Spring is in the air folks and I am READY! One of my favorite things about springtime is the feeling of starting anew and yes, I'll say it, turning over a new leaf. There's flowers blooming, blue sky and the promise of brighter days ahead, literally. One of my favorite TV shows that encapsulates that wonderous feelings is of course, Queer Eye on Netflix. Seeing the Fab Five encourage and truly support someone to be their best self both inside and out is just a beautiful thing to watch that's incredibly uplifting and empowering.
I've always loved a good makeover show or that classic movie scene where a character has a transformation montage but these can tend to lack depth and a positive message. But Queer Eye on the other hand, blends the fun makeover parts with a deep message of self-love and acceptance that feels much better than just superficial changes. So in honor of this delightful show that's bursting with Spring colors and new beginnings, I have curated a list of books inspired by each Fab Five member to help you have your own spring refresh to feel replenished and energized. The Fab Five being: Bobby Berk (design expert), Karamo Brown (culture expert), Tan France (fashion expert), Jonathan Van Ness (grooming expert), and Antoni Porowski (food and wine expert). I hope these books help you embrace Spring to its fullest and take care of yourself by refreshing your living space, mental/emotional space, style, physical body care, and recipes.
Part 2 is here with more narrative non-fiction books! From the divas of Egypt's roaring 20's to a 4,000 mile journey into the Alaskan wilds to the natural history heist of the century, these true stories will have you reading late into the night. If you missed part 1, definitely check it out here. Enjoy!
A while back, a customer came in and asked me, do you have any recommendations for non-fiction books that read like fiction? As someone who predominantly reads young adult, fantasy, and sci. fi. I was a bit of a deer in headlights and didn't have a quick answer. However, I wasn't going to leave this literary seeking stranger just standing there. So after running around to ask my fellow booksellers, I was able to show the customer a solid 3-4 titles (teamwork really does make the dream work people).
With February and thus Black History Month coming to an end, we wanted to compile this list of recommendations to encourage everyone to read books by Black authors all year long. There are titles from all different genres and even a couple pre-orders to look forward to. We hope you will read some of these incredible stories and continue to support and celebrate Black authors post-February and beyond.
Recently, the only thing that has kept me grounded (besides books) is seeing some bonafide earthy ground and the things that come from it. I go for walks in the woods, sit on the beach, tend my plants, or enjoy the crazy drama that is bird watching. In exchange for things like picking up trash, growing some flowers, dropping birdseed, or literally nothing at all (mother earth is that generous), these outdoor outlets help to revive a little bit of my dampened spirits.
