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I attended theLos Angeles Times Festival of Bookson April 26 and 27, where I talked to attendees, authors, and vendors about their favorite books and authors. Their picks span across genres — from fantasy to memoir, and classic literature to vampires — offering a diverse range of tastes. Keep reading to see what they chose, and also how to support their work and small businesses!
2.Jennifer Mayes picked the ever-popularFourth Wing,the first book ofThe Empyrean Series, byRebecca Yarros. If you haven’t heard of this romantasy novel that has spawned millions of dragon-loving super fans worldwide, we highly recommend you give it a read (if dragons, battles, fantasy, spicy love scenes, and saving the world from evil forces is your thing, that is).
6.Marsha Rivera pickedThe Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedomby Don Miguel Ruiz. This best-selling, Oprah-lauded book continues to be referenced, recommended, and revisited, even now — 28 years after publication. There is no shortage of reviews mentioning the positivechangeit has brought to people’s lives. Who knows, maybe it’ll be the soothing salve your soul needs right now.
8.Halley Parry and Jack Helton, who rang up my commemorative (and quintessential Festival of Books souvenir) tote bag at theSkylight Booksbooth, simultaneously pickedGiovanni’s Roomby James Baldwin in a remarkable moment of bibliophilic synchronicity.
9.Noah Bleich (yes, he is indeed dressed like a teapot) pickedSapiens: A Brief History of Humankindby Yuval Noah Harari. Don’t let the word “history” fool you, though — this highly-reviewed work of non-fiction is anything but boring, and will keep you engaged and turning pages faster than you can say “sesquipedalian.”
10.Guy Macchia picked12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos, a non-fiction book by psychologist Jordan B. Peterson. Readers love it for its blend of humor, philosophy, mythology, psychology, and practical advice, and several people have even said itchanged their lives.
11.And as a bonus round,Homegoingby Yaa Gyasi, chosen by ya girl – aka me. After two days of asking people about books that moved them, I, a self-proclaimed bookworm, wanted to be included, too. I changed my pick several times throughout the weekend (The Dark Tower Seriesby Stephen King andMad Honeyby Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan were also contenders), but finally landed on this novel because of how much it deepened my empathy and lingered in my mind for weeks after finishing it.
The recapitulation for this post have been edited for distance and clearness .
