An Announcement
The meditation library is open. And your summer reading list.
For all of our five years Inner Space Studio has had a goal of improving well-being, mostly through mindfulness and meditation. That will continue to be our main focus, but as we all know, well-being includes much more than that.
From the moment we rise in the morning to the time our heads hit the pillow we make thousands of choices—some deliberate (hit the snooze or go to the gym), some rote (do you take the same path to work every day?), and some are habits we may not even realize we have (what’s lurking in that cup of coffee?). Don’t worry, I’m not coming for your coffee.
To ease into our expanded offerings, I thought we would start with something familiar. Some of our most popular posts here at Inner Space Studio have been seasonal gift guides and book recommendations. So, you will be happy to know that this week we are releasing the Inner Space Studio summer reading list.
Having hobbies is beneficial to our well-being and based on your feedback, reading is a popular one around here. What’s better than a good book and a summer breeze?
Besides, it’s just about halfway through the year so I thought it was a good time to tell you about some of my favorite books of the year so far. I won’t give away too many details because part of the fun of reading is discovering the magic of a good story without spoilers.
These are books that you should not miss. They have my highest recommendation.
People looking for audio meditations: you can check out the Inner Space Studio recording library through the link at the bottom of this email. For now, it will be open every week that we expand into other realms of living well.
2024 Summer Reading List—Fiction
Beautyland, by Marie Helene Bertino
Delightful! A young girl discovers she is an alien from a dying planet. She was sent to Earth to get to know human life and report back to her headquarters. Full of lovely observations. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider (and who hasn’t?!) this one is for you. Charming and perceptive.
Good Material, by Dolly Alderton
On the heels of a romantic loss, a thirty-something struggling stand-up comedian questions his life and choices. Observant, witty, and relatable. If a smart sitcom were a book, this would be it.
Martyr!, by Kaveh Akbar
A debut novel from the acclaimed poet, Kaveh Akbar. The sheer volume of topics tackled in this book is remarkable. The language is gorgeous. The story manages to be complex and while very specific, reads as universal. One of the best books I have ever read about meaning, art, and longing.
Sipsworth, by Simon Van Booy
This mood-lifting slim novel speaks volumes about the power of connection and the good that comes of it. An elderly woman forms an unexpected friendship with a mouse. Heart-warming. You will find yourself giving a copy to everyone you know. Just released in early May and it’s already on backorder. This one’s a sleeper. Reminiscent of The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, by Elisabeth Tova Bailey, Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt, and The Friend: A Novel, by Sigrid Nunez.
Memory Piece: A Novel, by Lisa Ko
This innovative novel follows the lifelong friendship of three artists as they remember the past and navigate into a future different from what they ever imagined. This book will stay with you.
Currently reading and already recommend:
James, by Percival Everett
This is Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn retold from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who accompanies Huck on his adventures on the Mississippi River. It’s complex and a bit dark and I already know I’ll be recommending it fully when I finish it.
Not Fiction But So Excited That I Just Pre-Ordered:
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Releasing on November 19th, 2024. As per the press release: “From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass, a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world.”
I am so grateful for this MacArthur Fellow’s writings which are rooted in science and the natural world. She gifts wonder and beauty to every lucky reader. I can’t wait to read this newest release.
Audio Meditation This Week
If you are looking for an audio meditation, the library can be accessed here.
The password is: innerspace
Please let me know if you need help with selections.
Have a great week. See you back here next time!
xx Page
p.s. Please name the best book you have read recently in the comments. It doesn't have to have been released this year. I can’t wait to see what you are all reading!