×
Subscribe

Subscribe Today

26 Issues

In addition to receiving 26 issues of The Independent Kansas City’s Journal of Society, your subscription will include our annual publication, the Charitable Events Calendar and a subscription to our e-newsletter, The Insider. Questions about your current subscription? Contact Laura Gabriel at 816-471-2800.

Rachel’s Reads – March 2019

Book lovers know the power of a great book. They know that inside those magical pages lies a story that can change lives. As Charles W. Eliot said, “Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” Books allow readers to paint pictures and create their own visions of the world. They are like talking to an old friend and yet can be the sole means of understanding another person’s voice or soul.Books are a mirror that reflects the person reading them.

Sometimes the best book is one that shows the power of reading along with other books. There are books that show a character collecting books, being changed by books, or escaping the world due to books. There are collections of essays on writing, literary criticism, and reviews, and then there are those that tell the stories of books, authors, and publishers. My bookish heart is never happier than when I am reading a book about books, because it helps me better appreciate what I read and why I read it.

A few of my favorites:

  • Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal
  • Where I’m Reading From: The Changing World of Books by Tim Parks
  • Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch
  • 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
  • Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
  • The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
  • Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Ann Fadiman
  • The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
  • Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
  • The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett

As for me, I am currently enjoying The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett, Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom, and Enchantée by Gita Trelease.

Happy Reading!

RACHEL LEWIS FALCON

Rachel became the publisher of The Independent in March of 2017 and then married her husband Jake in May. Their goldendoodle Einstein joined the family in 2019. Rachel is an avid reader and loves to share book recommendations. (Don’t miss her column, Rachel’s Reads in the Magazine!) She can always be found with a book nearby, especially while traveling (another of her favorite things).

Bailey Pianalto Photography

Ad

Features

Rachel’s Reads – June 2024

It’s often been said that literature helps us find the words for that which we already know. That is especially true when it comes to love. To me, it feels…

Rachel’s Reads – May 2024

Book clubs provide more than just thought-provoking discussions of books. They provide connection, camaraderie, and an enriching experience for readers. Interested in the advent of fully digital book clubs, I…

Rachel’s Reads – April 2024

Not surprisingly, books are my favorite gift to give. I love giving books because they aren’t just presents. They can be stories of adventure or romance, a way to try…

Rachel’s Reads – March 2024

This Women’s History Month, we reached out to women in the community to find our their favorite reads. I’m excited to share their responses below. Kathy Donovan I am a…