On books for a calm summer evening

There’s a park behind my apartment with a set of perfect hammock trees. On warm (but not too warm) evenings, it’s the perfect place to enjoy nature. Or ignore nature and escape into a book.

Here are some slow, thoughtful books to compliment that calm moment.

-"The Muse” by Jessie Burton - Odelle Bastien lives in 1960’s London and has just been employed at the Skeleton Art Gallery. Odelle strives to uncover the secrets of her employer while balancing the changes in her personal life. Olive Schloss is a refugee living in 1930’s Spain. While the story bounces between these two heroines, the leader slowly learns how they connect.

-"Strands of Bronze and Gold” by Jane Nickerson - Newly-orphaned Sophie Petheram has just moved to Wyndriven Abbey and begins piecing together the past of her mysterious guardian.

-"Remembering Isaac: The Wise and Joyful Potter of Niederbipp” by Ben Behunin - Niederbipp needs a new potter. But Jake Kimball didn’t know what he was signing up for when he agreed to take the position. His predecessor, Isaac, left some big shoes to fill, but maybe with some peppermint tea and a good listening ear, Jake can adjust to his new surroundings.

-"Breakfast At Tiffany’s” by Truman Capote - Holly Golightly is anything but quiet - on the surface. Underneath, complex feelings and deep hurt and a distorted sense of wanderlust live and guide her strange decision making. This slow (and strange) book tell of the people who love her - and how she struggles to love them back.

-"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer - Shortly after WWII, acclaimed author Juliet Ashton begins corresponding with the residents of Guernsey, a small island she’s never visited. Through Juliet’s letters, the reader sees how the events in Guernsey have changed the lives of all who live there, and how Juliet’s life is changed by meeting these people.

-"Trains and Lovers” by Alexander McCall Smith - Four people meet on a train ride and share their stories - often being reminded of their own heartaches by their companions.

-"Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus” by Orson Scott Card - Pastwatch is a futuristic company that observes the past. But after many years of study, the question arises - what if Pastwatch researchers are affecting the past much more than they realize?

On David Bowie's favorite books

When David Bowie passed in January 2016, my heart broke. And my quiet mourning turned to full-blown obsession. I’ve read three biographies on the man (my public library has the next one I’ll read), watched two documentaries (plus another waiting on Overdrive), listened to all of his music, and watched countless interviews and performances online. Bowie is legend and I, of all people, know that.

So when I happened upon this list of books recommended by David Bowie, I nearly died of happiness. My favorite artist was releasing information about a common interest we had. AHHHH.

Unfortunately, I’ve only read 7 of them so far. The rest….are what I should have expected from Bowie, but not necessarily what I want to read.

David Bowie, from what I can tell, was a very thoughtful and deep-thinking individual. He consumed mountains of art during his lifetime, so if he thinks these books are worth reading, the Bowie fanatic inside me tells me that I must run to my local library and check out all these books IMMEDIATELY.

A different, more rational side of me says that these aren’t the sort of books I could read one after the other. At some point, I’d need a break to read some bright chick-lit or children’s fantasy or a new book from a beloved author and that I’d get bored of David’s deep novels.

So here’s my compromise: I’ve put a handful on my TBR list. Once I finish those, I’ll get around to a few more of them. And eventually, I’ll have read 100 books that David Bowie loved and I’ll get to know him just a little bit better.

Want to know how many you’ve read? Here’s the Goodreads version of the list that you can check.