I can’t imagine a life without books.

I remember reading a statistic years ago that stated a huge number of people will never read another book once they graduate from school. I found that statistic startling. I went looking for that information today and the numbers are even scarier than I remember:

• One-third of high school graduates will never read another book
• 42 percent of college graduates never read another book
• 80 percent of US families didn’t read a book last year
• 70 percent haven’t been to a bookstore in the past five years

What!?

Books are windows to the world. Without books, how would we learn? How would we grow? How would we share our knowledge and be the best we can be?

Want to know one habit ultra-successful people do regularly? Yup, they read.

Who can argue with that? Not me.

I’ve been a reader all of my life. I have books stacked all over my house waiting to be read. I can’t imagine my world without books in it; it simply will never be.

Last year, I shared 57 book recommendations with you! That’s more than one per week (I always have been a bit of an overachiever 😉 ).

I’ve always loved finding book recommendations through places like the New York Times Best Seller lists, or through some of my favorite authors and mentors. What I was surprised with is how many recommendations I took from Instagram last year. If you haven’t followed book clubs through Instagram, check it out. I like Reese’s Book Club and Oprah’s Book Club.

Don’t forget to use my 2019 book recommendation list too.

December

The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks
Superlife by Darin Olien
Late Bloomers by Richard Karlgaard
Forever 51 by Pamela Skjolsvik

November

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Breath by James Nestor

October

Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun
Your Body in Balance by Neal Barnard
Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris
Living Lively by Haile Thomas

September

It’s About Damn Time by Arlan Hamilton
The Growing Season by Sarah Frey
Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
Why Bother? by Jennifer Louden

August

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory
How to Eat by Mark Bittman and David L Katz
Hideaway by Nora Roberts
A Woman Makes a Plan by Maye Musk

July

The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben
The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It by Robert Reich
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

June

I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Your Perfect Year by Charlotte Lucas

May

Willa’s Grove by Laura Munson
21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

April

And They Called It Camelot by Stephanie Marie Thornton
A New Way To Age by Suzanne Somers
Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi
A Thousand Names For Joy by Byron Katie

March

Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
Spy by Danielle Steel
Mama Geena’s School of Womanly Arts by Regena Thomashauer
Buy Yourself The F*cking Lillies by Tara Schuster

February

Patriarchy Stress Disorder by Dr Valerie Rein
A Distant Heart by Sonali Dev
Martha Stewart’s Organizing by Martha Stewart
Normal People by Sally Rooney
The Future Is Faster Than You Think by Peter Diamandis

January

Lifespan by David Sinclair
Talk To Me by James Vlahos
Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Rising by Elizabeth Rush*
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

*Just a note, the book Rising is being read by my whole community. Every year the library system chooses a book to read together during the month of January. Then in February, they have all kinds of events surrounding the book, including a talk by the author towards the end. I’m excited to take part in this annual tradition.

What should I read? Have a suggestion? Have a list I should check out? Let me know.