Read-taility Recs

The New York Times recently reported that people are hiring book stylists to curate their bookshelves and Instagram posts. What?! This is what people are actually reading right now.

“Here’s my list: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara; Colombia and Other Cannibals by Jack D Forbes; The Healing Self by Deepak Chopra, Rudolph E. Tanzi; The Book of Help- Megan Griswold. I’m actually reading these because they’ve been gifted to me or suggested to me. I think it’s interesting to see who your friends are through books and be able to see how they see you. I always read things that I feel spark creativity, body healing, mind healing, or educate me on how I can help make this place a little better whether through helping educate others or just having a greater understanding for our world. I think all of these do that.”

—Aurora Perrineau, actress on HBO’s “Westworld”

“I’m reading a crazy fun debut from a woman named Sophie Irwin called A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting. It’s a regency era romance with a great sharp bite to it, that has me swooning all while nodding my head at its smart takedowns of society. It’s a blast to read. It will be out in the U.S. this summer.”

—Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of “Carrie Soto Is Back,” “Malibu Rising,” & “Daisy Jones & the Six”

“I’m re-reading ‘Meaty’ by Samantha Irby. She’s one of my favorite writers of all time. ‘Meaty’ is her first book and it’s special to me because I was able to attend live readings of the book in Chicago. The book is laugh out loud funny and at a moment’s notice can shatter your heart. Particularly in her chapters focusing on her mother and upbringing. ‘Meaty’ is a must read and definitely at the top of my recommendation list.”

—Danielle Pinnock, actress from the CBS series “Ghosts”

“I just finished ‘No One is Talking About This’ by Patricia Lockwood, and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a dark, hilariously funny, deeply moving novel that reads like longform poetry. The narrator is an unnamed prominent internet celebrity who has achieved fame online (AKA "the portal") amid the apocalypse. (At some points in the book it feels like it takes place far into the future; other times, it seems to be set in the present day). She felt so real I kept forgetting that she isn't someone I know in real life. The story changed the way I think about the internet, and I can't recommend it enough.”

—Gabi Moskowitz, chef and author of “Hot Mess Kitchen”

“I actually just finished ‘Like a House on Fire’ by Lauren McBrayer, a new book that was just released. Here’s more info… The novel is a realistic portrayal of what it feels like to be a like to be a parent, particularly a working mother, and captures that loss of self that comes after children and years of marriage.”

—Abigail Spencer, actress/producer/writer and founder of County Line Florals

“Although late to the party, I recently finished ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Wall Kimmerer and truly feel that this book has transformed the way I view nature. Robin gives the Earth a voice, a personality, to a point in which now I wake up and thank my trees outside my deck every morning. She has helped me grow my relationship with plants and nature even deeper and is one of the most clever, beautiful writers I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. I was sad when the book was finished because I wanted more, and now have her book ‘Gathering Moss’ in my Audible queue.”

—Maria Failla, author of “Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)”

“I am reading ‘Science of Mind’ [by Ernest Holmes]. It’s part of my morning practice. It gets me ready for my day and helps me to be connected to spirit.”

—Ted Gibson, hairstylist

“ I’m reading two books at the moment—my childhood favorite (for the 16th time in my life), ‘Anne of Green Gables’ by Lucy Maud Montgomery and ‘Atlas of the Heart’ by Brené Brown.”

—Sahar Sanjar Dejban, co-founder of Sundree Skin

“I am reading 'You Are More Than You Think' by Kimberly Snyder. It's a really profound read for anyone who is curious about discovering the truest version of themself. It is full of wisdom, inspiration, and powerful personal stories. I am the type of person who reads many books at once - and I always have a funny book in the mix. Currently, I'm reading 'Is This Anything?' by Jerry Seinfeld. I am always fascinated about the lives or process of comedians and this is a very funny look at how Jerry's portfolio of comedy came together over a lifetime. Very satisfying to read and you can put in down and come back to it at your leisure, without losing anything.”

—Erin Falconer, author of “How To Break Up with Your Friends” & “How To Get Sh*t Done”

“The American Experience: A Radical Reader [by Harold Jaffe, John Tytell]; I am always inspired by this particular group of Beat writers, all of which are unconventional about their approach to form as well as their aesthetics and lifestyles. It's amazing how relevant it still is at this very moment. [I’m also reading] Three Martini Afternoons at The Ritz: The Rebellion of Sylvia Plath & Anne Sexton by Gail Crowther; what's not to love about this biographical depiction of America's most famous women poets (Plath & Sexton). They are glamorous, debaucherous, and changed the face of American literature. Not to mention I love a martini and a heated debate!”

—Claude Morais, designer of Wolk Morais

“Thrilling Cities by Ian Fleming; [I’m] about to set off on a grand tour of Europe and adore his voice, point of view, and travel recommendations. [I’m also reading] The Sway of the Grand Saloon: A Social History of The North Atlantic by John Malcolm Brinnin; We are starting our grand tour of Europe with a Transatlantic Crossing on The Queen Mary 2, and this is the perfect primer for our glamorous voyage ahead!”

—Brian Wolk, designer of Wolk Morais

“A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. It is a beautifully written story of a Russian aristocrat that survived Red terror with elegance and grace.”

—Regina Oswald, designer

“I’m eagerly anticipating my friend Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest book, ‘Carrie Soto Is Back.’ Taylor is a prolific storyteller, so I don’t doubt her latest novel will be as beautiful and thought provoking as every book she’s previously written. In Taylor’s profile for The Retaility, she shared that the book explores the idea: ‘At what point do you lay your ambition down?’ So I look forward to seeing where she landed. I’m also excited to dive into Maria Failla’s ‘Growing Joy: The Plant Lover’s Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)’ because someone recently gifted me with a plant from The Sill. I’ve never had a green thumb, but people swear by plants as a form of self-care, so I figure now is as good a time as any to investigate before I wind up killing yet another.”

—Lindzi Scharf, founder of The Retaility

“I’m deep into Meg Wolitzer’s ‘Female Persuasion,’ a roman a clef about a young woman working for a Gloria Steinem-esque figure, and trying to find her place in the world. It’s a rumination on ego, power, activism (especially timely given current news), and the tension between romantic love and individual purpose. If you haven’t read Wolitzer’s ‘The Interestings,’ I’d buy both, retreat to a cozy cabin for a week, and have the time of your life. Or do what I do, and let it sit tauntingly on your nightstand until you finally have the time to dive in. Once you do, you’ll be hooked.”

—Noora Raj Brown, EVP, Brand at Goop

“‘The Book of Magic’ by Alice Hoffman. [Her book] ‘Practical Magic’ had a huge influence on me. Fun fact, I wrote my senior AP English thesis on it. When I found out that Alice Hoffman expanded the series by three books, you can imagine my sheer joy of rushing to buy them all at once. ‘The Book of Magic’ is the final in the series. It has been interesting reading them throughout my life. Although you might think the series is about how love ruins your life and you must do everything in your power to avoid it, you find out that falling in love is the answer. Let’s not read into this too much as I am still searching for mine.”

—Jaspre Guest, co-founder of September Letters

“Despite the towering to-be-read pile on my nightstand, I keep revisiting Chelsea Bieker's indelible short story collection ‘Heartbroke.’ These vignettes are full of characters seeking out salvation wherever they can find a shred of it in the parched rain of California’s Central Valley. Every encounter you’ll make in its pages has the resonance of a sad song you want to put on repeat, just because it makes longing sound so good.”

—Lindsay Miller, deputy editor at PopSugar

”’Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order’ by Ray Dalio: Why empires rise and fall and the political/economic happenings that drive these cycles. I'm super interested in understanding where the U.S. is in its current reign as the world's leading superpower and how things will change as this period comes to an end. This concept can be stressful for people to come to grips with, but it's happening and I think knowing it's a natural part of history will be super helpful in navigating all the changes coming. [I’m also reading] ‘The Nineties’ by Chuck Klosterman, a trip down memory lane through a decade that was so formative for me. It's been so interesting to have 90s history and pop culture recounted for me 20 years later when I have so much more life perspective.”

—Diana Ganz, Co-Founder of SuitShop

“‘Nurture. A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood’ by Erica Chidi Cohen; with so much information and the many opinions out there regarding birth and motherhood I so appreciate that this book has such an emphasis on trusting and listening to yourself. That force has been my guiding light and grounded me during my pregnancy and making big decisions. I am such a fan of Erica’s and also signed up for her Loom Pregnancy Program, which has been another great and treasured resource for me."

—Alyssa Wasko, founder and designer of DONNI