The Longest Way Home: One Man's Quest for the Courage to Settle Down by Andrew McCarthy

 

 

“A soulful and searching book. Vibrant and elegant…McCarthy’s prose shines with intelligence and intimacy. One feels pulled along…the book gaining momentum and meaning page by page” (Cheryl Strayed, The New York Times Book Review).

With absorbing honesty and an irrepressible taste for adventure, award-winning travel writer and actor Andrew McCarthy takes us on a deeply personal journey played out amid some of the world’s most evocative locales. Unable to commit to his fiancée of nearly four years—and with no clear understanding of what’s holding him back—McCarthy finds himself at a crossroads, plagued by doubts that have clung to him for a lifetime. Though he ventures from the treacherous slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro to an Amazonian riverboat and the dense Costa Rican rain forests, McCarthy’s real journey is one of the spirit. Disarmingly likable, McCarthy isn’t afraid to bare his soul on the page, and what emerges is an intimate memoir of self-discovery and an unforgettable love song to the woman who would be his wife.

Letters to Camondo by Edmund de Waal

 

 

A tragic family history told in a collection of imaginary letters to a famed collector, Moise de Camondo

Letters to Camondo is a collection of imaginary letters from Edmund de Waal to Moise de Camondo, the banker and art collector who created a spectacular house in Paris, now the Musée Nissim de Camondo, and filled it with the greatest private collection of French eighteenth-century art.

The Camondos were a Jewish family from Constantinople, “the Rothschilds of the East,” who made their home in Paris in the 1870s and became philanthropists, art collectors, and fixtures of Belle Époque high society, as well as being targets of antisemitism―much like de Waal's relations, the Ephrussi family, to whom they were connected. Moise de Camondo created a spectacular house and filled it with art for his son, Nissim; after Nissim was killed in the First World War, the house was bequeathed to the French state. Eventually, the Camondos were murdered by the Nazis.

After de Waal, one of the world’s greatest ceramic artists, was invited to make an exhibition in the Camondo house, he began to write letters to Moise de Camondo. These fifty letters are deeply personal reflections on assimilation, melancholy, family, art, the vicissitudes of history, and the value of memory.

 

 

LifeLines: An Inspirational Journey from Profound Darkness to Radiant Light by Melissa Bernstein

Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson

 

 

A New York Times Bestseller  •  A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, People, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, TIME, The A.V. Club, Buzzfeed, and PopSugar

“I can’t believe how good this book is.... It’s wholly original. It’s also perfect.... Wilson writes with such a light touch.... The brilliance of the novel [is] that it distracts you with these weirdo characters and mesmerizing and funny sentences and then hits you in a way you didn’t see coming. You’re laughing so hard you don’t even realize that you’ve suddenly caught fire.” —Taffy Brodesser-Akner, author of Fleishman is in Trouble, New York Times Book Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Family Fang, a moving and uproarious novel about a woman who finds meaning in her life when she begins caring for two children with a remarkable ability.

Lillian and Madison were unlikely roommates and yet inseparable friends at their elite boarding school. But then Lillian had to leave the school unexpectedly in the wake of a scandal and they’ve barely spoken since. Until now, when Lillian gets a letter from Madison pleading for her help.

Madison’s twin stepkids are moving in with her family and she wants Lillian to be their caretaker. However, there’s a catch: the twins spontaneously combust when they get agitated, flames igniting from their skin in a startling but beautiful way. Lillian is convinced Madison is pulling her leg, but it’s the truth.

Thinking of her dead-end life at home, the life that has consistently disappointed her, Lillian figures she has nothing to lose. Over the course of one humid, demanding summer, Lillian and the twins learn to trust each other—and stay cool—while also staying out of the way of Madison’s buttoned-up politician husband. Surprised by her own ingenuity yet unused to the intense feelings of protectiveness she feels for them, Lillian ultimately begins to accept that she needs these strange children as much as they need her—urgently and fiercely. Couldn’t this be the start of the amazing life she’d always hoped for?

With white-hot wit and a big, tender heart, Kevin Wilson has written his best book yet—a most unusual story of parental love.

 

Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry

 

 

ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR:
NPR • THE ATLANTIC • THE MILLIONS • MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH • LIT HUB • LIBRARY JOURNAL • THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

In the dark waiting room of the ferry terminal in the sketchy Spanish port of Algeciras, two aging Irishmen—Maurice Hearne and Charlie Redmond, longtime partners in the lucrative and dangerous enterprise of smuggling drugs—sit at night, none too patiently. The pair are trying to locate Maurice’s estranged daughter, Dilly, whom they’ve heard is either arriving on a boat coming from Tangier or departing on one heading there.
 
This nocturnal vigil will initiate an extraordinary journey back in time to excavate their shared history of violence, romance, mutual betrayals, and serial exiles. Rendered with the dark humor and the hardboiled Hibernian lyricism that have made Kevin Barry one of the most striking and admired fiction writers at work today, Night Boat to Tangier is a superbly melancholic melody of a novel, full of beautiful phrases and terrible men.

Too Good to Be True by Tricia O'Malley

 

 

When the oracle predicted that Mirra would need to be rescued…Mirra is shocked to find the premonition unfold literally. When Silas Somerborne races to save the day, and rescues Mirra from certain death, she knows immediately that he’s the one she’s been waiting for. And yet, no matter how hard she tries, Silas pushes Mirra away. Silas has spent his life escaping notice by living on the fringes of society where hard work and keeping his head down is all he knows. He’s content with his life as it is, and Silas certainly doesn’t need a bombshell beauty like Mirra to intrude. As far as he’s concerned, women could disrupt the course of even the most seaworthy sailor. When danger comes to Siren Island, Silas must do his best to quell the threat and keep Mirra safe. However, is Silas actually the one who has needed rescuing all along?

Out of the Maze: An A-Mazing Way to Get Unstuck by Spencer Johnson, Ken Blanchard (Foreword by), John David Mann (Contribution by)

 

 

Wall Street Journal Bestseller

The long-awaited sequel to Who Moved My Cheese?, the beloved 28-million-copy bestseller that became a worldwide sensation.

In his trademark style that has won tens of millions of fans, Dr. Spencer Johnson once again shares a simple story that offers profound truths about how to transform your life.

When we first met them in Who Moved My Cheese?, two mouse-sized characters named Hem and Haw were faced with unexpected change, when the Cheese they loved suddenly disappeared. Haw learned how to deal with that change successfully by setting off in search of New Cheese. But Hem remained stuck where he was.

Now Out of the Maze reveals what Hem did next--and how his discoveries can help you unlock the riddle of whatever mazes you may face yourself.

When you follow Hem and his new friend, Hope, on their new journey, you'll discover how to get more out of life by thinking outside the box. Or, in this case, outside the Maze.

Written for all ages and backgrounds, this story takes less than an hour to read, yet its insights can last for a lifetime.

Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal Your Mind by Judson Brewer

 

 

A step-by-step plan clinically proven to break the cycle of worry and fear that drives anxiety and addictive habits

We are living through one of the most anxious periods any of us can remember. Whether facing issues as public as a pandemic or as personal as having kids at home and fighting the urge to reach for the wine bottle every night, we are feeling overwhelmed and out of control. But in this timely book, Judson Brewer explains how to uproot anxiety at its source using brain-based techniques and small hacks accessible to anyone. 

We think of anxiety as everything from mild unease to full-blown panic. But it's also what drives the addictive behaviors and bad habits we use to cope (e.g. stress eating, procrastination, doom scrolling and social media). Plus, anxiety lives in a part of the brain that resists rational thought. So we get stuck in anxiety habit loops that we can't think our way out of or use willpower to overcome. Dr. Brewer teaches us map our brains to discover our triggers, defuse them with the simple but powerful practice of curiosity, and to train our brains using mindfulness and other practices that his lab has proven can work.

Distilling more than 20 years of research and hands-on work with thousands of patients, including Olympic athletes and coaches, and leaders in government and business, Dr. Brewer has created a clear, solution-oriented program that anyone can use to feel better - no matter how anxious they feel.

*This audiobook includes a PDF of the behavioral tendencies questionnaire from the book. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. 

 

What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry

 

Our earliest experiences shape our lives far down the road, and What Happened to You? provides powerful scientific and emotional insights into the behavioral patterns so many of us struggle to understand.

“Through this lens we can build a renewed sense of personal self-worth and ultimately recalibrate our responses to circumstances, situations, and relationships. It is, in other words, the key to reshaping our very lives.”―Oprah Winfrey

This book is going to change the way you see your life.

Have you ever wondered "Why did I do that?" or "Why can't I just control my behavior?" Others may judge our reactions and think, "What's wrong with that person?" When questioning our emotions, it's easy to place the blame on ourselves; holding ourselves and those around us to an impossible standard. It's time we started asking a different question.

Through deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

Here, Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age. In conversation throughout the book, she and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future―opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way.

Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams

 

 

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER from the author of OUR TIME IS NOW

"Abrams's own grit, coupled with her descriptions of much stumbling and self-doubt, will...touch you in a way few books by politicians can." ―The New York Times

PRAISE FOR STACEY ABRAMS
"In a time when too many folks are focused simply on how to win an election, Stacey’s somebody who cares about something more important: why we should. That’s the kind of politics we should practice. That’s why I’m proud to give Stacey Abrams my support." President Barack Obama

National leader Stacey Abrams has written the guide to harnessing the strengths of being an outsider and succeeding anyway.

Leadership is hard. Convincing others―and yourself―that you are capable of taking charge and achieving more requires insight and courage. Lead from the Outside is the handbook for outsiders, written with an eye toward the challenges that hinder women, people of color, the working class, members of the LGBTQ community, and millennials ready to make change. Stacey uses her hard-won insights to break down how ambition, fear, money, and failure function in leadership, and she includes practical exercises to help you realize your own ambition and hone your skills. Lead from the Outside discusses candidly what Stacey has learned over the course of her impressive career in politics, business and the nonprofit world: that differences in race, gender, and class provide vital strength, which we can employ to rise to the top and create real and lasting change.

This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism by Don Lemon

 

 

In this ‘vital book for these times’ (Kirkus Reviews), Don Lemon brings his vast audience and experience as a reporter and a Black man to today’s most urgent question: How can we end racism in America in our lifetimes?
 
The host of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is more popular than ever. As America’s only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon and his daily monologues on racism and antiracism, on the failures of the Trump administration and of so many of our leaders, and on America’s systemic flaws speak for his millions of fans. Now, in an urgent, deeply personal, riveting plea, he shows us all how deep our problems lie, and what we can do to begin to fix them.

Beginning with a letter to one of his Black nephews, he proceeds with reporting and reflections on his slave ancestors, his upbringing in the shadows of segregation, and his adult confrontations with politicians, activists, and scholars. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic ultimatum to America. He visits the slave port where a direct ancestor was shackled and shipped to America. He recalls a slave uprising in Louisiana, just a few miles from his birthplace. And he takes us to the heart of the 2020 protests in New York City. As he writes to his young nephew: We must resist racism every single day. We must resist it with love.

The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss (Why Intermittent Fasting Is the Key to Controlling Your Weight) (Book 1) Part of: The Code Series (2 Books) | by Dr. Jason Fung and Timothy Noakes

What to Expect When You're Expecting Part of: What to Expect When You're Expecting (5 Books) | by Heidi Murkoff

 

 

America’s pregnancy bible answers all your baby questions.

• When can I take home a pregnancy test?
• How can I eat for two if I’m too queasy to eat for one?
• Can I keep up my spinning classes?
• Is fish safe to eat? And what’s this I hear about soft cheese?
• Can I work until I deliver? What are my rights on the job?
• I’m blotchy and broken out—where’s the glow?
• Should we do a gender reveal? What about a 4-D ultrasound?
• Will I know labor when I feel it?

Your pregnancy explained and your pregnant body demystified, head (what to do about those headaches) to feet (why they’re so swollen), back (how to stop it from aching) to front (why you can’t tell a baby by mom’s bump). Filled with must-have information, practical advice, realistic insight, easy-to-use tips, and lots of reassurance, you’ll also find the very latest on prenatal screenings, which medications are safe, and the most current birthing options—from water birth to gentle c-sections. Your pregnancy lifestyle gets equal attention, too: eating (including food trends) to coffee drinking, working out (and work) to sex, travel to beauty, skin care, and more. Have pregnancy symptoms? You will—and you’ll find solutions for them all. Expecting multiples? There’s a chapter for you. Expecting to become a dad? This book has you covered, too.

 

The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are Book 1 of 1: The Gifts of Imperfection | by Brené Brown

 

 

Brené Brown’s game-changing New York Times bestseller, The Gifts of Imperfection, has sold more than 2 million copies in more than 30 different languages and is celebrating its 10th Anniversary in print. Forbes magazine named Gifts one of the "Five Books That Will Actually Change Your Outlook On Life." Through this self-help classic we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world and helping us to believe we are worthy of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love.

A motivational and inspiring guide to wholehearted living, rather than just the average self-help book, with this groundbreaking work Brené Brown, Ph.D., bolsters the self-esteem and personal development process through her characteristic heartfelt, honest storytelling. With original research and plenty of encouragement, she explores the psychology of releasing our definitions of an “imperfect” life and embracing living authentically. Brown’s “ten guideposts”  are benchmarks for authenticity that can help anyone establish a practice for a life of honest beauty—a perfectly imperfect life.

Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to “dig deep” and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can’t hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.

How to Be Italian: Eat, Drink, Dress, Travel and Love La Dolce Vita by Maria Pasquale

 

 

Delve into the art of loving and living in every moment.

'Italian' is as evocative a word as any, but what does it really mean? The answer is a lifestyle that many envy, from one of the world's most beloved countries - aperitifs and the art of drinking coffee. Feast days and a quiet August. Cities steeped in history, where the past is always present and countless style and fashion icons reside. In a country where wine is produced in every region, food is deeply entrenched in tradition, and some of the world's greatest artists, composers, and thinkers have lived, passion is everywhere and la dolce vita thrives.

This book is a celebration of what it means to be from Italy - an education in drinking to savour the moment, travelling indulgently, and dolce far niente - the sweetness of doing nothing. From the innovation of Italian fashion and design, the golden age of its cinema, the Roman Empire's cultural echoes, and some very good espresso, take a dip into the Italian psyche and learn to eat, love, dress, think, and have fun as only Italia can.

Minimalista: Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Home, Wardrobe, and Life by Shira Gill

 

 

Elevate your personal style, trim your belongings, and transform your life, one room at a time, with this visionary lifestyle and home organization book from professional organizing expert, Shira Gill.

As a professional home organizer with clients ranging from students to multi-millionaires, Shira Gill observed that clutter is a universal stress trigger. Over the years she created a signature decluttering and organization process that promotes sustainability, achieves lasting results, and can be applied to anyone, regardless of their space or lifestyle. Rather than imposing strict rules and limitations, Shira redefines minimalism as having the perfect amount of everything—for you—based on your personal values and the limitations of your space. 
 
Now, in Minimalista, Shira shares her complete toolkit for the first time, built around five key steps: Clarify, Edit, Organize, Elevate, and Maintain. Once you learn the methodology you'll dive into the hands-on work, choose-your-own-adventure style: knock out a room, or even a single drawer; style a bookshelf; donate a sweater. Shira teaches that the most important thing you can do is start, and that small victories, achieved one at a time, will snowball into massive transformation. Broken into small, bite-sized chunks, Minimalista makes it clear that if the process is fun and easy to follow, anyone can learn the principles of editing and organization.

You Are Here (For Now): A Guide to Finding Your Way by Adam J. Kurtz

 

 

An honest and relatable guide to figuring out where you’re headed—and feeling okay in the meantime.
 

When life feels uncertain, or just plain out of control, making intentional choices can help us move forward and find our way. Sometimes all it takes is a gentle nudge, but for anyone waiting for that big, obvious sign from the universe: This is it!
 
This candid collection of essays and artwork is full of reflections, encouragement, and insights on the theme of personal transformation—realistic perspectives to help you move from “staying alive” to nurturing and celebrating the person you know you really are.
 
From the generous and slightly jaded mind of artist Adam J. Kurtz, these pages explore mental health, identity, handling setbacks, and finding humor in the unknown—and will be a touchstone for seekers, graduates, creatives, and anyone who’s trying to figure out what’s next (and maybe even feel a little hopeful about it).
 

The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Dr. Hardy

 

 

As he did in WHO NOT HOW, Dr. Benjamin Hardy shares one of Dan Sullivan’s simple yet profound teachings that until now has been known only to his Strategic Coach clients: unsuccessful people focus on “The Gap,” but successful people focus on “The Gain.”

Most people, especially highly ambitious people, are unhappy because of what they measure themselves against. We all have an ideal, which is like a moving target always out of reach. When we measure ourselves against our ideal, we’re in “The Gap.” However, when we measure ourselves against our previous selves—the person we were when we set our goals and ideals—we will be in “The Gain.” In “The Gain” we can more clearly see the progress we’ve made, and therefore will experience the happiness, confidence, and satisfaction that come from achieving—positive, powerful emotions that will motivate us to pursue new goals and ultimately become increasingly successful.

The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners: Your Essential Guide to Living the Keto Lifestyle by Amy Ramos and Amanda C. Hughes

 

 

The simple, easy and friendly way to start the ketogenic diet and lifestyle

Starting the ketogenic diet can be overwhelming―so much to learn, so many resources to choose from. So why doesn’t somebody make it easy? We did. The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners is your all-in-one resource for starting and sticking to the ketogenic diet. You get exactly what you need to make keto surprisingly simple; meal plans, shopping lists, support, and lots of keto-licious recipes.

The Complete Ketogenic Diet for Beginners includes:

• 75 Scrumptious Recipes―From Bacon-Artichoke Omelets to Pesto Zucchini Noodles, these easy-to-follow recipes can be prepared in 30 minutes or less.
• 14-Day Meal Plan―With breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack suggestions, this book takes the guesswork out of starting your ketogenic diet.
• The Big Picture―An overview explaining the fundamentals of the ketogenic diet and handy charts illustrating nutritional information help you master keto in no time.

Easy meets yummy meets healthy in this ketogenic diet book. Start losing weight and gaining a healthy lifestyle today.

 

You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life Part of: You Are a Badass® (3 Books) | by Jen Sincero

 

 

 

Packed with humor, inspiration, and advice, You Are a Badass is the #1 New York Times bestselling self-help book that teaches you how to get better without getting busted.

In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, bestselling author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up twenty-seven bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to:

• Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want,
• Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, and
• Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.

By the end of You Are a Badass, you'll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can't change, how to change what you don't love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.