September Top Picks

by Mariel Ariwi

A Life's Work by Rachel Cusk

“Birth is not merely that which divides women from men: it also divides women from themselves, so that a woman’s understanding of what it is to exist is profoundly changed. “

 In A Life’s Work, Rachel Cusk writes honestly and openly about her early experiences of being a mother. In a series of essays that she describes as a “personal record of a period of transition”, Cusk explores what it means for a woman to become a mother. In a world of performative social media where motherhood is constantly edited and portrayed as a series of perfectly arranged squares, Cusk’s searing prose details both the despair and sacrifices that motherhood brings as well as its joy. As someone who is not a mother, the refreshing honesty and authenticity of this work opened a window into a world that I do not know or fully understand.

 A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

The perfect book to read when you want to be on a European vacation but are stuck at home, this lighthearted and easy to read book is a sun-filled literary escape. A Year in Provence chronicles the author’s decision to retire from advertising and move from England to a 200-year-old stone farmhouse in Provence, France. Peter Mayle writes joyfully about the abundance of good food, elaborately prepared meals, and the funny characters that he and his wife encounter in their new way of life. Full of witty anecdotes and descriptions of beautiful countryside, Mayle inspires wanderlust and a desire to visit Provence to see it all for yourself.  

Dinner by Melissa Clark

Several years ago, I happened to pick up Dinner, a cookbook by Melissa Clark, at a secondhand book store. It ended up completely changing the way I cook! Clark, a writer at the New York Times’ food section, writes easy to follow and delicious dinner recipes that cover a wide range of skill levels. I highly recommend this for people who want to learn how to cook; Dinner not only taught me how to cook but instilled a love for well-prepared meals. This has become my go to cookbook and has provided inspiration for many dinners.