick Backman – best book I’ve read this year. About a hockey town, but not about hockey. I have recommended it to everyone I know.
I mean three…
I’ve been soooo curious about Reading with Patrick and I’m planning on reading it this fall. Glad to see you loved it. Can’t wait to pick it up now! Also, just started Beartown on Monday night and I am loving it so much!!:)
Highly recommend Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E. K. Johnston. Itโs an engaging and devastating, yet empowering and hopeful story about the captain of a high school cheerleading team who is raped at summer camp. Johnston focuses on how she deals with the aftermath and fights to regain control of her life with the support of family, friends and therapy. Beautifully written, thought provoking, and necessary.
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck – it’s about German women in World War II but besides being beautifully written it is very relevant to the present day. As is The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. A big old fashioned Dickensian novel that speaks to timeless issues. And The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs. A beautiful memoir about living and dying.
Hi! I clicked on the Bakehouse link to check it out (wishful thinking, I live nowhere near New Orleans) and thought you’d want to know there’s a typo in the last sentence of the “Welcome to the Crescent City” part. Thoughtfully is misspelled:) I know I’d want to know, lol.The site looks amazing! And I love your “let it be Sunday” series, I look forward to it every week!
I have just signed up for Audible, and I hope to enjoy more books when driving (or cooking or filling the dishwasher).
I also just finished paper books, both very strong and moving :
Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
Indian Horse, by Richard Wagamese
and just began The three daughters of Eve, by Elif Shafak (she is a great turkish writer and I love each of her book)
I just finished reading The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. It was really enjoyable. A relaxing read, but one that kept me interested.
Now I am reading Playing by Heart by Carmela Martino. Carmela was my library assistant when I worked as a high school librarian. I also had her son as a student when I taught in the same district with a program for academically gifted kids. Her son also ran cross country and track with my son in high school. This is her second book that she has published. Her first was Rosa Sola and was geared towards late elementary school kids. This one is a young adult historical fiction but based on real people. So far I am really enjoying it. She’s a good writer.
Books Still Life with Breadcrumbs, Cutting for Stone (few years old), When the World Came to Town (about the town in Newfoudland when many planes has to land on 9/11)
Currently reading “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk.” I don’t usually like/read fiction but this one is really really good (and it’s based on a real-life character).
Reading David Sedaris book Theft by Finding and Louise Penny’s news, Glass Houses. Both very good and poles apart.
I just finished “Allie & Bea,” and now reading “And The Mountain Echoed. I love your blog!!
Joy, have you read Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi?
My favorite recent read.
Also, I recommend the podcast “What Should I Read Next?” for more guidance :)
Have a lovely Sunday!
I second checking out “What Should I Read Next?” :)
I’m reading this: https://www.bigreadkc.org/
Just finished “A House in the Sky” by Amanda Lindhout. The first part of the book almost reads like travel memoirs. The second part is about her captivity in Somalia.
Currently reading One Day We’ll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul. So far so good.
Thank you for including the steelworker piece. I appreciate the read that puts a human face to larger issues, reminding me of all the ways we humans are alike and different, spinning our days into weeks, years, and a life.
brilliant and funny book of essays: We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby
beautiful fiction: Umami by Laia Jufresa
intricate illustrations, science, and storytelling: What We See In The Stars by Kelsey Osied
Must Read: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
Nonfiction: What Happened by Hillary Clinton
Fiction: The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman (Her books have so many layers, and I love her style of prose. Vibrant.)
Take care of yourself, Joy!
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld
The Dry by Jane Harper
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin
Happy Reading!
I read Alyssa Mastromonacoโs book about her time working for Obamacare and I liked it a lot (I think the title is โwho thought this was a good ideaโ). I also just finished โThe Storied Life of A.J. Fikryโ and it was a delightful book.
I just started Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco! It is hilarious and fascinating.
DIY Wreath…
https://jollyandhappy.com/diy-fixer-upper-magnolia-wreath/
Donโt know why my phone autocorrected Obama to Obamacare, but there you go.
I’m reading Bridget Kendall’s oral history of the Cold War, which came out recently. She takes a series of events from the end of the war to the fall of the Soviet Union and interviews people involved in each of them – some very involved, like Krushchev’s son, but mostly just ordinary people experiencing the events. It’s engaging and different. Up next I’m going to read Curtis Sittenfeld’s ‘American Wife’, Louise Erdrich’s ‘The Round House’ and I’m SUPER excited to read Jenny Zhang’s ‘Sour Heart’ story collection! Oh and I also have ‘Jane: A Murder’ by Maggie Nelson to read, which is a poetry/prose collection about the murder of the author’s aunt, which happened before she was born. I’m really curious about that, it has extracts from Jane’s diaries and from contemporary news reports etc. as well as Nelson’s own writing.
John Green’s new book, “Turtles all the way Down”–he has such an amazing way with words and detail. Finished it the other day. Next on my list: Modern Romance, the sun and her flowers, Hillary’s “What Happened” which I started-loved- and put down, and Being Mortal.
The pretzels are beautiful and I just printed the pear crumble cake to make at out B&B Petit Soleil. Reading? The Invisible Bridge (historical fiction – mesmerizing), Alice Waters new book (being a foodie, you will relate), The Red Coat – Happy Sunday!!!!!!!!!
Hi Joy! I just finished Sourdough and Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore (both by Robin Sloan) and they were great. Killers of the Flower Moon (David Grann) and The Rocks (Peter Nichols) were two recent reads that I loved as well! I do the Book of the Month Club; their selection is great and it’s super affordable. Can’t wait to visit The Bakehouse!
The pretzels- well, I want all of them. I just spend yesterday reading, “When in Doubt, Add Butter.” Yes it’s easy, breezy chick lit, but it was nice given that most other reading these days is…heavy. Alternatively, I really enjoyed the “Queen of the Tearling” trilogy. Happy reading! And Happy Sunday!
The gorgeous pretzel picture is killing me this morning! If I didn’t already have cookie baking scheduled for today…
For a fun escapist read, I’m enjoying John Grisham’s latest, “Camino Island”- a bit different from his usual courtroom drama. For a fascinating non-fiction read, I just finished a dual biography of Mary Shelley and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, written by Charlotte Gordon. And if you like historical fiction (which is my personal favorite), try Lindsay Jayne Ashford’s “The Woman on the Orient Express”, which is a fictional account of a real event in Agatha Christie’s life. Actually, give that one a try even if you’re not a big historical fiction fan; it’s just a really good story.
This kind of post is great for all of us voracious readers because we get to add to our long lineup of books to read – always a good thing. So thank you for this. The best book I have read recently is The Leavers, by Lisa Ko. Also highly recommended but older, so you may have already read them, The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy – one of the few books I have read more than once; The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout, State of Wonder by Anne Patchett, The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd, and the Master Butcher’s Singing Club by Louise Erdrich – one of the all time favourites of my book club.
I’m listening to The Handmaid’s Tale on Audible. Claire Danes is the narrator and my love for her continues. Highly recommend her narration!
Yes! It was the perfect way to experience this book. Friends have asked if I will watch the show now, and I’m sure I won’t — I don’t want to change one memory or impression I have of it!
Oh that’s a good one! Thank you!
Okay, this is an aggressive list. (Maybe?) Picking books can be so hard, though! But here are a few of my favorites from this year:
The Mothers by Brit Bennett – Roxanne Gay describes it perfectly โ โThe Mothers is an outstanding, engaging debut novel. The story follows two teenagers, Nadia and Luke, who fall in love as teenagers and how they come together and fall apart over the years. This is also a novel about a community and a church community and a friendship between Nadia and her best friend Aubrey, and the sorrows of motherless girls.โ
The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel โ An insane true story of a man who lived off the grid in Maine for 27 years (and he was less than a mile away from civilization!)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X – I didnโt know what to expect from this (I donโt know a whole lot about Malcolm X or the black Islam movement) but this book was absolutely fantastic. Informative, digestible, and important.
One Day Weโll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul โ Wonderful essays by a wonderful woman. I especially enjoyed the one about body hair.
Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Charles M. Blow – An amazing memoir that deals a lot with Blowโs struggle with a painful past, and coming to terms with his own sexuality.
Happy Sunday to you!
This is such a great list, THANK YOU!
Yes!! So happy to share :)
The Couple Next Door is a tale of twists and turns and unexpected events! I couldnโt put it down. Seriously, I read it in just a few hours. I love a book like that!!
I absolutely loved Rene Denfeld’s gorgeous yet heart-rending book The Child Finder. I also just finished Dan Brown’s new book (so mad at myself that I read it so quickly — I now have to wait 3 years for his next) Origin. Off to read Denfeld’s other book The Enchanted.
Joy, not only do Imlove your recipes, but you always give the best book suggestions! Iโm wanting to read The Girls, fiction about a girl who was in a cult similar to the Manson Family, and Mrs. Fletcher, about an empty nester mom who becomes obsessed with…ahem…adult videos. I also really want to read Alice Watersโ memoir.
Just finished A Lesson Before Dying – set in your neck of the woods – heartbreaking and inspiring – just started Sing, Buried, Sing
I just finished There Your Heart Lies by Mary Gordon. Couldn’t put it down.
Ok, for the reading list… Sometimes I just need something that’s nice and happy and not too serious… The Love Story series by Tracy Ewens is wonderful. Plus there’s several of them. ?
Reading Rec: Cutting for Stone. Itโs a slow build in the beginning but then you wonโt be able to put it down after the first quarter.
One of my favorites! It might be time for me to re-read it again/
I’m currently on a sherlock holmes kick, and am consequently have the last 5 (!) in the Mary Russell books queued up. I also bought the prequel to Practical Magic, but am saving that. If you haven’t read them, I highly recommend the “elemental mysteries” by elizabeth hunter (if you like vampires and a non-graphic love story… I recommend these to everyone by telling them that I named my cat after my favorite character in the books).
I’m finally reading the Lord of the Rings. I never even watched the movies when they came out because I was waiting until I could read the books. (Yep, I’m that kinda gal.) Anyway, it’s amazing! If you love epic quests and fantasy, but maybe also if not, because I don’t typically read either genre. I hope you find something great to sink into soon!
If you want a great escapist book about hope in the face of incredible odds (in the narrative voice of a black-humoured cynic), then I highly recommend The Martian by Andy Weir. The film was okay, but the book is easily the best thing I’ve read in the last five years. Very clever, very funny, very gripping. You could even do a potato themed blog post off the back of it :-)
PS: Those cookies!
I just finished The Changeling by Victor Lavalle. I cat even really summarize it, but it is extremely compelling – over 400 pages, and I read it in 3 days, while also going to work.
I am finishing up “Thanks, Obama” by a former WH speechwriter, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. Next up is Katy Tur’s account of the 2016 election, “Unbelievable.”
Just finished up Unbelievable last week. It was great and very informative, but the Election Night parts were very hard for me to read knowing what was coming!
I second The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. I’ve just started Tom Hanks’ Uncommon Type. So far, so good. Who knew he could write, too?
That article about the Sacklers was infuriating, but I’m glad I read it. Thank you for putting that on my radar.
Everything I Never Told You – Celeste Ng, Manhattan Beach – Jennifer Egan, A Little Life -Hanna Yanagihara, Did You Ever Have A Family – Bill Clegg. In no order of importance.
So many books, so little time…
Your “Let It Be Sunday” post is required reading on Sunday mornings…Thank you.
I am here to fully second โA Little Lifeโ by HY. Itโs deep and dark and Iโm still thinking about the characters a full year later.
I had to put in a third vote for A Little Life. Just wow.
Definitely read A Little Life. It’s phenomenal. Heartbreaking and amazing.
Someone has also recommended The Martian – I did love reading it, even with Matt Damon in my head as the lead. It’s very entertaining. Lilian Boxfish Takes a Walk is a great lighter read. I started reading Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa with absolutely no desire to read it and ended up really enjoying it. It may be a little hard to read with the world being what it is right now, so maybe put a pin in that one.
I could keep going, but I think you have enough options. But this has been a great comment feed for everyone’s book lists I think. :)
I just finished A Little Life and was decidedly NOT a fan. It felt gratuitous to me. Were there parts I liked, sure. Would I recommend thus, no. Iโm curious to know what people are enjoying about it. Not a judgement, actual curiosity.
Have you read the works of M.F.K. Fisher? Or her translation of Brillat-Savarin, the original food writer?
Another interesting link is the Fast Company article about online mattress purveyors and their reviewers.
I recommend L’art de la simplicite: How to live more with less by Dominique Loreau and Rising Strong by Brene Brown. If you are more into fiction reading at the moment, then I recommend Dear Life by Alice Munro, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and Voices in the house by Pearl Buck.
Dear Joy T Baker – Try “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”.
Whenever I’m looking for reading inspiration I go here:
https://bookbites2016.com/
she’s the sister of a friend of mine
Boundless from Kathleen Winter is my book tip for you. I just read it with huge impression.
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Reading list: “The Power” (reading now, really enjoying, basically about what happens when women discover they can produce electric shocks out of their fingers and society starts becoming matriarchal and I am HERE FOR IT), “Lincoln in the Bardo” (not read yet, but I hear it’s a marvel, stylistically speaking), “The Underground Railroad” (read, loved), “The Essex Serpent” (read, a bit weird but decent nonetheless, strong female characters but not necessarily *likeable* characters), “Book of Dust” (SO EXCITED to read this. You need to read Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy first if you haven’t, though–that alone will sort you for awhile!).
Also! Joy! I bought that Free People bow from your “let it be sunday” a few weeks ago (no mean feat, as I live in the UK so it cost me the equivalent of about $30 and took two weeks to arrive) and it is truly a thing of beauty. It makes me feel as though my fashion aesthetic should be “ghostly victorian child,” and I think I’m going to embrace it :)
HAHAHA! I love it!
If you’d rather listen than read, this Radiolab episode about a Palestinian American running for office in one the most divided and conservative neighborhoods in NYC is so remarkable and worth your time: https://www.radiolab.org/story/father-k/. Have a lovely Sunday!
Thank you thank you!
Nathalie, thank you for posting this. I just listened to it, and it was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. I live in NYC (Queens and work in Brooklyn) and us New Yorkers think that we live in this progressive, liberal bubble and it’s frightening and so sad to hear that there are a lot of New Yorkers (even those who claim to be Democrats like the lady in this episode) who actually don’t view immigrants as Americans, as people who should be allowed to live here, and who just have a lot of hate in their hearts. I hope we see more of Father El-Yateem in our political future.