One of the best things about summer is summer vacation. And one of the best things about summer vacation, or at least about my summer vacation, is the ability to spend day after day reading to my heart’s delight. I try to read a book every two days while on summer vacation. When I left for Greece just over a week ago, these are the books I took with me. I have a couple more days to finish…
The three novels by Jessica Anya Blau: The Summer of Naked Swim Parties, Drinking Closer to Home, and The Wonder Bread Summer. The latter is her latest, published this summer, and happens to be our book club pick for our July meeting. Since Jessica herself will be there for book club, I thought it would be great to read all three of her books. I am almost one with the third one, and enjoyed all, laughing and cringing sometimes at the same time.
On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work and Life by Arianna Huffington. While I have always admired her, I have become slightly obsessed with this amazing woman since starting to write for her publication in January of this year. I enjoyed her book, an easy read despite the fact that it is non-fiction and could be called a self-help book, and was reminded of elementary truths that somehow are so easily forgotten. Possibly my favorite quote of the book: “Ships in the harbor are safe, but this is not what ships are made for.”
Rubies in the Orchard by Lynda Resnick. I have been meaning to read this book for a while, as I am fascinated by the marketing brain behind POM Wonderful and FIJI Water – the former basically creating the category of pomegranate products, and the latter representing a success in a category dominated by the likes of Coca-Cola and Pepsi and the ultimate free alternative, tap water. Reading this business (marketing) book on the beach, I thought about my website, a possible Youtube video contest idea, and about my own product in a creative, relaxed way.
Finally, on the plane ride home, I plan on reading The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss. While I had heard of this book, four people mentioned it to me within 10 days of me leaving for vacation, which I took as a sign. And leaving this one for last, I am hoping that I will learn some tips that will somehow make the return from vacation a little more painless. At least that is what the cover, a picture of two palm trees and a hammock, is leading me to believe…