Fairygodboss Favorites: What You Need to Read this Holiday Season

© NinaMalyna / Adobe Stock

woman reading in winter

© NinaMalyna / Adobe Stock

Fairygodboss
Fairygodboss
If there’s ever a time of year when you have a few extra hours on your hands, hopefully it’s over the next few weeks. Whether you’ll be home or traveling for the holidays, now’s the prime time to get a book or two queued up — so we’re hooking you up with our top recs:
“Personal History”: How did a quiet housewife end up running the most powerful newspaper in Washington, DC -- and championing the investigation that took down the corrupt president of the US? And this NOT fiction! Katharine Graham’s autobiography has long been one of my favorite books. And this holiday season brings the added bonus of the movie version of this story, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, and directed by Steven Spielberg.
—Romy, Fairygodboss President & Co-Founder
 
“Forks, Knives and Spoons” by Leah DeCesare: It’s a fun read about two friends as they navigate college and the relationships they encounter. It’s ultimately a book about how important friendship is. It’ll make you laugh and bring you right back to your own college days (plus, it’s also written by a friend of mine!). 
—Mary, Fairygodboss Director of Business Development and Partnerships
 
If you love character-driven, sometimes disturbing stories — and a good, long cry — read “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. The novel traces the lives of four friends who move to New York City after graduating from college. As they navigate adulthood and their ongoing relationships, their personal histories slowly unfold — and you'll become consumed by their heartbreaking, beautiful world.
—Sam, Fairygodboss Editorial Director
 
“The Art of Travel” by Alain de Botton is a good way to decompress and reflect upon the nuanced, complex experience of travel — whether you’re traveling for the holidays or not. So much of what we actually experience life is wrapped up in the ideas we have about what we’re doing...and nowhere is this perhaps clearer than in our travels.
—Georgene, Fairygodboss CEO & Co-Founder
 
You’ve probably read “The Goldfinch,” Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel that you couldn’t board a subway car without seeing a couple of years ago. But her first novel, “The Secret History,” is just as worthwhile of a read. Initially, I thought I hated this book — then realized that, days after finishing it, I still couldn’t stop thinking about it. That’s mostly due to the polarizing characters Tartt creates — most of whom you’ll wind up hating, but not forgetting — and the utterly terrible decisions they make. The idea of fate, and not being able to steer clear of the consequences you’ve created, is really at the heart of this book, and makes for an intoxicating winter read.
—Liv, Fairygodboss Editorial Associate
 
Though QUITE an undertaking, the most incredible story I’ve ever read is “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. Edmund, a beautifully optimistic individual, is so envied by three men that they make it a mission to destroy his good fortune and reputation. From escaping a prison to sailing the world in search for treasure to landing in the very place his misfortune befell him, the story unfolds itself through the many people who The Count encounters. It’s a tale of betrayal, revenge, honor, redemption, love, and ultimately, mercy. 
—Katy Skloss, Fairygodboss VP of Sales