Summer Reading List

I am so behind on my self assigned summer reading list. It also does not help that summer is almost over. Lately my life has been crazy with events every night. How does summer always fly by so quick, even when I no longer have summer break?! I'm not ready for cooler temperatures yet after that polar vortex of a winter we had. If only it could be summer all year long.

Here are the books that I hope to finish reading by the end of the summer:

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - This book also majorly contributed to my lack of progress in my reading list. While Donna Tartt is an extremely talented and imaginative storyteller, The Goldfinch is also very long and it certainly felt long at times. There were many times where I would get bored reading since the story would plateau for too long, only to pull me back in a with sudden turn of events right when I wanted to quit. It reminded me of a roller-coaster in the sense that there the story would fluctuate up and down in terms of excitement. I do recommend it though solely for Donna Tartt's writing talent.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith -I absolutely loved the first book in the series by Robert Galbraith, so I'm excited to say that the second one is off to an already great start. Robert Galbraith or should I say JK Rowling is a master of creating suspenseful universes and captivating characters and this book is no exception.

The Vacationers by Emma Straub -I've heard that this is the quintessential summer book-- light, breezy, enjoyable reading. What would summer be without reading a book practically made for it--especially one that is well written with interesting characters or so I've heard.

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso -Last year I read Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In and was svery inspired by it, so I am very interested in reading how Sophia Amoruso built her fashion empire. While I currently do not have my own company, I have often thought about starting my own consulting business later in life. I figure it's probably a good idea to pick up as many business tips as I can now.

  

I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star by Judy Greer -Judy Greer always plays my favorite character in every movie I see her in, so I figure her book must be pretty entertaining as well. The few excerpts I've read of it have been as witty and enthralling as I would expect from Judy Greer (or what I picture her like with a major bias towards her character in 27 Dresses).

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcom Gladwell -I am a major fan of Malcom Gladwell's work. If you have not read Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, I highly highly recommend reading it right away. Now David and Goliath has been out for some time now and gotten rave reviews, but I have not had any time to read it yet (especially since my reading list is actually never ending). I'm hoping this summer I will finally be able to cross it off my list.

Monday Musings: Lean In

Unless you have been living under a rock, you have most likely heard of the controversy surrounding Sheryl Sandberg's new book Lean In. I actually finished reading Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In over a week ago, but I wanted my review to do it justice in conveying how important it is for everyone to read this book. For those of you unfamiliar with Sheryl, she is Facebook's Chief Operating Officer and one of Time's Most Influential People in the World. Her TEDTalks episode on why there are too few women leaders in the work place has now been viewed over two million times. Sheryl is a major advocate for the advancement of women in the workplace and she is unafraid to talk about the topics that most wish to ignore (hence the controversy surrounding her book).

Lean In expands upon what Sheryl was talking about in her TEDTalks episode and I have to say the book really opened my eyes to ways that not only am I holding myself back in the workforce but how society is contributes to it as well. While I do not agree with every point she makes, Lean In really struck a cord with me. I am now being more conscious about leaning in at work and saying my opinion on subject matters instead of waiting to be asked what I thought. I cannot sit around and wait to be noticed at work, I really need to be my own advocate. Sheryl wants women to be successful and proud of what they are doing--whether it's running a company or raising a child or even better- both. Sheryl does not look down upon women who choose to stay at home and raise their children because she recognizes that it is hard work to raise a family. But at the same time she does not want women to feel guilty if they want to have a family and continue to work. I highly recommend this book for everyone, whether you are just joining the workforce or a seasoned pro.

Learn more about Sheryl and her cause at leanin.org.

Next up on the reading list: Z : A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, an account of Zelda Fitzgerald's life through her eyes (I'm a sucker for anything 1920's related).