The Bookbag * Nesting Edition


Welcome back, my friends ~

Maybe you're like me and have come to slowly accept and appreciate that perhaps this season is meant for nesting.  

At home.

This truth dawns when it finally hits that you can't travel to the state you planned on going to.  That the longed for vacation is simply not going to take place.  When comfortably eating in a restaurant is nigh impossible or that the movie theater is still shut tight.  And that with your ever-present shopping mask you find that browsing for clothes is far more trouble than it's worth.  

With acceptance comes a bit more peace.  And a renewed sense of purpose to move ahead and do what you CAN do instead of focusing on what has been taken away.  

Maybe you've begun slowly, carefully, opening your porch door yet again to just a couple of people at a time with no thought to decor or an eye-catching centerpiece.  Socially distancing, if required.  Hearty conversation, celebrating your connection with big mugs of coffee and brownies from a box mix.  Or perfectly grilled hamburgers and a couple of side salads.  Or frosty iced tea and little white bowls filled with blueberries topped with whipped cream.

This is not entertaining.

This is friendship in action.  This is what hospitality and encouragement and outreach look like. 

Cultivating and nurturing our home life has taken on a more urgent identity these days.  And it's one of the reasons I'm so excited about Myquillyn 'The Nester' Smith's 3rd homekeeping volume, Welcome Home: A Cozy Minimalist Guide to Decorating and Hosting All Year Round.




Chosen by Christianity Today as one of the top twenty creatives in 2016, Myquillyn shares 'engaging how-tos and inspiring photos, she guides you step by step through purposeful design decisions to cultivate a space where loved ones gather, meaningful connections are celebrated, and lasting memories are made.'

She bids farewell to endless 'bins of factory-made decor,' hours of frustration, and spending heaps of cash as she embraces the beauties of each season.  In the process, she stirs our desire to open our homes and hearts to others yet again.

Myquillyn is offering a super generous bonus if you pre-order her book before September 15th ... an online Welcome Home Prep School, 12 mini-course videos that companion with the book!  If ever we needed creative inspiration, it'd be right about now when it's not uncommon to feel like your four walls are closing in on you ...  and you despair of ever sharing your hearth and home with others again.

Hardcover - $24.29
Kindle - $14.99



 
3 SUMMERTIME READS
And They Called It Camelot: A Novel of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis
- Stephanie Marie Thornton
 engrossing  .  beautifully penned  .  historical fiction

The author writes, 'First and foremost, this is a work of fiction.  While I strove to be as faithful to the historical record as possible, this is most certainly a fictionalized account of the life of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis ... What surprised me most as I began researching this amazing woman's story is that so much of her everyday strength and tenacity has been forgotten ... My aim in writing this novel was to shine the spotlight back on this iconic First Lady's heartaches and triumphs, especially as time moves us further away when the years when Jackie's name was consistently in the newspapers.'
Kindle  - $9.99
Paperback - $14.16

You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters
- Kate Murphy
challenging  .  practical  .  meticulously researched

If you've been around here for any length of time, you know that one of my favorite books {and our second Book Club pick!} is Adam McHugh's The Listening Life.  A game changer, a wake up call, a soul-stirrer.  

Kate Murphy's writing picks up right where The Listening Life left off.

The book isn't faith based, but there's plenty of truth to be found in its pages.  Of particular interest was her chapter 'Listening to Opposing Views.'  In this season of political unrest, it's must reading no matter what your political persuasion.  And her chapter on supporting others when they share their stories instead of constantly shifting the conversation to ourselves contains superb lessons for us all.
Kindle -  $13.99
Hardcover - $16.99

Camino Winds
- John Grisham
master storyteller  .  intriguing characters  .  un-put-downable

In describing the reason for penning his latest book, Grisham writes, 'With Camino Island, my goal was to write a delightfully entertaining beach book, one with no message, no issue, no cause, no great injustice to be grappled with.  It worked well enough, and I was encouraged to revisit the genre and the island.' 

This is the perfect summer read.  Vintage Grisham for sure.  If you're a fan, his latest book will not disappoint.
Kindle - $14.99
Hardcover - $17.29




4 LINKS TO SAVOR
Elizabeth A. Harris

Ann Swindell

Rachel Kang

Courtney Carver




I can't wait to hear what volumes are in your bag or on your night table or piled on your desk!
Linda

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sharing good reads with
Anne & Lisa

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as an Amazon associate,
 I may make a very small financial profit
when you use the links on this post

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