By Tara Roberts
Whether you’re aiming for the 50 Book Challenge on Goodreads or cracking open a paperback for the first time in years, increasing your time spent reading is a worthy New Year’s resolution.
For inspiration, try turning to some of the other good things you might add to your list this year:
Relive Your Childhood
Think back to a book that enraptured you as a kid — something a parent or teacher read aloud to you, or the first novel you really got lost in on your own. Re-reading a treasured text will spark some of those magical feelings again, and your adult experiences will give you fresh eyes to see what you might have missed before. Bonus points if you read them to your own kids.
Ideas: “The Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling, “A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle, anything by Roald Dahl.
Nourish Your Brain
Diving into meatier books gives you more than a reading list worth showing off at fancypants parties. Canonical classics, lesser-known masterpieces and recent award-winners are perfect for giving your mind (and heart and soul) a workout. Read with a friend and argue over the nuances.
Ideas: “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, “Salvage the Bones” by Jesmyn Ward
Enjoy Some Treats
Sometimes, you just need a book to help you escape from the doldrums and demands of modern life. There’s no shame in devouring juicy thrillers, zany satires, trashy romances, and wild sci-fi and fantasy adventures that whisk you far, far away from the world of Twitter, taxes and … politicians whose names start with “T.”
Ideas: “The Expanse” series by James S.A. Corey, “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan, “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern
Get to Know Your Neighbors
The Palouse is home to an abundance of brilliant writers. Explore the imaginations of our area’s brightest literary stars and emerging talents — and don’t miss the next chance to catch one of them in person at a local reading. (Inland 360’s event listings can help!)
Ideas: “Fire Girl” by Sayantani Dasgupta, “Proxies” by Brian Blanchfield, “The Principles Behind Flotation” by Alexandra Teague
Sidebar
Suggestions from an expert
When your literary inspiration is lacking, ask a pro — like the owner of your favorite bookstore. BookPeople of Moscow co-owner and manager Carol Spurling suggested a few favorites to round out our list:
“The Trespasser” by Tana French: “A page-turner set in Dublin featuring a female homicide detective on the edge; great for lovers of Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander series.”
“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles: “Heart-warming literary and historical fiction, set in Moscow (the other one). It takes place just after the Bolshevik Revolution, which forced the Russian aristocracy into exile. This particular gentleman is put under house arrest at hotel where he lives, but he manages to live a rich and delightful life entirely within the hotel walls.”
“The Essex Serpent” by Sarah Perry: “A beautifully written novel that gets to the heart of the conflicts between science and religion, intellect and emotion, and fact and intuition. At turns brooding and filled with light, the novel brings Victorian England and its people to life in vivid detail.”
Tara Roberts is a writer and mom who lives in Moscow. She’s currently reading “Moby-Dick,” but will take a break and pick up something super-cheesy soon.
