Recommendations based on American Primitiveby Mary Oliver

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. New and Selected Poems, Volume One

    by Mary Oliver
    A collection of nature-inspired poetry exploring life, death, and love.

    Features previously published and new poems that explore the natural world and how it is connected to human beings and spirituality. ... (Goodreads)

  2. Upstream: Selected Essays

    by Mary Oliver
    A collection of essays on the beauty of nature, and the importance of a mindful life.

    Comprising a selection of essays, Upstream finds beloved poet Mary Oliver reflecting on her astonishment and admiration for the natural world and the craft of writing. As she contemplates the ... (Goodreads)

  3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    by Stephen King
    A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.

    "Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)

  4. A Thousand Mornings

    by Mary Oliver
    An exploration of nature, beauty and gratitude through lyrical poetry.

    In A Thousand Mornings , Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved home, Provincetown, Massachusetts. ... (Goodreads)

  5. Between the World and Me

    by Ta-Nehisi Coates
    A letter to his son, exploring the realities of racism in America.

    “This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Year of Magical Thinking

    by Joan Didion
    A woman's reflections on life and death after the sudden loss of her husband.

    'An act of consummate literary bravery, a writer known for her clarity allowing us to watch her mind as it becomes clouded with grief.' From one of America's iconic writers, a stunning book of ... (Goodreads)

  7. Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems

    by Billy Collins
    Collection of poems exploring the beauty of everyday life.

    Sailing Alone Around the Room , by America’s Poet Laureate, Billy Collins, contains both new poems and a generous gathering from his earlier collections The Apple That Astonished Paris , Questions ... (Goodreads)

  8. Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned"

    by Lena Dunham
    Lena Dunham's memoir about her experiences growing up and navigating life as a young woman in New York City.

    "There is nothing gutsier to me than a person announcing that their story is one that deserves to be told," writes Lena Dunham, and it certainly takes guts to share the stories that make up her first ... (Goodreads)

  9. This Boy's Life

    by Tobias Wolff
    A young man's memoir of his tumultuous childhood and his struggle to overcome obstacles.

    In the 1950s, nomadic and flaky Caroline Wolff wants to settle down and find a decent man to provide a better home for herself and her son, Tobias "Toby" Wolff. She moves to Seattle, Washington and ... (Wikipedia)

  10. Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

    by Ruth Reichl
    A restaurant critic's journey to understand the art of food and dining, while hiding her true identity.

    Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. She also knows that as the most important food critic in the country, you need to be ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness

    by Sy Montgomery
    An exploration of the wonders of the octopus, with insights into its intelligence and emotions.

    In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the ... (Goodreads)

  12. Wind, Sand and Stars

    by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
    A reflection on the poetic beauty and harsh realities of life as an aviator.

    Recipient of the Grand Prix of the Académie Française, Wind, Sand and Stars captures the grandeur, danger, and isolation of flight. Its exciting account of air adventure, combined with lyrical prose ... (Goodreads)

  13. Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation

    by Parker J. Palmer
    A guide to finding one's true calling by listening to one's inner voice and living an authentic life.

    PLEASE NOTE: Some recent copies of, Let Your Life Speak, included printing errors. These issues have been corrected, but if you purchased a defective copy between September and December 2019, please ... (Goodreads)

  14. An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness

    by Kay Redfield Jamison
    An exploration of bipolar disorder and its impact on one's life.

    The personal memoir of a manic depressive and an authority on the subject describes the onset of the illness during her teenage years and her determined journey through the realm of available ... (Goodreads)

  15. A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There

    by Aldo Leopold
    A reflection on nature, paying homage to the beauty of the Wisconsin countryside.

    First published in 1949, A Sand County Almanac combines some of the finest nature writing since Thoreau with an outspoken and highly ethical regard for America's relationship to the land. Written ... (Goodreads)

  16. Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

    by Anne Lamott
    An examination of faith and its role in the modern world, inspiring readers to find hope and peace.

    From the, New York Times, bestselling author of, Hallelujah Anyway, and, Help, Thanks, Wow, a spiritual antidote to anxiety and despair in increasingly fraught times. As Anne Lamott knows, the world ... (Goodreads)

  17. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

    by Pema Chödrön
    A guide to finding peace and strength in times of chaos and uncertainty, using Buddhist teachings and personal anecdotes.

    Pema Chödrön's perennially best-selling classic on overcoming life's difficulties cuts to the heart of spirituality and personal growth—now in a newly designed 20th-anniversary edition with a new ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

    by David Sedaris
    A collection of humorous essays and stories, exploring the absurdities of everyday life through the lens of the author's unique perspective.

    A guy walks into a bar car and... From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you ... (Goodreads)

  19. Half Broke Horses

    by Jeannette Walls
    A novel based on the life of the author's grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, a resilient and adventurous woman who overcomes numerous obstacles in the American West.

    Jeannette Walls's memoir The Glass Castle was "nothing short of spectacular" (Entertainment Weekly). Now, in Half Broke Horses, she brings us the story of her grandmother, told in a first-person ... (Goodreads)

  20. Pedagogy of the Oppressed

    by Paulo Freire
    Analysis of the educational system, advocating a pedagogy of liberation.

    First published in Portuguese in 1968, Pedagogy of the Oppressed was translated and published in English in 1970. The methodology of the late Paulo Freire has helped to empower countless impoverished ... (Goodreads)

  21. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

    by Robin DiAngelo
    A critical analysis of the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially. It explores the dynamics of white fragility and how it perpetuates racial inequality.

    Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt and by behaviors including argumentation ... (Goodreads)

  22. Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return

    by Marjane Satrapi
    A graphic novel memoir of Marjane Satrapi's return to Iran after living in Europe, exploring her struggles with identity and belonging.

    Note: The summary of the English editions of the novel is divided into two sections, one for each book. Persepolis 1 begins by introducing Marji, the ten-year-old protagonist. Set in 1980, the novel ... (Wikipedia)

  23. Travels with Charley: In Search of America

    by John Steinbeck
    A road trip across America, exploring the culture and landscape of the country.

    A quest across America, from the northernmost tip of Maine to California’s Monterey Peninsula To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colors and the ... (Goodreads)

  24. Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

    by Anne Lamott
    A memoir of the author's journey towards faith, filled with humor, honesty, and raw emotion.

    Despite–or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird , her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained ... (Goodreads)

  25. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

    by Mindy Kaling
    Humorous memoir reflecting on Mindy Kaling's life and career.

    Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck - impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, ... (Goodreads)

  26. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

    by Robin Wall Kimmerer
    An exploration of the reciprocal relationship between humans and nature, utilizing both Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge.

    As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals ... (Goodreads)

  27. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

    by Bryan Stevenson
    A powerful true story of justice and redemption, exposing the flaws of America's criminal justice system.

    In 1989, idealistic young Harvard law graduate Bryan Stevenson travels to Alabama hoping to help fight for poor people who cannot afford proper legal representation. Teaming with Eva Ansley, he ... (Wikipedia)

  28. Whiskey, Words, and a Shovel I

    by R.H. Sin
    A collection of poems about love, heartbreak, and healing. Raw and honest emotions expressed through simple yet powerful language.

    Completely revised and expanded brand-new edition of Volume I, the first book in the Whiskey poetry trilogy!,Whiskey, Words, and a Shovel, Vol. 1,, is about reclaiming your power on the path to a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  29. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

    by David Sedaris
    A humorous collection of autobiographical essays reflecting on family relationships.

    David Sedaris plays in the snow with his sisters. He goes on vacation with his family. He gets a job selling drinks. He attends his brother’s wedding. He mops his sister’s floor. He gives directions ... (Goodreads)

  30. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

    by Michelle Alexander
    Exploring the roots and reality of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system.

    "Jarvious Cotton's great-great-grandfather could not vote as a slave. His great-grandfather was beaten to death by the Klu Klux Klan for attempting to vote. His grandfather was prevented from voting ... (Goodreads)