A Week in the Books: Links I Loved the Week of 8/3/18

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Life hasn’t slowed down in the least, and right now I’m finding myself in the new role of social calendar manager for my kids. We’ve always gone pretty light on the activities and playdates, but it’s inevitable that we’ll have more as they get older. And there are so. many. birthday parties this month (including one that we’re hosting). This weekend, my daughter will have her first ever sleepover–we’ll see what moods the next day brings.

Here’s some of the book news for the week:

The Best “Brainy” Books of the Past Decade – The Guardian

I have unfortunately read very few of these, but most are on my radar and are good candidates for non-fiction November. I love that people are seeking out books that give them a deeper understanding of some aspect of the world–and that books like this are actually kind of publishing phenomenon in a world of quick clicks and divided attention.

A Fun Game for Parents that Takes the Misery Out of Vacationing with Children – Quartzy

Some of you may be heading on one last vacation before school starts, and I submit this option if you have the same mixed feelings that I do, of both excitement and dread when vacationing with kids. I like how this little “game” helps adults get on the same side, reduces embarrassment at inevitable challenging behavior, acknowledges them as just part of the gig, and doesn’t quite veer into making fun of the kids for their strong emotions (which I’m not on board with).

How to Read Books Faster – Story of a Lily

If there’s a weakness in my reading life, it’s nonfiction and not reading enough of it. When reading time feels limited, as it has this summer, nonfiction is often put to the side. So I was intrigued by this strategy of combining audiobooks (at 2x speed) with printed books to get through them faster. This obviously isn’t a “savor and appreciate” strategy, but I think it would be useful for the nonfiction books I keep putting off (ahem, Guns, Germs, and Steel). I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m planning on it soon. Has anyone done this?

Science Says Reading a Book Makes You a Better Friend – Electric Lit

We’ve been seeing more studies about the social benefits of reading, which include building empathy. Here is more evidence for these benefits–and arguments against those who would accuse you of being anti-social for reading!

“…our ability to be transported by a story actually says a lot about how we can comprehend, interpret, and empathize with the stories of those around us in real life.”