Love in the Time of COVID-19: Four Beautiful Books to Read Right Now

I hope you are all hanging in there. What are you reading right now? Let me know in the comments. If you need a few ideas, here are four books I’ve come back to several times.

A Book to Remind You that Life is Beautiful
On Becoming Wise by Krista Tippett
Tippett’s popular public radio podcast, On Being, is required listening in our house. She has spent her career speaking with the smartest, most thoughtful and enlightened people trying to unearth life’s beautiful mysteries. This book is a cornucopia of some of her best interviews and personal insights into each one.

A Romance Novel to Make You Laugh
Running in Heels by Anna Maxted
You may not be able to lounge on the beach with this guilty-pleasure read, but enjoying it on your couch can feel just as indulgent. This easy read will have you laughing out loud and while it is a romantic love story, it has several deep and complicated themes that set it apart from other “chick lit.”

A Hilarious True Adventure Story
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
Pick up any of Bryson’s celebrated non-fiction works and be catapulted into a funny, somewhat epic tale of a middle-aged man on a mission for adventure. His honesty on hardship and detailed depictions of landspace weave a beautiful story, but his descriptions of the relationships he forms with people really set his writing apart. Also, I’ve never laughed harder reading a book. His recounting of a frightful bear sighting will have you rolling.

A Memoir About Staying at Home
A Place in the Woods by Helen Hoover
Hoover’s book could not be more different than Bryson’s, despite a similar title. This memoir shares the story of a couple of city dwellers who left a bustling life in Chicago to pursue their dream of living a simple life off the grid in the wilds of northern Minnesota in the 1950s. If you enjoy nature writing or have ever dreamt of leaving it all behind, this beautiful work is a must-read.

Photo courtesy of Thought Catalog.