What Do We Do Now? How About We Read a Book?

Several days ago changes began in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Some of those changes included working from home, restrictions on travel, the closure of gyms, restaurants and bars. Much of this, of course, happening at the direction of local and state government. This virus has really infiltrated every aspect of our lives.

So what are you doing now? Even those of us that are forced to work from home aren’t going about the same daily routines as before. Quite frankly, a lot of us can’t do the same job from home. That leaves us with a lot of time. It’s a lot of time to think about what has happened, what could happen, what we used to have, and to wonder when all of this will end.

Obviously those thoughts bring up some worry and anxiety even for those that perhaps never experienced much anxiety before. To distract myself I’ve been watching lots of movies and TV shows. I personally don’t play video games but I know many of you have been doing that to pass the time. And quite recently, the newest trend is sharing your at-home workouts on social media. But what else is there to do once you’ve done your work from home, you’ve done your workout at home, and you’ve watched a few hours of TV. Well, how about reading a book?

So a few days ago I posted on instagram a call for book recommendations and the response was massive! The full list that I compiled is located at the end of this blog. What I found interesting was that a few recommendations were books that mirrored the current isolation experience. Other recommendations were books that warm the heart, make you laugh, or just make you smile. And then of course, there are some books written to practice self-help.

I’m currently distracting myself with the book The Girl on the Train. I love a good thriller book. AND, I can read the book and then watch the movie again. As I began the book I thought, what about a book club?! We can honor social distancing and still have a book club thanks to technology. You can take it a step further and follow up your final book club meeting with a set time when everyone watches the Movie based on the book. Afterwards, using video chatting, you can discuss how the two compared.

Remember, you can buy a book online and read it using a number of apps, e-books, tablets, etc. You don’t even need to go anywhere to buy a book and read.

I’ll leave you with one last thing that I thought about. I’m going to create a list for myself of things that I can do to occupy my time. Some of these things could be things you’re already doing, and some could be new things to try. This can serve as your toolbox to get through the days to come. When you’re thinking “what do I do now”, go to this list and pick something.

Until next time, be healthy and remember we can still be social while maintaining distance.

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Here is the full list of recommendations from ALL OF YOU!

YOUTH NOVEL

Dear Edward

The Great Believers

All the Light We Cannot See

I Am Not Your Typical Mexican Daughter

Why We Came to the City

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MYSTERY/THRILLER/CRIME

The Woman in the Window

Then She was Gone

The Silent Patient

The Stranger

The Institute

The Woman in Cabin 10

Where are the Children

Sharp Objects

The Girl on the Train

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ROMANCE

Red, White and Royal Blue

City of Girls

Call Me By Your Name

Find Me

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

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BIOGRAPHY/TRUE CRIME

The Adventurers Son

Educated

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DRAMA

A Little Life

The Overstory

The Idiot

The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards

Little Fires Everywhere

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SCI-FI/FANTASY

Station Eleven

Gods Of Jade and Shadow

Wicked Saints

American Gods

The Night Circus

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SELF HELP

When By Daniel Pink

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living By Dale Carnegie

The Art of Extraordinary Confidence By Dr. Aziz Gazipura