Twenty years ago, I said “yes” to an invitation to join a book club that was having its second meeting. Over these two decades we’ve read slice-of-life books, history, memoirs, and more. We’ve even gone to a few community talks by authors as a group.
Because our book club members host in their homes, I’ve included book club as a part of nesting. When we feel comfortable in our homes (our nests) we invite others over for meals and conversations. Whether you have shelves of books or read only library books, a book club gathering at your home, in a library setting or another environment is a part of creating experiences that feed our souls. Ergo, nesting.
If you are not in a book club, the movie Book Club (2018) does a great job of depicting friends in conversation over their book selections. These friends end up changing their lives as a result of the books they read. Yes, some books have a life-changing effect; others are purely entertainment.
Less yardwork in the winter means more reading time for me. In addition to book club selections I find myself reading additional pleasure and work-related books. Sometimes I’ll read history and other times I’m not in the right mindset or energy-space to read about the challenges of the past. During these times I simply want to read for pleasure, joy, and happy distraction.
Wondering what we’ve read over the years? Here’s a short list.
| The Wright Brothers |
| Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker |
| Overdressed – The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion |
| Into the Wild |
| The Boys in the Boat |
| Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution |
| My Life on the Road |
| Mankiller: A Chief & Her People |
| Coming Home Crazy |
| I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings |
| Guernsey Potato Peel Pie & Literary Society |
| Woman Behind the New Deal: Life & Legacy of Frances Perkins |
| Grandma Gatewood’s Walk |
| The Monuments Men |
| Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love |
| Rules of Civility |
| Hidden Figures |
| Night Train to Lisbon |
| River of Doubt: Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey |
| A Gentleman in Moscow |
| Life and Death in Shanghai |
| Lisette’s List |
| The Alchemist |
| The Code Girls |
| The Big Burn |
What book are you reading now? What are you going to read next?
Nesting is about the objects and experiences that create a sense of home. Without home, it is difficult to maintain health, find joy, or to be productive. Enjoy the Nesting series of blogs on your search for and creation of a deep sense of home. –Jana
Jana Kemp
