Books for After the Relatives Have Left: And, HAPPY 2019

So, perhaps things are a bit quieter after the bustle of December holidays. You may even have time to curl up with a good book by a wood stove, fireplace, or beach. Thus, today to end the year, we post our annual selections of great books to enjoy after the relative have left. HAPPY 2019!

​​Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018). Rarely does a book live up to its hype, but somehow, Mrs. Obama’s book does. Her reflections on her childhood, her own children, her career to date, and, of course, her interactions with her husband and other political leaders allow us all to learn something useful for our own lives. To top that off, she writes well. Her tale is unique. She has a great sense of humor and the right amount of gravitas. If you have not yet read this, we recommend you do so you can start 2019 off with a great book. BONUS: We have heard this makes an amazing audio book experience as well. ~ Lisa Christie

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Cabin Porn: Inspiration for Your Quiet Place Somewhere by Zach Klein, Steven Leckart & Noah Kalina (2015). This beautiful, pensive book is the perfect balm to soothe the soul after a busy holiday season. Despite the salacious title, this is actually a deeply meditative collection of essays and photographs that reflects on how we can actively create community and build our own authentic quiet spaces. Author Zach Klein was looking for just this (and an escape from Manhattan) a decade ago when he went in search of land in Upstate New York. He found the perfect spot, a parcel with a brook running through it where he and a group of like-minded souls have now built several structures and created a school to teach building skills. (Check out their popular website here: https://cabinporn.com/ and become on of 120,000 followers). Their book is full of inspiration in the form of cabins, yurts, geodesic domes, converted grain silos, barns, and underground structures from all over the word. The pictures leave you feeling soothed and the essays incite reflection. In sum, if the increasing noise and fractured natured of our busy daily lives has you craving stillness and authenticity, look no further than to the pages of this book. If you dare to turn them, you just may find that a cabin lies ahead for you in 2019. P.S. Rumor has it a second book is in the works! ~Lisa Cadow

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