With a dreamy far off look, and her nose stuck in a book.

I’m always curious to hear what my friends are reading, and “best books” lists never fail to spark lively debates. While I occasionally find recommendations through newsletters or social media, my favorite picks still come from friends or the "Staff Reads" shelf at the library. I skimmed the NYT list this summer and, honestly… meh. Below, you’ll find a list of the actual best books of the 21st century—one that had me nodding in agreement. This list feels more in tune with what real readers love, rather than catering to literary critics.

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• 105 deep questions to ask friends. Some of these would be great to use on repeat, like “What do you need more/less of in your life?” and “What are your priorities in this season of life?” ❓️ 

• Structure Your Remote Work Day. The forced breaks I have in my day (e.g. switch the laundry, eat lunch, school pickup) do seem to help my brain stay more engaged during work windows. 📆 

• The (Actual) Best Books of the 21st Century. How fascinating to compare this with the NYT list. Totally agree with #1 (spoilers), as do most of my reader friends. 📚️ 

• Trolley Dolly. This cart easily carries the 50 books we check out each library trip. Yours won’t be quite as good as mine, unless you also hand paint a “Treat Yo Shelves” picture on the front. 🛒 

• What AI Can Do Today. I try to use AI as much as possible, and still feel like I’m only scratching the surface. I don’t know what I don’t know, so this list gave me some good ideas of things to try! 🤖 

• Notion. This is a blank-canvas project management tool I’ve used for years. I’ve done everything from managing SOPs, to prepping for our family’s first ever camping trip, to creating employee manuals, to personal yearly goal setting. It can be intimidating to learn, but the possibilities are endless. 🗒️