Favorite Non-Fiction Books for the Fall

This week we’re all about resetting for fall! We’ll have a post on all of the ways that we do that tomorrow, but I wanted to share some of my favorite books for resetting this fall. Whether you’re looking for creative inspiration, improving your habits, setting boundaries at work or at home, or getting back into cooking after a summer of picnics and meals on the go, there’s a little something for everyone on this list. I’ve enjoyed reading all of them and can’t wait to start cooking and organizing and planning my schedule for the cooler weather ahead. -Eloise

Favorite Non-Fiction Books for the Fall

The Third Door:

In his freshman year of college Alex Banayan decided to interview some of the most famous people in the world to find out how they broke through and launched their careers. The road to get those interviews is so entertaining (spoiler: it involves a quick stop at The Price is Right) and the mix of insight into how his interview subjects broke through the “third door” to make it big combined with anecdotes about some very famous and interesting people makes it an entertaining and insightful read.

Big Magic

This summer a combination of kids, travel, and work left me so busy that I didn’t have the time or energy for creative writing, and for me, the more I put that off, the more intimidating it is to dive back into a writing project. I’ve found that rereading Big Magic whenever I need that extra push or inspiration to work my way through whatever’s holding me back does the trick every time. Elizabeth’s Gilbert love of writing and enthusiasm for any artistic pursuit comes across so clearly in every word in this book, that she makes me want get back in the mix and grab a little bit of that excitement for myself. It’s a reminder that the creative process is meant to bring joy and who doesn’t want more joy in their life, whether that’s through writing, painting, cooking, needlework, gardening, or whatever floats your boat!

Set Boundaries, Find Peace

I have a very hard time saying no, and that left me run ragged by the end of this summer, so when I saw Grace Atwood recommending this book, I was inspired to order it and to try to break myself of my bad habits. This is such a helpful book if you find yourself dreading picking up calls from certain people or avoiding uncomfortable conversations or having to sit on your hands during meetings so that you don’t volunteer yourself for too many things (guilty of all three!). Reading this book helped me acknowledge where I wasn’t doing a good job of being clear about my needs and learning how to sit with some uncomfortable conversations on the path to keeping myself in better balance.

My Kitchen Year

If you haven’t read Ruth Reichl’s memoir about her years heading up Gourmet magazine, Send in the Plums, I would highly recommend starting with that and then reading My Kitchen Year which covers the year after Gourmet announced that it was shuttering and is amazing mix of personal stories and delicious recipes.

Stop Self-Sabotage

I’ve just started this book in the hopes of establishing some better work habits for myself this fall and cutting out some of the common ways that I get in my own way. When I read a few pages of this kind of book in the morning, it make me more thoughtful and deliberate with how I spend my time throughout the day.

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