These past days have brought us all into a serious state of mind so our reading recommendations are tending the same this week with non-fiction and memoir genres from book whisperer, Linda Sullivan.
Mary Laura Philpott is the author of the memoir Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives which was called a “masterwork” by the New York Times and a “beautifully wrought ode to life” by the Washington Post She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives is Linda Sullivan, our book whisperer’s first recommendation this week.
Linda started listening to the audiobook, when her library hold arrived in time to read with her eyes, too. Then she got her own personal copy so she could read the words again and again because the book was so captivating. “Then I could highlight plus share with my friends,” said Linda.
Adds Linda, “If you worry. If you are someone who believes everything will be just fine as long as you do everything just so and keep your people safe and close. If you’ve had those worries come true and all your efforts blow up in your face, then you’ll relate to Bomb Shelter.”
Shauna Niequist is a New York Times bestselling author of several novels who is currently living in New York City with her husband and two sons.
Niequist loves to talk about the practice of writing giving her best advice to aspiring authors, “Pay attention to everything, notice everything, and practice describing it in great detail.”
Niequist demonstrates that skill in writing with Linda’s second recommendation for this week: i guess i havent’ learned that yet.
Linda calls this book of essays a gift to us, as Niequist writes a narrative of her journey from decrypting her mind from what is no longer working to accepting the unknowns as reality.
Linda promises, “If you’re over the age of 40, run, don’t walk, to purchase it. If you’re younger than 40, do yourself a favor and read it sooner rather than later. Trust me! Even better, buy or borrow the audiobook because Shauna reads it and listening to her read some very private, emotional memories is powerful.”
In 2019, Linda and a friend were fortunate to attend a weekend retreat with Shauna Niequist and Brene’ Brown at Blackberry Mountain. She says they went for Brene’ Brown, but left with so much respect and love for Shauna calling her the real deal.
Keep filling your queue as I am at: Knox County Online Library as you search for Linda’s recommendations each week.
All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com