The Martian | Andy Weir
If you saw the movie with Matt Damon, then you already know what this is about. Astronaut (and engineer and botanist) Mark Watney goes through a dust storm that nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate, leaving him with no way to contact Earth and not enough resources to survive long enough for anyone to reach him. Despite the seemingly serious subject matter, this book is hilarious. I was totally not expecting it to be as enjoyable a read as it turned out to be! And of course, the book is always better than the movie, so I highly recommend picking this one up. Side note: As I was reading it, I found the whole thing vaguely plausible–mostly because I know next to nothing about space travel/engineering/etc. But I looked up Andy Weir and found out he's been working as a programmer and software engineer since age 15, as well as being a lifelong 'space nerd' and lover of subjects like relativistic physics, so I felt a little more justified in finding it believable. And knowing it was written by a legitimate nerd like me made me love it even more!
The Defining Decade | Meg Jay
I read this entire book during my layover on New Year's Eve, and it was a little stressful, to be honest. I recommend breaking it up into sections (the book is divided into three major ones) and taking a little more time to digest it. It's all about how (and why!) to approach your twenties with intentionality, and not to embrace that "thirty is the new twenty" mindset. The research, counseling sessions, and stories she shares make the content easy to read and understand, and it's motivational as well as a wake up call. It's a great read, and not a perspective I've ever really seen before.
I Suck At Girls | Justin Halpern
Justin Halpern is also the author of Sh*t My Dad Says, a book born from the twitter feed he created when he moved back home. This book is just as hysterical. He takes us through his encounters and misfortunes with girls and women, from his first kiss to getting engaged. Even though the book focuses more on himself than his father, he still weighs in with hilarious and expletive-ridden advice, so don't worry! I Suck At Girls is a great read and really easy to race through. Definitely recommend if you want something funny and light!
The First Husband | Laura Dave
The book opens with Annie watching Roman Holiday, a movie she has a love/hate relationship with–love because it's a great movie, hate because every time she watches it, something horrible happens. True to form, as soon as she finishes the movie, her long-time boyfriend Nick breaks up with her. Three months later finds her married to Griffin, a sweet chef who moves them to Massachusetts to open a restaurant. When Nick asks for a second chance, Annie is torn. It's a great book for asking all those questions we torture ourselves with every day–should I have answered that call? Should I have said yes? Is he/she "the one?" The extremely likable characters in this book make it a pleasant read.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear | Elizabeth Gilbert
I'll admit: I didn't read Gilbert's Eat Pray Love. And I'm only part of the way through Big Magic so far, because I've been reading it with a highlighter in hand. But the way she writes about the creative process is inspiring in and of itself. She dismisses the unnecessary drama often surrounding "tormented artists," and encourages all those who are called to create to accept their call and approach it with openness and eagerness, even when there's no immediate reward in sight. She emphasizes that you don't have to quit your day job to instill creativity in your every day. This book has been really inspiring to me so far, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who's been struggling with their creativity or inspiration recently.
Want more? Check out my previous What to Read post!
What are you reading these days?
