Even though I’m a writer, and an avid fan of art, in general, I’ll admit that I have always been an on and off reader. Raised without television, I read religiously up until the day that I packed my bags and headed off to college. College, however, was a different story. I was always flustered between classes and two jobs and simply couldn’t make the time to read anything other than what I HAD to read.

Now that college is a thing of the past for me, I’ve luckily been able to set aside more time these days for reading, but - sometimes - I need a little inspiration.

Needless to say, I was psyched when Spin Magazine invited me to be a member of their book club. I took up the offer gladly and now I’m thrilled each month to read and discuss the books that the selected members choose. The first book that I read was Milan Kundera’s, ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being‘. And I loved it.

Each sentence is painted artistically and poetically as the stories surrounding several lovers’ intertwined lives unravels. Infidelity is a leading motif in this piece, but the book neither encourages nor discourages it. Instead, the book plants you into a place of perspective. It allows you to see deeply into the lives of those who cheat and break hearts and those who are faithful and get their hearts broken. And every possible variable in between. Read More »

As you’re lounging by the pool, at the beach or even outside, summer reading can be one of the most relaxing activities in the warm weather. Engrossing yourself in some great chick lit novel can help ease your mind while you work on your rays. Here are some great reads:

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand. This is beach reading at its finest; three women – one sick with cancer, one just fired after having an affair with her student and one whose husband cheated, all move to the Hamptons for the summer. Juicy, juicy.

The Other Boleyn Girl. Before you see the movie (or if you haven’t already), read this book about the tragic love affair that will suck you in and make you unable to leave the page.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin. This book chronicles best friends in love with the same man and how an unexpected romance changes everyones lives for the better. The best part: there’s a sequel! Read More »

Nothing can put a damper on those sunbathing plans like a summer rainstorm. But never fear; there are still options out there to have some good ol’ fashioned summer fun.

Go to the movies: Summer is the season of blockbusters, so when the rain comes pourin’ down, head into your local mutliplex, grab some popcorn, Milk Duds and indulge in some heavy caloric intake and a couple hours of mindless entertainment. It might not be the best thing for your bikini bod, but a lil’ indulgence never hurt anyone.

Get lost in the bookstore: Being stuck inside is a great opportunity to get caught up on your reading and to check out that new bestseller you’ve been hearing about, or an old classic you haven’t picked up since your days in high school Lit. Plant yourself in your nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders, grab an iced latte and read away.

Check out a museum: Many cities have great museums, and not just of the artsy genre. Check out what you have in your area. Chances are, you can find a museum chronicling the history of all kinds of interesting topics; aerospace, film, maybe even sex. Whatever floats your boat. Take the chance to soak in some educational information; it is a lot healthier than soaking in the rays. Read More »

GOD do I hate “chick lit.”

I am filled with quiet despair, walking along the beach and seeing titles like “Mr. Wrong Now” or “Beauty and the Shoe” or some other horrible “beach reading.”

If you want disposable literature, read a magazine. If you want quirky, alternative summer reads, try one of these:

World War Z
by Max Brooks

This is an “oral history of the zombie wars.” The premise is that, after the recent zombie crisis, the author traveled all over the world and took down lots of different people’s stories.

It sounds like a dumb premise, but the book is ridiculously good. Brooks has a real ear for dialogue, so the accounts seem realistic. This is alarming to those of us who are highly suggestible. *coughmecough*

Plus, the neat thingy on the website said I have a 36% chance of survival in the event of a zombie war. Sweet!

Absurdistan
by Gary Shteyngart Read More »

Big things coming out of The CW today - you know, that station that Gossip Girl is on? Yeah, that one. Word on the street is the brilliant minds (and stylists) behind everyone’s favorite East Coast O.C. - Gossip Girl, duh - could be working on a spin-off for one Ms. Jenny Humphrey.

Oooooo.

I don’t really read trashy novels (in public), so I don’t know much about the GG book series, but apparently there was a spin-off series of books called, It Girl, in which J Humph. left New York City and headed to boarding school. People are saying that this book spin-off could become a TV show spin-off (how creative!) sometime next season. Read More »

Remember back in elementary/high school at the end of the year they would pass out a list of books for you to read over your three months of freedom to get you ready for the next year? Like your English teacher was just trying to cram some more learning down your throat in a last desperate act to get you to care about classical literature. If you’re like me then you’d already read something like 75% of the books on the list. If you’re not like me then well, you didn’t.

So now it’s summer and you probably don’t have that handy dandy guide to follow on a lazy day. Or stress that you’re just not as intellectually savvy as you would have hoped. Or perhaps (and more likely) you don’t even care and haven’t even noticed that it’s gone. But you should care and you should notice because you should have a summer reading list! For exactly three different reasons. Read More »

Any friend of mine who reads this post is going to laugh (or maybe cry), because they have all been subjected to my excessive preaching about the wonders of this book. In short, I can’t shut up about it.

Michael Pollan’s first book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, explored the realities of the food production systems that dictate what and how we eat. His newest book, In Defense of Food, is the practical application of that knowledge, a kind of diet book for whole food-ists.

Pollan’s manifesto is so simple it seems silly: “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants”. What could he mean by “eat food”? Isn’t that what we do every day? Pollan argues that most of what we eat these days is not food, but more like an engineered “food-ish” product that would be unrecognizable to our grandmothers or great-grandmothers.

He sees the rise of “nutritionism” as the death of food—nutritionism is the term he has coined for our increased focus on the molecular breakdowns of our food, rather than on the foods themselves. It’s easy to see nutritionism in action every day—we are constantly being told to eat less carbs or more fiber. There are good fats and bad fats. One day we’re supposed to eat more vitamin C, the next day it’s omega-3’s. The one thing that’s missing from these recommendations? Actual food! Read More »

Ever heard of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight books? What about the Clique or Gossip Girl series? Or how about Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian?

Well, I have a little confession to make. I’ve read them, and I love them. And maybe you have, too.

I do have an excuse for having my nose stuck in YA novels half the time—I absolutely love children’s and YA literature, and it’s my ambition to become an editor and writer of children’s books. Even if I didn’t have that going for me, though, I think I would still love teen books.

They’re irresistible, you know? When you’re 16, it’s so great to read a book that lets you know that you’re not alone in being a drinker/a geek/the biggest loser in school/the most popular person in school/pregnant/generally weird/awkward. There are teen books for everybody.

And the best part is, once you’ve passed 18, you can read those books and think to yourself, “I am so glad I’m not in high school anymore.”

It’s tough to write a teen book, and it’s even tougher to write a teen book that’s successful. Sherman Alexie won the National Book Award in the young people’s literature category this year for his Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, but just check out this link to read about all the flack he got from adult authors for writing a teen book. Read More »