Spring is a busy time of year, with graduations, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day practically back-to-back, so don’t let these holidays sneak up on you. Instead, be prepared to celebrate the reason behind your neuroses with a laugh-out-loud, devastatingly accurate appreciation of anxiety-ridden moms everywhere; a collection of handwritten, illustrated notes advice from one zen dad to his kids, and an inspiring book from one of the world’s greatest athletes about “the new rules” for women and leadership.
For Mother’s Day, Sunday May 12th
Why Don’t You Write My Eulogy Now So I Can Correct It? A Mother’s Suggestions by Patricia Marx, illustrated by Roz Chast
Is your mom the type that sends you inexplicable texts in the middle of the night about whether you’re wearing your winter coat, the dangers of ride-share apps, and when you’ll get around to signing power of attorney paperwork because her demise is imminent? New Yorker writer Patricia Marx and anxiety-expert cartoonist Roz Chast’s collaboration will feel like home sweet home to you. This book says, “You are totally nuts, Mom, and you are driving me insane, but I love you so much.”
For Father’s Day, Sunday June 16th
Folded Wisdom: Notes from Dad on Life, Love, and Growing Up by Joanna Guest
If there’s anything trickier than Mother’s Day, it’s Father’s Day. Joanna Guest’s book chronicles her father’s practice of sitting down at the kitchen table every morning and writing a quick note of advice or a reflection to her and her brother, Theo. Practically every parenting challenge, every milestone is recorded in this touching and inspirational read. It’s perfect for the beloved father figure in your life or for men about to become dads. In fact, you don’t have to be a dad, at all. Parents everywhere could take a note about living in the moment from Bob Guest and this book is filled with them.
For Graduation Day
Wolfpack: How to Come Together, Unleash Our Power, and Change the Game by Abby Wambach
A two-time Olympic gold-medalist and FIFA World Cup champion of women’s soccer, Abby Wambach knows a thing or two about teamwork. If you’re in the market for an inspirational read for a high school or college graduate this spring, Wambach’s book of advice is an unusual take on leadership: working well with others as a “wolfpack” rather than the lone-wolf mentality that defines much of business and success in this country. An added bonus is Wambach’s perspective as a gay woman, in particular, what she has to say about finding your family.
