Celebrate National Book Lovers Day with our team’s top picks

One thing we know for sure as PR pros is that inspiration can stem from anywhere. Reading has been proven to strengthen your brain, develop empathy, expand your vocabulary and reduce stress, all of which are helpful to apply to work related tasks and build strong relationships. This National Book Lovers Day, check out some of our team’s recommended reads below:

---

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Taylor Jenkins Reid has quickly become one of my favorite authors over the past few years. Her writing keeps me turning pages for hours, and this book is no different. Old Hollywood meets mystery in this story where a young, unknown reporter is brought in to write the biography of a starlet – with all of her twists, turns and deception. It’s a perfect reminder that not everything you read is true, and everybody is not always who you think they are. 

Bri Carlesimo, Senior Account Manager 

“It’s always been fascinating to me how things can be simultaneously true and false, how people can be good and bad all in one, how someone can love you in a way that is beautifully selfless while serving themselves ruthlessly.”

– Taylor Jenkins Reid

---

The Orphan’s Tale: A Novel by Pam Jenoff

As a big fan of historical fiction, Pam Jenoff’s The Orphan’s Tale has been a recent favorite of mine. The story is set in a traveling circus during World War II and follows the journeys of two women, their determination to survive and the friendship they form. I appreciate the story’s strong character development, and its mix of drama, romance and adventure during a historically significant and incredibly despairing time in modern history.

Kara Weller, Communications Specialist

---

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Who doesn’t love a classic “Who dunnit” with an empathetic twist? This book easily became one of my favorite reads overnight. It captures an odd arrangement of mismatched characters sharing a dire situation in a fun and lighthearted way. Backman creates seemingly ridiculous or annoying characters, and then magically pulls sympathy for them. I laughed, I cried, I felt I gained perspective on many topics relevant today.

Carson Brown, Account Coordinator

“Some of us never manage to get the chaos under control, so our lives simply carry on, the world spinning through space at two million miles an hour while we bounce about on its surface like so many lost socks.” 

 – Fredrik Backman

---

Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer  

I recently finished Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style. It was one of the most entertaining books on the use of the English language I have ever read, while also being a useful and practical guide on usage and style topics.

Julia Bonner, President 

“A good sentence, I find myself saying frequently, is one that the reader can follow from beginning to end, no matter how long it is, without having to double back in confusion because the writer misused or omitted a key piece of punctuation, chose a vague or misleading pronoun, or in some other way engaged in inadvertent misdirection.” 

– Benjamin Dryer

---

I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai

I read this book a couple of years ago, but the message still resonates with me. I was deeply inspired by the courage, conviction, and tenacity of this seemingly simple girl. She fought for what was just and nearly lost her life as a result. Yet the fire within her continued to rage on. ​​I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one person’s voice to inspire change in the world.

Sarah Mickle, Director of Operations