Stevenson's' Current read list - GEMS

I have recently been overwhelmed with a lot of activity and the fear for my future, but amidst all these issues I thought to myself; maybe I should go back to the things I use to love. The first thing that came to mind was books. I have always loved books... well, since that one time during my internship in a library where that one friend of mine showed me the true treasures hidden in books. Since then, I have never looked back. A few days ago I was scrolling through my Twitter feed when a tweet popped up from one of my mutuals. She had just gotten a book by a Nigerian author, one that I earlier saw the review here on Hive book club. I immediately started scouring the internet until I got the electronic version, and since I started reading it, I have started to find that joy I derive from reading books again. Today, I thought I should share with you guys what books I am currently reading and how I got them as recommendations.

Staritng from the oldest. Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow by Jerome K. Jerome ranks as one of my all-time favorite books. I read it a few years ago when I just discovered and was super excited about Project Gutenberg. FYI, Project Gutenberg is a free volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks" at no cost at all. Usually, these books are old and out of license. It is a book full of shrewd humor, littered with insights and nuggets of wisdom. The level of nonchalance and simplicity was endearing to me from the very preface. I decided to go back to my favorites and re-read them and I am so loving this beauty by Jerome. Highly recommend this. A truly worthy leisure read.

I was listening to a podcast by Adam Grant, "Rethinking". He invited James Clear the author of the bestseller, 'Atomic Habits'. It was a great podcast, and at one point Adam asked James to recommend books to listeners and he mentioned Art of worldly wisdom by Gracian Baltasar. He said it was an older version of his book. I have been reading it for a while now and it reminds me of 'the prophet' by Khalil Gibran in that it contains a lot of wisdom. Like a sort of maxim to lead a better life. I highly recommend this also.

This was the book I stumbled on while on Twitter. Reading a book from a Nigerian author always feels authentic and relatable and this has lived up to that. I usually read while on a bus back home, and there I was chuckling at all the nuance and intricacies peculiar to Nigerians contained in this novel. What a gem. It is a novel but was also portrayed as a play, as the author narrated from the perspective of each character. Well, I have only read as far as chapter three and only the two main characters have narrated. Still, it has been a delight. This also goes out as a recommendation.