Let’s celebrate Drop Everything and Read Day!  Did you know today was a national day to honor reading?

“Yes, folks, each year on April 12th, we celebrate a national day to honor reading. Even better, the whole month is often devoted to activities and events to encourage the love of reading in your children and within your family and circle of friends.  The first D.E.A.R. Day (drop everything and read) was introduced in Beverly Cleary’s book Ramona Quimby, Age 8.  April 12th was chosen as the flagship day in honor of Mrs. Cleary’s birthday, but as the concept has grown and become more widely known, more and more focus is given to the entire month. Which sounds great to me!”

How fun is that!  The goal of the program is to make reading a regular part of everyone’s routine which I think is fabulous. Because this comes from a children’s book, most of the emphasis is on schools and parents to encourage children to read, but I think it is just as important to remind adults to take the time to read as well.

There is so much to learn and discover from reading books.  Books can take us to new places and introduce us to different cultures, religions and ideas.  They can teach us new skills or just take us away from the ins and outs of everyday life.

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Besides learning new things, reading also improves your memory, encourages imagination, makes you focus and concentrate and is cheap entertainment.

So, in celebration of Drop Everything and Read Day, I want to share a selection of books to get you reading!

(You’ll find a list of these books on my Resources page.  Sign up for more from Living Marvelously!)

A few of my all-time favorite fiction books

The Red Tent by Anita Diamont

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy

The Great Alone and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

If you liked the play “Hamilton”, the book My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie was a great follow up.

A few of my favorite non-fiction books

Light is the New Black by Rebecca Campbell

A Beginner’s Guide to the Universe by Mike Dooley

The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer

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A few books I have read recently

The Crazy Rich Asians Series by Kevin Kwan was a fun easy read and entertaining to imagine that kind of lifestyle.

Educated by Tara Westover

Maid by Stephanie Land

The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

Circe by Madeline Miller

A few books on my “to read” list

When All is Said by Anne Griffin

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson

A few of my family’s favorites

Harry Potter Series by JK Rowland

Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz

Drop Everything and Read

A few of the favorites that are getting a lot of “buzz” at the local library

Fiction:

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Island of the Sea Women by Lisa See

Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield

Nonfiction:

Becoming by Michele Obama

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Maid by Stephanie Land

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That is quite a list!  I hope this gives you a good selection of books to choose from for your next read.  I try to take at least 30 minutes before bed to wind down and read.  Reading is one of my favorite things to do, but is also easy to put off.

So, in order to celebrate Drop Everything and Read Day, let’s drop everything and read!

What are you reading right now?

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.

–Vera Nazarian

(For an easy reference and printout to the books, go to my resources page.  Subscribe to Living Marvelously for the password!)