Books I Highly Recommend

“It is what you read when you don't have to that determines what you will be when you can't help it.” 

― Oscar Wilde

I’ve written a few blog articles in which I have talked about books that I have read before and recommended (and I’ve also written a few). Here are a few more books I would like to recommend.

1. “Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them” by Isaac Fitzgerald with illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton and an introduction by Cheryl Strayed

When people get tattoos there is oftentimes a story behind them. This short book (which can easily be read in one sitting) includes several different stories about people from a variety of professions and walks of life and the stories behind their tattoos (each of which includes an illustration). The stories range from comedies to tragedies, and include cases of wanting to honor a loved one (living or dead), and also to mark a coming-of-age ritual. 

2. “Live Nude Girl: My Life as an Object” by Kathleen Rooney

This is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone that has an interest in either art or modeling. Before becoming a writer and professor, while working other jobs and being engaged in grad school, the author spent years earning at least part of her income from modeling for artists (and yes, more often than not in the buff). She worked as a muse in a variety of settings and forms, ranging from paintings to sculptures, from one-on-one sessions to classrooms. If you’re curious about what compels someone to work as a muse for an artist, this would be a good book for you.

3. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: A Novel” by Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker who is often praised the most for his writing and dialogue. He has after all won two Oscars for Best Original Screenplay. Recently he has stated that he may soon retire from directing and focus his creative energy on writing and plays, and this book gives us a preview of what that future has in store for us.

Recently Tarantino has released his first novel, a novelization of his last movie “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Personally I think this is one of his best movies, and it’s also a really good book too. It slightly differs from the movie, with scenes rearranged and told from different perspectives, along with lots of added scenes which probably make more sense to be showcased in the form of a novel than a film. It’s a very entertaining and engaging read, although I would recommend watching the movie first.

4. “Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life” by Queen Noor

Lots of little girls grow up dreaming of becoming princesses or queens and marrying into royalty.   Lisa Halaby become one of the few girls who actually ended up doing that. She was born and raised in the United States, earning a degree in architecture and urban planning while also playing ice hockey. Shortly after meeting King Hussein of Jordan they fell in love and got married. She became Queen Noor of Jordan, converting to Islam and getting used to a different culture and life as a royal. The author discusses in her memoir the challenges of being a wife and eventually a mother while at the same time adjusting to a way of life that no one could have predicted she was destined for her.

5. “The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute” by Zac Bissonnette

Remember Beanie Babies? Remember how big of a craze it was in the late 90s and how expensive some of the rare ones were? This book describes in great detail the economics behind the trend, along with stories of both people who were behind the collectibles and those that won and lost fortunes thanks to the fad. And yes, perhaps most fascinating of all, it includes the story behind the enigmatic Ty Warner, the entrepreneur who started it all.