What We're Reading During Quarantine

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Like most of the country, the OOLA team has adjusted to working from home over the past three weeks. Our levels of sanity have varied, as have our coping mechanisms. We have looked to our writers and audience for inspiration on everything from how to entertain ourselves, what-to-watch, and even zoom-call wardrobe tips. This week, the realization we might be sheltering in place for a while has become a reality, so we wanted to share with our readers how team OOLA is adjusting to life at home.

Some form of escapism is the goal of each day, and nothing is better than a good book to transport your mind. Quarantine is made for page turners, somewhat mindless reads, and inspiring literature. Read on as the bookworms at OOLA share their favorites reads.

Get Lost In A Book

Erika: I just finished the Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, which is a story that follows two sisters who live in Nazi-occupied France during WWII. It’s a wonderful story of resilience in the face of impossible odds and although it’s not very lighthearted subject matter, some of the themes really resonate with what’s happening in the world right now.

When I need a break from something more serious, I keep my Harry Potter books on Audible on retainer. They’re perfect to pop on when going for a walk, a drive, or just when I need to clear my brain with something I know by heart and love.

Ellen: I just finished Little Fires Everywhere and it’s now a show on Hulu starring Reese Witherspoon, so I can’t wait to dive into that!

Nicole: When I’m done watching Tiger King and Bravo reality shows, I like to switch over to reading psychological thrillers. I haven’t been able to put down The Silent Patient this week. It’s an addictive tale of murder and mystery– full of plot twists at every turn.

Allison: I’ve finally been getting to my backlog of books! I’m currently reading Joe Buck’s Lucky Bastard and loving all the memories about his dad, former St. Louis Cardinal radio broadcaster Jack Buck (we’re based in St. Louis and the Cardinals have long held my heart).

For mindless entertainment (apparently that’s a theme for me), I am loving any and all mysteries. I recently finished The Couple Next Door and it was a great page-turner. As someone that generally likes to figure out the mystery before it’s revealed, I’ll admit that I was shocked by the final ending.

Laura: I read Mindhunter in one weekend. I’m a total true crime junkie, so I had to read the book that one of my favorite Netflix series is based on. It’s written by one of the guys who started the FBI’s behavioral profiling unit at Quantico, former FBI special agent John E. Douglas. Criminal profiling is just so fascinating—it makes me want to apply to the bureau. This book covers a lot of big cases that the show hasn’t gotten to yet.

I also sped through Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. The novel is set on the North Carolina coast. It is both a coming-of-age tale of the girl the townsfolk refer to as “marsh girl” and a murder-mystery. If you’re feeling holed up with cabin fever, this book will transport you into nature.

I’m reading both The Alcohol Experiment and This Naked Mind by Annie Grace. I came across Annie Grace’s podcast, which is also called This Naked Mind, and the very first episode brought up some interesting points about booze. Like, is the wine really helping after a long, hard day, or is it causing the day after to be long and hard too? These books helped me re-evaluate my relationship with alcohol without being preachy.

For more Quarantine Chronicles, check out the articles below:

Get Lost In A Book

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