Our July Reading List
Credit: Samantha Hahn
Now that we are in the thick of summer and the days have taken a slower pitch (thanks to the heat!), I have had a bit of extra time to think about the importance of stories and books, especially within our current landscape. In a time when our preferences become the majority of what we see – social media filters posts to our preferences, Google does the same, Amazon culls our reading lists, the list is endless – and this is where, I believe, the danger lies. Our individual point of views are endlessly confirmed, suggestions for further study in line with these views, and the loop continues. It becomes easy to lose our touch point, our sense of perspective. And that’s where the power of books come in, to serve as a counterweight.
Credit: Samantha Hahn
Grabbing a book at the library, or at the bookstore (which, to be fair, is still a curated selection), seeking out a story after reading a review, choosing the book that daunts, that challenges and confronts, stepping outside of our boxes and dipping our toes in a bit of discomfort, all of this carries with it the power to crack us open and bring in the light.
It is in this space that we grow, where we build our empathy, broaden our perspective, see our world from another vantage point and realize that, at our core, we are all one. With a broadened perspective comes power – a call to do something, to act, to make change, but with an added bit of “I see you, I hear you and let’s walk together to make change, bring healing.” So this summer read far and wide, read everything, no limits no judgment. Settle in and enjoy the walk in another’s shoes.
Credit: Samantha Hahn
This summer, quarterlane has joined Juniper Books and created a fiction box of seasonal favorites, wrapped in QL creative director Samantha Hahn’s stunning artwork. For this fiction box, we’ve included The Overstory by Richard Powers, a brilliant and stunning book with heroes that stand 300-feet tall at the center. A surprising premise, and my favorite book of the year. We’ve also included Tangerine by Christine Mangan and Circe by Madeline Miller, both featured in earlier posts and well worth a read.
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Credit: Samantha Hahn
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Credit: Christine Han
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Credit: Christine Han
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