The best authors are those who read extensively. Here is what I’ve been reading lately.

If you're interested in learning more about the non-fiction books I've read and the insights gained from them, be sure to listen to the Two Booked Up podcast.

August was a busy month, and I did a lot of work behind the scenes in my business, updating this website, creating new guides and more.

Additionally, the first draft of the manuscript for the next Single in Sydney book is done, and I've started the revision and editing process. Thus, most of my reading this past month was non-fiction, as I find it less distracting when I'm in creation mode. That said, I still read some great fiction books! You can check them out below.

Fiction Reads

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

A relatively quick read with perfectly drawn characters, this book was very enjoyable. Anne Tyler’s writing makes it feel like the main character, Micah, is someone you know, perhaps living down the street. Beautifully written, this gentle story is touted as “a perfect love story for imperfect people”, and I’d agree. It’s also funny, with laugh-out-loud moments. And the redhead? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out.

The Pavilion in the Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall Smith is a prolific author, and I’ve read and enjoyed many of his books, including several of his series. This stand-alone book was just as enjoyable as his best. Set in Ceylon on a tea plantation high up in the hills in 1938, during the final days of the British Empire, the story follows Bella, a precocious eight-year-old; her father, Henry – the owner of the tea plantation – and her mother, Virginia. As idyllic as the setting is, everything is not as serene as it seems.

Autumn in Sycamore Park by C P Ward

I chose a light read to meet the ‘Set in Autumn’ challenge prompt. After reading a lot of non-fiction, I wanted something light and easy to read, and this book fit the bill. It is a gentle romantic comedy set in a small English village, told from the perspective of a primary school teacher new to the school and location, as she meets a cast of quirky characters. My favourite part was the dialogue between the school students, which was spot on. It was a quick read, likely forgettable after a week or two, but just what I wanted.

Natural Selection: A Short Stort by Elin Hilderbrand

I decided to read this story because I've been honing my skills in writing short stories and I wanted to immerse myself in more of them. This quick read (less than an hour) ticked the boxes for me. When her boyfriend bails at the last minute, New Yorker Sophia embarks on their couples’ cruise to the Galápagos Islands alone. With eight days on her own, she learns that maybe the person she was supposed to fall in love with was herself.

Non-Fiction Reads

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things by Adam Grant

I’d wanted to read this book since it came out last year, so I was delighted when it became available through the library. It didn’t disappoint! This book reveals how anyone can rise to achieve greater things, and it changed the way I think about my work, coaching, parenting, and how I show up in the world. The true measure of your potential is not the height of the peak you've reached but how far you've climbed to get there. If you’re a leader, parent, business owner, someone who supports others, or love learning about what makes us tick, I recommend reading it.

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

My podcast co-host and biz best friend Shelley Tonkin Smith gave this book to me when I started taking my creative writing seriously. It also meets the Two Booked Up reading challenge prompt ‘A classic’. Many people had told me I’d love this book, and they were right! With her trademark wit and humour, this book is filled with helpful, insightful and practical advice and some hilarious stories about the joys and trials of writing.

The Confidence Myth: Why Women Undervalue Their Skills, and How to Get Over It by Helene Lerner

A relatively quick read, published in 2018. Helene Lerner points out that not only do we need more female leaders at the top, but we need more women at all levels of business, government, and nonprofits. The problem, the author says, isn't so much that, as women, we lack confidence but that we misunderstand what confidence really is. She shares the six myths of confidence, and provides practical exercises and techniques for how to disprove and move past them.

The Hospital By The River by Dr Catherine Hamlin and John Little

I chose this book to meet the reading challenge prompt, ‘An autobiography or memoir by a person you admire.’ Dr Catherine Hamlin is undoubtedly a person I admire for her unfailing dedication to the people of Ethiopia and her lifetime’s work, operating on more than 20,000 women, most of whom suffered from obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury. The stories of the women are heartbreaking, and I shed quite a few tears. The program she and her husband Reg established has been heralded as one of the most incredible medical programs in the modern world. She is a product of her time, and some of her views are uncomfortable when considered through a twenty-first-century lens. Despite that, I’m glad I read this book.

What have you been reading lately? Do you have a recommendation for a book you read and loved?

*Please note that while I enjoy supporting local bookstores and libraries, I also recognise and appreciate the convenience of purchasing books online. This post includes affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission if you decide to purchase using one of these links.