dear mr. hemingway’s 2021 holiday books & pairings
Sacred Gems

Moms Don’t Have Time to Have Kids: A Timeless Anthology by Zibby Owen (Skyhorse Publishing)
Zibby did it again with her second anthology chronicling all the things moms don’t have time to do. There are so many familiar authors/writers who contributed to this SACRED GEM. Some of my favorite essays from the book include While I Was Sleeping by Camille Pagan, I Diet, Therefore I Am by Elyssa Friedland, and Roses by Stephanie Danler (boy I loved that one). I enjoyed reading this book slowly and thoughtfully, one essay at a time. It felt like a warm hug from a best friend!
Synopsis:
“Too tired to think? No time to read books? Zibby Owens gets it. Award-winning podcaster of Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books and mother of four (ages six to fourteen) compiled fifty-three essays by forty-nine authors to help the rest of us feel understood, inspired, and less alone.
The authors, all previous guests on her podcast (go listen!), include fifteen New York Times bestselling authors, five national bestsellers, and twenty-nine award-winning/notable/ critically acclaimed writers. The super-short essays were inspired by a few other things moms don’t have time to do: sleep, get sick, write, lose weight, and see friends. Read one a week and you’ll finish the whole book in a year: accomplishment!
Topics range from taking care of an aging grandmother, mourning the loss of a family member, battling insomnia, wrestling with body image, coping with chronic illness, navigating writer’s block, the power of women’s friendship, and more juicy stuff.”
I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer (Harper Perennial)
Kate Baer is the reason I now read poetry. This is my second book by this wonder and I am blown away once again by her words. I Hope This Finds You Well is literally “kick-ass”, unique and utterly empowering for women. Baer responds to comments, quotes, and words from some unfamiliar and very familiar people from the internet with poetry. This book is an absolute SACRED GEM!
Synopsis:
“I Hope This Finds You Well is a book of poetry birthed in the darkness of the internet that offers light and hope. By cleverly building on the harsh negativity and hate women often receive—and combining it with heartwarming messages of support, gratitude, and connection, Kate Baer offers us a lesson in empowerment, showing how we too can turn bitterness into beauty.
Create Your Own Midlife Crisis: The Best Way To Make the Worst Decisions by Maria Phillips (Chronicle Prism)
Hello, hysterical book! Put this out on the coffee table at your next book club and have yourself a few laughs. It may just fit in a stocking as well. This SACRED GEM is perfect for your “middle-aged” mom friends. Trust me! Options to surf the net, call human resources, and text a picture of your boobs to your hubby (or someone else) is all a part of this choose your own adventure. Have you ever wanted to be a “stripper?????? Just curious!
Synopsis:
“Create Your Own Midlife Crisis is a fun and humorous choose-your-own-path book on making risqué and bold choices in the prime of midlife, giving you the chance to try countless roads not yet taken.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Are you on the far side of forty and wondering how you ended up here? Do you secretly wish you could set flame to everything and walk away in slow motion, leave your tedious responsibilities and boring routines behind, and start life over again?
What if you could?”
Dear Mr. Hemingway’s 2021 Holiday Books & Pairings
This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. My links are not affiliate links. I do not make compensation from my links. Some links may be in collaboration with a book store solely for exposure.