I’m a former nonprofit fundraiser so I could expound on the importance of breaking up the year into quarters. I like the practice so much that it carries over into my own personal life as well where you will find me setting goals and assessing on a quarterly basis as well as on a monthly and annual basis. Combine this with my love for reading, and the quarterly reading roundup was born.
Here are my favorite books read during quarter one (Q1) of 2020:
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
I tried to put this book down, but I couldn’t do it. John Carreyrou was the reporter who exposed Theranos for the lies the startup was selling, and this book was born through his blood, sweat, and hard-hitting investigative journalism. Never did I think I would be simultaneously thrilled and furious when reading about Silicon Valley corruption.
If You Can Keep It: The Forgotten Promise of American Liberty by Eric Metaxas
This book warmed my American heart. Metaxas did an excellent job reminding the reader of how beautiful this American experiment is, and why we must keep it. Metaxas is certainly a storyteller, and how he wove the stories of American giants into our great nation’s broader history has made an impact that will not soon be brushed off.
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
When I first started reading this book, I honestly expected to put it down after a couple of chapters. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised. An intriguing blend of mystery, romance, and human suffering, this story is told well and keeps you on your toes through the very end.
I’ll be back with my next book recommendations at the end of Q2! Until then, happy reading folks.
KELVEY OLIVIA VANDER HART 