There’s plenty to celebrate in April with its longer days and promise of spring, but the nights are still chilly and perfect for curling up with a cup of chamomile and a great book. If you’re anything like me, you’ve had a bad case of screen-fatigue in the last few months. Between online meetings, social media scrolls, and binge-watching Netflix, what I really crave is a deep-dive into a good book.
I asked Rediscovered Bookshop Events Coordinator Rebecca Leber-Gottberg for some book recommendations by Idaho authors and discovered a whole new world of fascinating subjects. “Idaho has quite a pool of talented local writers specializing in both fiction and non-fiction,” Rebecca explained, “and these are just a few of our favorites.”
Carving out time to relax is a welcome relief and reading is one of the most popular ways to recharge. According to Rebecca, “People are asking for books on a wide variety of topics these days. Some of the most popular titles surround social justice, particularly on combating racism,” she says. Escapist fiction and armchair travel are also popular. April celebrates National Poetry Month and National Decorating Month, other excellent subjects for exploration.
As for me, I’m putting my feet up and delving into the story of that boxing skunk.
Rediscovered Bookshop
180 N 8th Street
Boise, ID
(208) 376-4229
Fearless: Farris Lind, the Man Behind the Skunk by Rick Just
Native Idaho author Rick Just specializes in Idaho stories that are quirky and under the radar. Fearless explores the life and times of Farris Lind, Idaho legend and founder of the Stinker gas stations that dot the Idaho landscape.
The Idaho Traveler by Alan Minskoff
In 1976, author Alan Minskoff chronicled his road trip around Idaho dining through small towns all over the state. In 2018 he updated his Gem State discoveries. And this man loves pie, so his pie recommendations are legit.
Polly Bemis: The Life and Times of a Chinese American Pioneer by Priscilla Wegars
Brought to the United States from China in 1872 when she was 18 years old, Polly Bemis’s marriage and life along the Salmon River, Wegars' book is a must-read story of the pioneering of America from an entirely different perspective.