Today we thought it would be fitting to marry the spirit of Thanksgiving and our love of reading to give you a list of the books we're most thankful for. We'd love to hear the books you cherish, either for the memories they evoke or maybe just because you really enjoy reading them. Share your books on social at #thankfulforbooks!
Gina: "I’m thankful for the book Caps for Sale, a children’s book by Esphyr Slobodkina – probably one of the first books that got me hooked on reading. I remember my mother reading to me when I was little; she’s told me I asked her to read this over and over again, night after night. I remember her drawing out the story as much as she could, and making funny noises whenever the monkey noises were mentioned. Although I lost the copy from my childhood, I’ve recently bought another copy, and have gifted copies to all of my friends with new babies. I can’t wait to read this book to my future child(ren), and I’m definitely going to make the same noises I remember my mother making!"
Michael B: "Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver. This cookbook was the cookbook of my 20s. I am thankful since it gave me the confidence to be the “at-home-chef” that I take pride in today as I approach 30. Also, The Tempest and Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. My two favorite Shakespeare plays remind me of my love for theater and how fortunate I feel to live in a city where Broadway is only a few blocks from my home. Lastly, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. My favorite childhood book. It reminds me of my roots and my constant love for growing my imagination – even as an adult. I am very thankful that I still embrace the inner kid in me."
Lia: "I’m thankful for Macbeth! It was the first Shakespeare play I ever read (thanks to my 9th grade English teacher, Mr. Morris). It totally opened my eyes to a new world as a reader, a writer, and an actress. Here’s a copy my dad once owned—it’s inscribed 'Louise Hoadley, 1912–1913.'"
Deimosa: "I am thankful for dozens of books; being a librarian, you know that it is hard for me to single out one in particular. But, with my back against the wall I can narrow down to two, one fiction and one nonfiction. Things Fall Apart is my personal benchmark for postcolonial literature, and the copy of The Art of Teaching Writing that I got in grad school was cracked open over and again when I developed unit and lesson plans as a NYC Teaching Fellow. As you can imagine, the non/fiction stars aligned for me when I had tenth graders in Brooklyn write critical lens essays about Things Fall Apart!"
Suzanne: "I’m choosing Billie Dyer and Other Stories by William Maxwell, who was a beloved fiction editor at The New Yorker. The book has many lovely descriptions of the town of Lincoln, Illinois, where Maxwell was born, in 1908. In it he writes, “No house, inside or out, was like any other house, and neither were the people who lived in them.” I think it’s a nice sentiment for the week of Thanksgiving, especially if you’re in your hometown, or thinking about it."
Anne: "This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper. It kept me company and entertained on an overseas flight."
Nadia: "My book is Hop on Pop by Dr. Seuss. My parents would read me Good Night Moon, but Hop on Pop was my sister’s favorite book to read to me when I was little. It was something special we shared and something I remember many years later (and we can both still recite parts of it…)."
Alex: "I am thankful for The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I have found memories of my mom reading The Giving Tree to me and my brother. To this day, my brother and I still have our own copies of the book!"
Stephanie: "I’m thankful for Lena Dunham’s book Not That Kind of Girl for a handful of reasons. Most importantly she is hilarious and sometimes you just need a funny read that will make you fall out of your chair. Another reason I am thankful for this book is because Lena is not afraid to be herself and does not care about what others think of her—this fearlessness is shown in her writing (and she really is an amazing writer). I also adore 'Girls' and this is the perfect extension of that. I couldn’t think of a better book to be thankful for this holiday season."
Brittany: "I am thankful for World War Z by Max Brooks. I now feel prepared for any possible zombie attacks that may come my way!"
And me? I'm thankful for the Angelina Ballerina series, which I started reading when I started dancing ballet. Like Angelina, I was obssessed with dancing, but unlike Angelina, I was less than gifted or graceful on the stage.
