Things I Love Lately

On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein– I love picture books.  I love books for kids about science.  I love books that make me cry.  This beautiful book, by Jennifer Berne, is all three.  Whit gave this his seal of approval, and it’s now my go-to book for gifting.  Watch out godson and other friends with sons in this age range.  This book is inspiring, reassuring, and gorgeous all at once.  I love it.

Bringing a Daughter Back From the Brink With Poems – I adore this story of a mother putting poems in her troubled daughter’s shoes.  This strikes me as brilliant parenting and I love the confirmation that poems can change live and touch into the deepest reaches of our souls.  Reminds me of the marvelous Williams line that “it is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there.”

It Goes So Fast (Not a Parenting Essay) – Every word of my friend Allison Slater Tate‘s essay resonated with me.  I read it with tears streaming down my face.  We talk a lot about how fast it’s flown by with regards to the years with our children but that’s also true when it comes to myself.  I’m so thankful that Allison put this into words.  I’m grateful every day to be going through life in lock step with her (we were both a month apart, our first children were born months apart, etc).

Brightly – I am smitten with (and reading every page of) this marvelous site whose goal is to help parents develop lifelong readers.  There are articles about series and specific titles, more general reflections on reading as a parent and for children, and thoughtful content broken down by age of child.  This site is an inspiration.  (Thanks to my friend Stacey Loscalzo who pointed me to Brightly)

Currently in my head: Delicate by Damien Rice, FourFiveSeconds by Kanye West, Rihanna, and Paul McCartney, and I’m Alive by Kenny Chesney.

I write these Things I Love posts approximately monthly.  You can see all the others here.

What’s on your mind, your bedside table, your tablet, and your ipod?

15 thoughts on “Things I Love Lately”

  1. Oh! How happy I am to see the link to Brightly. I wasn’t aware of it, and if you and Stacey BOTH like it, well that is the biggest seal of approval for me. Last week I got lost in a stack of poetry books from the library, and I’m also reading and really intrigued so far by the novel Sweetland by Michael Crummey. Though I may have to pause on that one a bit so that I can squeeze in Amy Poehler’s book (my small book group is discussing next week).

  2. Lindsey, that essay “It Goes So Fast” it brought me to my knees, voicing so much of what I feel and think about the velocity of our lives. Even after nearly seven years of parenting, when I write “mom” on a school form or email, I sometimes freeze and think, really, that’s me?!

    On the way to my Listen to Your Mother audition, I heard John (Couger) Mellancamp’s song “Jack and Diane” and almost (ok fine not almost) wept at the line “stay 16 as long as you can” because I can remember being 16, speeding along in the passenger seat of my friend Melanie’s car, and hearing the song and feeling a twinge of something like understanding, relief (that I was still 16) and regret (that I wouldn’t always).

    Thanks for all this. I’ll check out Brightly asap. And of course you like Damien Rice (his first two albums are on repeat on my phone and in my brain). His voice is full of such gorgeous melancholy and his lyrics are pure poetry.

  3. I love this list, Lindsey!

    Thanks for the Einstein book rec. I’m always looking for new picture books to share with the kids.

    The essay by Allison Slater Tate really resonated with me as well. I’m into my 40s and just want time to s l o w down a little sometimes. It was beautifully written.

    Thank you!
    xo

  4. I have goosebumps reading this because I remember SO vividly listening to Jack & Diane when I was 16, and then also when I was 18, and already feeling loss and sorrow at what was gone. I still of both of those moments every time I hear it. And I love your Literary Mama essay … thank you! xox

  7. I have to say my favorite thing right now is that last night for the first time in I don’t remember how long, my husband and I stood outside and looked at the stars together WITHOUT HATS AND GLOVES. It was an amazing and wonderful moment. I also love the songs Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson w Bruno Mars) and Take Me to Church (Hozier). Both are lifting me out of my winter doldrums. Great post!

  8. As you know, I love these lists so much. Super fun to see my name in this month’s! And isn’t Brightly the best. I spent a good part of Saturday afternoon reading my way through… And Allison’s piece had me crying a lot too!!!

  9. I adore poetry check out this blog by reena prasad ‘ Butterflies of TIme’ . Her poetry is eye wateringly beautiful …thanks for some good ideas .
    Cherryx

  10. I love the unlikely collaboration between Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney. The acoustic version is particularly good.

    I will definitely check out Brightly. Thanks so much for these lists, Lindsey. Your recommendations are always insightful and great.

  11. The Einstein book looks amazing- my son will love it. We have a Carl Sagan one that is a hit. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Stuff-Sagan-Mysteries-Cosmos-ebook/dp/B00NS3TEEY/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425921863&sr=1-3&keywords=carl+sagan

    And The Book With No Pictures seems to be our go-to book of the moment.

    Allison nails it every time. Yes we are still in there, our childless, immature selves! Love that post.

    As for me- a few books I just finished that I loved- California, by Edan Lepucki and Girl On a Train (everyone seems to be reading it). Trying to get through A Room With a View, though so far it’s slow going. My library stack: I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, Florence Gordon, and Death Comes To Pemberly.

  12. I bookmarked Alison’s post to read–now I’m headed there after this to get a good cry on. 😉 I love giving books as gifts so thank you for sharing On a Beam of Light. Sounds like a goodie! I may need to make an addendum to my list to include someone I follow on Instagram. I’m slightly addicted to my photo feed there as well. 🙂

  13. I look forward to your lists! Going to check out some of those links and songs. Of course I read Allison’s, but have not seen the others.

  14. These all look amazing. I’m excited to check out everything. The Brightly site, the (not a parenting) essay, the picture book… Just reading the description you wrote of “Bringing a Daughter Back From the Brink With Poems” made me teary. That’s my first stop.

    Have you ever read “Electrical Wizard: How Nikola Tesla Lit Up the World”? It’s a picture book my kids love.

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