Reading on the road #2

I haven't read much lately. We've spent the last few weeks at home where I didn't pick up a single book in a month. But now that we're back on the road (first stop: Lisbon, more on that soon), I'm thinking about books again. Here are a few that I've squeezed in around my new Broad City obsession:

Modern Romance

I didn't actually know anything about this book before I bought it (aside from the fact that Aziz Ansari is brilliant). So it was a nice surprise to find that it isn't just another funny autobiography, but an insightful study of the ways that relationships and communication have changed with advances in technology. Through focus groups and research studies, Ansari and his co-author look at whether so much choice is making people happier or making it more difficult to find love.

Tiny Beautiful Things

Tiny Beautiful Things is a collection of advice columns from an online literary magazine that's full of funny anecdotes and heartbreaking personal stories. The agony aunt, Cheryl Strayed (author of Wild), has had quite a life and her advice is both brutally honest and life-affirming. It's basically the advice you didn't know you needed.

Unaccustomed Earth

I love short stories and, for me, these ones are close to perfect. Within a few sentences you're transported into the lives of the characters, and the stories are gripping and beautifully written. They all centre around the lives of Bengali immigrants who've settled in the US, dealing with family tensions and cultural differences. I can't wait to read more of her work (I have The Lowland to read next).

Do No Harm

When I was a science editor, I'd often find myself awe-struck at how lucky I am to be healthy after proofreading articles about debilitating pain conditions all day. And this book made me feel the same way. Written by a leading neurosurgeon, this is a memoir about brain surgery and the ways that they separate themselves from the enormity of their job in order to make life-and-death decisions. I found it fascinating and anyone with an interest in medicine (or Grey's Anatomy) will love this.

For more book recommendations, have a look at the first instalment of reading on the road and if you've read anything good lately, let me know what I should read next!