What I’ve Read Recently, Vol. 3
📍 Downtown St. Pete, Florida
Dress (Also) || Sandals || Earrings || Bracelet
When I was a kid, I was an ardent bookworm. There was always a book in my hand and my nose in a book. I really wanted to find that passion again. So each year, I set the resolution to read more, and each year it’s completely overlooked. Maybe it’s because I spend more time at home, but I’m happy to report that I’m reading again! While I set a goal of 50 books in 2022, I’ve gotten pretty behind pace. I’ll keep going, though. Who knows! Maybe I’ll be able to make up for the lost time! Here’s a quick look at the new additions to my bookshelf and what I’ve read recently.
Elizabeth & Margaret
Elizabeth and Margaret is a must-read for fans of The Crown or anglophiles. It closely follows the lives and relationships of Queen Elizabeth II with her sister, Princess Margaret. Although their personalities and positions couldn’t be any more different, they still shared an incredible bond as only sisters can. Although incredibly dense with information and stories, this felt like such a quick read.
Dress Code
The psychology behind what we wear and why we wear it never ceases to fascinate me! Dress Code opens the door to some of the conscious and subconscious choices brands, and consumers make in their daily decisions. Why do some trends come and go while others stand the test of time? Although there have never been more choices, are we starting to all dress the same? The different topics in this book will have you really evaluating what you shop for and what you have in your closet.
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
Our recent trip to Paris was a huge inspiration for picking up Z: A Novel. Sadly, most know Zelda Fitzgerald as the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby. What many don’t know is that she was incredibly ambitious in her own right. This fictionalized account follows Zelda from her beginnings in Alabama to New York, Paris, and beyond. I finished this book with an appreciation for her sacrifice and resilience against the gender roles of the era.
Anna: The Biography
Is there a more powerful name in the fashion world than Anna Wintour? In Anna: The Biography, you learn how the editor-in-Chief of Vogue was almost destined for greatness but still worked relentlessly hard to get there. I definitely recommend this as a read for any professional woman, female business owner, or fashion lover. It was so enlightening to learn more about the woman behind those iconic sunglasses.
Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight
When it comes to First Ladies, minds tend to Jackie Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, or Michelle Obama. Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight gives you an intimate look at MRS. LBJ and her time in the White House. Even though it was a time of incredible change in the United States, many today overlook the Johnson administration. We think of Kennedy’s Camelot or the pain caused by the Vietnam War. While these are very fair viewpoints, you cannot overlook the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Lady Bird had a very active role in her husband’s presidency. She was a sounding board for LBJ and had her own initiatives in the arts, the environment, and education. She was such an incredible woman, and I loved learning about her work.
Better Luck Next Time
I can’t remember who recommended Better Luck Next Time, but I’m so happy it made its way to my radar! It’s the kind of story you can’t put down and is told from the perspective of our narrator’s flashbacks to 1930s Nevada. At this point, the easiest way for women to get a divorce was to stay in the state for six weeks to gain residence, and Reno was the epicenter. Wealthy women from across the country would call the Flying Leap Ranch home to begin their life as fresh divorcees. This book has wonderful character development, which I always look for when finding a good novel.
The next book on my journey to 50 in 2022 that I’m currently reading is The Grand Design: A Novel of Dorothy Draper. This is a perfect, fun read for any grand millennial or lover of interior design. It’s a unique story about the interior design of the iconic Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia, which is absolutely on my travel bucket list. Before I get ahead of myself, you can expect a mini-review in my next issue of ‘What I’ve Read Recently.’ Until then, keep reading!
Love from Florida,
Katie
As always, thanks for stopping by! To keep up with all things about the Sunshine State, be sure to visit my exclusive Florida page, here.
