This Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t matter if your status is single, taken, complicated, or somewhere in between. If you love to read then you know a good book makes for perfect company! In honor of the month of love, here are five must-read books highlighting the ways of the heart.
Love and poetry…
Tell a loved one just how much you care with Elizabeth Browning’s How Do I Love Thee? Draw strength and courage to move onward and upward from Still I Rise by the incredible Maya Angelou. We can debate about the title later, but The 100 Best Poems of All Time won’t let you down if you’re looking to dabble in the language of lovers.
Love and life…
From Kelly Kapoor to Mindy Lahiri, Mindy Kaling’s characters know a thing or two about love. In Why Not Me?, Kaling’s second book, she dishes on her journey to find contentment as an adult. “Mindy turns the anxieties, the glamour, and the celebrations of her second coming-of-age into a laugh-out-loud funny collection of essays that anyone who’s ever been at a turning point in their life or career can relate to. And those who’ve never been at a turning point can skip to the parts where she talks about meeting Bradley Cooper.”
Love and food…
Poor Man’s Feast is Elissa Altman’s first book, inspired by her James Beard Award-nominated food blog. Altman reflects on how her parents’ “polar opposite” views on food impacted her own, and how falling in love changed everything. Cupid’s arrow eventually pointed Altman straight towards the Connecticut countryside. Today, she finds joy and comfort in simple suppers with her wife, Susan. TIP: Be sure to test out Altman’s ragu recipe on page 128. It’s just one of 26 free recipes included throughout the book.
Love and family…
Love and family…The Best-Loved Doll by Rebecca Caudill is the charming story of a girl who is invited to a party where there will be a doll contest, and the careful decision that follows. Should she choose her antique doll? Her fancy doll? Her doll that does something? Or her favorite doll, who is a bit ragged after many years of love and play? This book is a great opportunity to talk to your kids about staying true to their hearts.
Love and yourself…
Get ready to laugh, cry, and feel warm and fuzzy inside with Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Life and Love from Dear Sugar. This is a collection of The Rumpus’ best advice columns by Sugar (eventually revealed to be Cheryl Strayed, author of critically acclaimed novel Wild). Each of Strayed’s pieces remind us that life is “great and continuous unfolding,” and we must ride it out by noticing and lingering in all the tiny, beautiful moments.
What’s your favorite book about love? Comment below to share.
