Spring break is approaching, and it marks the perfect time to enjoy some quality “you” time. There are plenty of interesting fictional reads to help you unwind and self-help choices to energize your to-do list.
Here are some of the best books for teachers during spring break.
1. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
This psychological thriller has drawn comparisons to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, due to both using unreliable narrators and dealing with suburban life. The Girl on the Train tells a story through the point of view of three women who encounter back-stabbing and plenty of twists and turns. It has sold 15 million copies worldwide and spent more than a dozen weeks at the top of The New York Times’ best-seller list in the fiction category.
2. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizingby Marie Kondo
Want to simplify and organize your home? Marie Kondo’s best-seller is the gold standard. Rather than spending nights and weekends trying to organize your home to welcome guests, you’ll learn once and for all how declutter your space with Kondo’s streamlined process and clear mindset.
3. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Join Gretchen Rubin as she takes you on a year-long journey in the attempt to find true contentment that draws on cutting-edge science, classical philosophy, and real-world applicability. One thing is for sure: this isn’t your typical self-help book. As Kim Crow of the Cleveland Plain Dealer put it, “For those who generally loathe the self-help genre, Rubin’s book is a breath of peppermint-scented air. Well-researched and sharply written. . . . Rubin takes an orderly, methodical approach to forging her own path to a happier state of mind.”
4. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Take in Paris in the 1920s with a deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal. This historical fiction captures the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Hadley, as Ernest struggles with finding his voice and Hadley struggles with her roles as wife, friend, and muse. The Paris Wife has been named one of the best books of the year by People, Chicago Tribune, NPR, The Toronto Sun, and more.
5. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
This moving novel depicts the paths of a blind French girl and a German boy in occupied France during World War II. Their lives intertwine and the book depicts the ways that, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. It won a Pulitzer Prize and spent more than two years on The New York Times’ bestseller list.
6. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven
In his book, retired U.S. Navy Adm. William H. McRaven builds on a famous speech he delivered in 2014 to the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin. He examines 10 principles that helped him overcome challenges in his training as a Navy SEAL and in his personal life. This best-seller will inspire you to meet obstacles and tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage.
7. The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM) by Hal Elrod
Embark on one of the simplest, yet, according to critics and customers, most effective journeys to transform any or every part of your life. Begin tomorrow with more focus, energy, and motivation with this guide.