TORONTO -- As the pandemic interferes with summer travel plans, it seems there鈥檚 never been a better time to plan another kind of getaway: getting lost in a good book.
Whether it鈥檚 looking for something to read with your kids or trying out a new seasonal recipe, there鈥檚 a book out there for everyone, according to Heather Reisman, the CEO of Indigo Books and Music.
Here are a few of Reisman鈥檚 top picks that she shared during an interview with 麻豆影视 Channel on Thursday. A complete list of her book recommendations broken down by category can be found at the end of this story.
Standing out in the fiction category for Reisman is "," a novel written by American author Sue Monk Kidd, who also brought to life the bestselling fiction book 鈥淭he Secret Life of Bees.鈥� Monk Kidd鈥檚 latest work imagines the life Jesus would have had before becoming the leader of the Apostles and follows the life of the young woman he married.
鈥淭his is the story of a young woman around the 1st century B.C.,鈥� said Reisman. 鈥淎 determined and quite brilliant woman who falls in love with a young man named Jesus. Essentially, this imagines what would Jesus鈥� life have been before he became the Jesus that we know,鈥� she added.
Reisman also spotlighted "," a fiction novel from the New York Times bestselling author Isabel Allende. Reisman described it as being inspired by a real-life moment when the famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda helped a group of Spaniards who were escaping the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s to relocate and live in South America.
鈥淚t is a beautifully written story and it just is鈥� the intermixing of real-life events with the narrative of the love stories are quite wonderful,鈥� said Reisman.
In the non-fiction category, Reisman pointed out a timely and relevant read on the racial unrest currently gripping the world called "." Written by American author Ibram X. Kendi and first published in 2016, Reisman said the book traces the real story of racism all the way to the time of Aristotle.
Kendi teamed up with young adult writer Jason Reynolds to publish "," a remixed and more current version of his original book geared towards a younger audience that came out in March.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great book to have a discussion with if you鈥檝e got a teenager. And adults, you can read together as a book club,鈥� Reisman said.
For kids aged four to seven, Reisman suggested "," written by Toronto-born children鈥檚 book author and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. Reisman said she was inspired to read the story when she heard former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle from their home for an online daily kids story time series for the Chicago Public Library.
The story focuses on a young boy named Jerome who has a passion for collecting words in the same way another person might collect stamps or rocks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about the beauty of words and how words help us communicate,鈥� she added.
For those looking to add some summer flair to their kitchen routines, Reisman recommended a cookbook by Montreal-based sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe, known for their elevated, gourmet salads. "" guides readers on how to create a leafy masterpiece, and also offers chapters dedicated to smoothies, grain bowls and baked treats.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 cook that much, and I actually have done some of the cooking in this book. Absolutely delightful summer cooking,鈥� Reisman added. The book is scheduled for release on July 7.
TOP FICTION PICKS
"The Book of Longings" by Sue Monk Kidd
"A Long Petal of the Sea" by Isabel Allende
"Washington Black" by Esi Edugyan
"Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi
TOP NON-FICTION PICKS
"The Splendid and the Vile" by Erik Larson
"Shame on Me: An Anatomy of Race and Belonging" by Tessa McWatt
"Stamped from the Beginning" by Ibram X. Kendi
TOP KIDS/TEENS PICKS
"The Word Collector" by Peter H. Reynolds
"Firebird" by Misty Copeland
"Becoming Brianna" by Terri Libenson
"Stamped Racism, Antiracism and You" by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
TOP COOKBOOK PICKS
"Mandy鈥檚 Gourmet Salads: Recipes for Lettuce and Life" by Mandy Wolfe
"Falastin" by Sami Tamimi
