Finishing a Memoir with Months to Live – I adored The Bright Hour, and this piece about the book’s writer, Nina Riggs, just took my breath away. Nina is so brilliantly captured in these reflections by Tita, and her vivid, generous approach to life leaps off the page. Read the piece, and read the book, I urge you.
Dear Girls, Life is Too Short for Crappy Friends – This contains wisdom whether you’re a teeanger or a mid-life adult (or, probably, beyond). Grace is thick in the heart of figuring out what friendships means, and I am remembering all the angst of those years. I keep promising her she will find her people, and I know she will.
Locating Happiness – Thank you to Amanda Magee for drawing my attention to this gorgeous piece. “What is it about middle age? I do not seek out happiness as a goal or object and yet it comes to me in innumerable small ways, as long as my eyes are open and my heart is pliable.” Yes. This. Exactly this.
My favorite chocolate chip cookies – I know I’ve shared this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, before, but it remains my all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I make these all the time, and they literally never fail. I make them with regular chocolate chips, or a mix of dark and regular chocolate chips (not chocolate chunks). If you want to know how to comfort someone who failed a test, you can always send comfort packages through a fresh cookie delivery service.
What are you reading, loving, and thinking about lately? Books on my list include: Love and Trouble: A Midlife Reckoning
I write these Things I Love posts approximately monthly. You can find them all here.
I look forward to exploring these gems, Lindsey. My daughter loves to bake and I will pass along the Smitten Kitchen chocolate chip recipe. There can never be enough cookies.
I am reading Tim Kreider’s essay collection”We Learn Nothing.”
Thank you.
We loved ‘My Life With Bob,’ by Pamela Paul, Editor of The New York Times Book Review. An incredibly inspiring memoir about the power and bounties of a reading life. Ms Paul is a thoughtful, funny and committed author, parent, wife and genuine person.
I really enjoy the, ‘Things I Enjoy’ feature of ‘A Design So Vast.’ Thank you.
That’s my go-to cookie recipe too. The best!
Loved loved loved The Bright Hour. Thank you for sharing so Tita’s piece. I’m reading J Courtney Sullivan’s book now
That Locating Happiness piece…sigh. Perfection.