Favorite Books from Women Who Read: Part 1

Tracy Georgiou and Lauren Neufeld give us their picks.

I am late this week! Forgive me! I am doing a kind of holiday market circuit with the bookstore which is a ton of fun, but it also means that I have had absolutely zero free time and am basically mainlining Hugh Grant movies and devouring food memoirs to decompress. Stay tuned for the column I’m doing for the local newspaper (hello, Hallmark movie) in which I discuss all of these delicious reads.

Glad we all made it through the Thanksgiving/Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness and now our inboxes can go back to normal. As promised, I am so excited to kick off ChickLits for December with two picks each week from brilliant women. Jump below to see the truly excellent choices this week.

Links, links, links!

1. Not the sexiest gift (or is it??), but my mom insists on drinking water exclusively out of plastic water bottles. This year I’m upgrading her to the water filter we have, a stainless steel beauty to give me some peace of mind when it comes to her health.

2. I yelped out loud in glee when I came across tins of Leckerlee Lebkuchen cookies at Hudson Greens in Napa. I immediately snapped up two tins to give as gifts and promptly ate them instead. Even my husband who doesn’t really have a sweet tooth walked into the living room, half a lebkuchen in his mouth and said, “Wow, these cookies are magic.” They come dipped in chocolate, but I think the classics are the best. Give them to everyone in your life this holiday and be a hero.

3. Starry-eyed looking at these sweet sheer socks.

4. These didn’t go on sale so you’re not missing out, but these deep green slouchy velvet pants with a tonal sweater is such a chic holiday look!!

5. The Empress is such a gorgeous show. Franz and Elisabeth and the Viennese court. Sublime. Subtitled, in case you’re not into that sort of thing.

6. Autumn Sonata of the incredible tablecloths, was at last weekend’s holiday market and I stood there salivating at their display. The towels are too pricey for me, but I did cave and get a bathmat and could not be happier. So plush, so pretty.

Book Picks by Women Who Love to Read

Tracy Georgiou

, ladies and gentlemen! I hunted Tracy down earlier this year after seeing a very cool interview with her (because she is nothing if not cool) and realizing that I needed this woman in my life immediately. She is fun and stylish and smart and dripping with creativity. She is also the mastermind behind Wild Plum Books’ superb—if I don’t say so myself—merchandise. After all, Tracy cut her teeth with brands like J. Crew and Loeffler Randall so she knows a thing or two about good design.

She also happens to be a wonderful reader! Here are her two picks:

1. A Gentleman in Moscow: This book totally took me by surprise. I was completely captivated, and have kept returning to it every few years to fall deeper and deeper in love with the tale. The layers of elegance, charm, wit and resilience are each there to savor - it’s magical storytelling when you can make the smallest gesture feel like a grand adventure. This book is a graceful reminder to find beauty, connection and hope always, no matter the circumstance. My gratitude to the count.

2. I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: This is a new one, but it found me just at the right time. As a divorced woman coming into the end of her 30s there is comfort and companionship in the stories of other women who are living and writing lives that feel unapologetically like ‘them’ and no one else. In this one there’s a joy of adventure, a craving for connection and a delight of the unknown that I couldn’t resist. Great for anyone seeking the courage to lean into whatever moment they find themselves in… and because, Paris is always a good idea.

Lauren Neufeld

is another creative, literary force that the beautiful world of Substack introduced me to. Don’t miss her Gift Guide!! It is absolutely terrific. I mean, I now need this book rest lamp in my life. It’s the most charming thing I’ve ever seen. Lauren checks all of the boxes for me — she has an incredible eye, is a deep and varied reader and she interviews all of the coolest people like

Christene Barberich

(who is my Kevin Bacon-esque connection to

Tracy Georgiou

).

Because Lauren is such a voracious reader, I couldn’t wait to see her recommendations. Here’s what she chose:

1. The Goldfinch: This unforgettable coming of age tale was addictive, heartbreaking, and vivid. I found myself awake till the early hours of the morning needing to know the next step of Theo Decker. After he survives an accident in NYC that upends his life, Theo finds himself in a variety of situations ranging from the homes of the wealthy to the criminal underworld. I don't often read or recommend long novels-but this thrilling story about love, loss, obsession, and art is my exception. (Editor’s note: Bring on all of the Donna Tartt!! This is a reminder that the Wild Plum Books Pairings book club pick this winter is The Secret History)

2. Call Me By Your Name: Another coming of age tale—this time in the early 1980s. I loved this unique look at desire, fear, fascination, and intimacy. Elio spends his summer with his family lazing around their Italian villa. When Oliver, his father's latest intern, arrives for a six week stay, an unavoidable romance begins. This story broke my heart open in the way only a first love can. A nostalgic and poignant story that I enjoy re-reading and recommend often. (Elyse again — I think about the beautiful house in the movie adaptation constantly and cannot believe I’ve never read the book. Fixing that straight away).

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!