Start the Year With a Good Story

When the end of the year rolls around, it’s time to check in on the last 365 days. For New Year’s resolutions, this means weighing what’s been done, what didn’t get done, and what you want to improve in the future. Another fun way to look back on the year is to catalog the highlights. The best family moments, favorite vacations, memorable songs, and tastiest recipes can be fun ways to remember all of the good times you experienced. These look back lists have become a popular way for famous celebrities to share their favorite things. They give fans a behind-the-scenes look at their otherwise private lives. When a celebrity shares their favorite things, we can experience moments that we know they’ve experienced too- and that’s a special feeling.

One of the most popular lists of favorites from celebrities are book lists. Reading is a solitary activity, regardless of if you’re famous or not. It is a way to enjoy adventure and fictional space without leaving the comfort of your own home. And, celebrities’ favorite book lists allow us to share that same adventure, without ever having met.

In 2021, there were a few books that were shared favorites among many different celebrities. Reese Witherspoon added Untamed to her list. The book was written by Glennon Doyle and tells the tale of a brave mother who learns that living for herself is the only way she can show her children how to truly live. Both President Obama and Kaia Gerber recommend Normal People. This story follows the inner workings of friendship in ordinary and not so ordinary circumstances of wealth, love, and the lack thereof. Oprah’s book club picked Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker. The story follows a family of twelve children, riddled with mental illness and the quest to understand it. 

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to read more – here are a few wonderful bookstores that you can visit to find your next great book:

Fahrenheit 451 Books

Located right in the Village, Fahrenheit 451 Books is devoted to the craft of the written word. Their store is packed full of great reads. Popular picks are organized alongside rare books, first editions, and old bindings. They encourage guests to take their time as they browse and the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. The staff takes pride in the books themselves, even offering repair and restoration services when needed.

Stop in for an amazing assortment of books – soft and hardcovers; fiction and nonfiction; novels, literature – you can find it all at Fahrenheit 451 Books. 

Friends of the Carlsbad Library Bookstores

The Friends of Carlsbad Library is a nonprofit organization that was created in 1957 to raise funds to support the Carlsbad City Library programs. 

Re-opening on February 8, 2022, the Friends Bookstores are located at the Dove and Cole libraries. The stores offer bargain prices for gently used books, magazines, sheet music, puzzles, and more. If you want to load up on good reads this year, Friends of the Carlsbad Libraries Bookstores is the place to get a good deal while supporting the community.

We’re almost into the second month of 2022. Add a good book or two to your list of things to do in the New Year and when the holidays roll around again, you’ll have some stories to tell.