Quarantine Reads

Quarantine has really shaken things up and like everyone else I’m just doing my best to not only adapt, but survive in this ever changing world.

When I first got laid off, I was excited to have all this extra time and was planning to take a month off of work to reconnect – with the world, friends and family, and myself. I wanted to travel to Hawaii for a week or two with my mom and enjoy the beautiful beaches and nature out there. I wanted to visit my friends in the south bay and Fresno. But, what’s that saying…”We plan, God laughs” and I’m sure he was rolling on the floor laughing with all my plans. Now, I did have all this extra time, but it was at home. How unglamorous. But, me being my task driven self had to do something. So my mind went towards reading as a way for me to both keep my mind active and be an outlet for escape.

I’ve always tried to read 3-5 books a year — I know, it’s an embarrassingly low amount, but with working a full time job, social calendar, working out, etc. it was hard to fit it in and make it a priority. On the other hand, it could seem like a lot, but that’s the beauty of humans – we are all so different. I could do it on my commute on the Muni, but unfortunately I was blessed with the gift of motion sickness.

Unremarkably, this quarantine (3?4 months, now?) I’ve read nearly 10 books! I’ll share my top 5 quarantine reads with you  including a little  summary  of what they are about and why I enjoyed them.

1. Dear Girls by Ali Wong
   
   Okay. I LOVE Ali Wong – she is definitely a bit raunchy, but is HILARIOUS and this autobiography is what I needed as a comedic relief with everything going on in the world and my personal life.
   
2. Alpha Girls by Julian Guthrie
   
   Alpha Girls takes you through the lives of three females making it in Silicon Valley during the boom – Magdalena Yesil, Mary Jane Elmore, Theresia Gouw, and Sonja Perkins. It highlights the “bro” culture and how they navigated the atmosphere to propel their careers forward. You can’t help but cheer them on throughout the book as their win is a win for all females in the workforce – I’m alway a fan of boss babes.
   
3. More Than Enough by Elaine Welteroth
   
   This book was a pleasant kick butt surprise as Elaine Welteroth grew up merely 30 minutes away from where I grew up! She eloquently touches on being a FOD (First. Only. Different.) and how she rises up other African Americans in the workforce. I really commend her for the work she did at Teen Vogue and this book.
   
4. Settle for More by Megyn Kelly
   
   Honestly, I knew little to nothing about Megyn Kelly as I am not a big fan of the news lately as it’s been really depressing . After reading this book, I now have so much respect for her – literally living the “American Dream” and working her way up from nothing – very admirable.
   
5. Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht
   
   I wish I read this book when I turned 18. It has really great tips on how to navigate your early career and take advantage of opportunities like internships. But, at this point in my life, I feel like only the last two parts of the book were relevant to me – Creating the Brand of You and Embracing Change.

Now, I am currently reading Educated by Tara Westover. I’ll let you know what I think after I finish, but in the meantime please share what quarantine reads you’ve been enjoying in the comments below!