make a list

Is there anything better than a new book for Christmas? (Trick question – there’s nothing better!) We could always list a bunch of recommendations from the Best Of 2019 lists, but we thought, why not ask the women we featured in mutterhood this year to tell us what’s topping their lists? 

We first met JoEllen Kerwin in Home, our first issue of the year. A talented artist and skilled miniaturist who creates detailed, historically accurate rooms and displays, JoEllen studies the world of miniatures closely, learning practical techniques and applying them to her own designs. Her recommendation: The Book of Mini: Inside the Big World of Tiny Things by Kate Esme Ünver. 

“I was familiar with Ünver’s Daily Mini posts on Facebook and @dailymini on Instagram when I met her promoting her book at the big mini show in April. It’s mostly pictures with captions chaptered by themes and comes with its own miniature book nesting in the cover. I think the book has really taken off, as I see it available many places online and, even better, at real bookstores, too. It offers a yummy introduction to miniatures of the highest quality, and I find it very inspiring.” 

Saima Abassi’s story in our Bloom issue introduced us to a passionate naturalist and environmentalist whose work here and in her native Pakistan is dedicated to helping people create sustainable natural habitats. Saima’s book recommendation: Silence of the Songbirds by Bridget Stutchbury.

“I recently read this book and cannot stop talking about it! The author took me on a magical and daunting journey of the migration of the North American song birds. This truly is an eye-opening book that eloquently shares the value of the songbirds to our trees, flowers, gardens and ecosystems. Stutchbury gives advice on how people can do simple things to make a difference, like buying shade coffee versus sun coffee and buying paper products that are made from sustainable forests vs unsustainable forests. Unfortunately, these birds are faced with many human-induced threats. I could not put this book down!”