What do Joan Didion, Benjamin Franklin, and Mindy Kaling have in common? What kind of book does Amanda buddy read with her mom?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based on the California coast, Amanda is Shortform’s managing editor. We interviewed her recently to learn a bit about her relationship with books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Whether it’s for work or leisure, Amanda reads voraciously. Here’s what she had to say about her reading habits and insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’m Shortform’s managing editor. Basically, I’m one of many people who helps ensure we have fantastic book guides<\/a> to publish each week!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can’t pick a favorite, but ones I’ve enjoyed lately\u2014or reread often\u2014include A Field Guide to Getting Lost<\/em>, Persuasion<\/em>, The Invention of Nature<\/em>, How to Be an Antiracist<\/a><\/em>, The White Album<\/em>, The Metaphysical Club<\/em>, and The Biggest Bluff<\/em>. I gravitate toward contemplative\u2014some people would call it “slow”\u2014nonfiction that examines a facet of life I’m unfamiliar with in minute detail, then pulls back to reveal the universality of its themes. Those books that answer the “big questions” by zeroing in on a single person, place, event, or pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I typically have two or three books going at once. Recently, I finished Bad Blood<\/a><\/em>, I Capture the Castle<\/em>, and Magpie Murders<\/em>. Now I’m reading 25 Million Sparks<\/em> and rereading Caste<\/a><\/em>. Next up are Hamnet<\/em>, Here for It<\/em>, and The Anatomy of a Moment<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Joan Didion, Benjamin Franklin, and Mindy Kaling\u2014for obvious reasons?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I try to sample all genres, but general nonfiction and mystery are my go-to comfort reads. They seem like an odd pairing, but they’re comforting for the same reasons: When I’m not feeling adventurous, I can reach for something in these genres and know exactly what to expect. For nonfiction, as long as I’m interested in the topic and the book’s not horribly written, it’s a good bet\u2014I can usually tell if I’m going to like it just based on the info on the book jacket. And the conventions of classic mysteries are so dependable that, in a world that can feel uncertain and unjust, I can be sure that\u2014by the end of the mystery\u2014truth will be discovered, justice will be served, and all the pesky loose ends will be tied up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because my prime reading time is at the end of the day\u2014when I don’t want to stare at a screen\u2014I usually read a physical copy. But I’d like to get into audiobooks so I can listen while I walk!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caste<\/a><\/em> and Bad Feminist<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I got into mysteries only in the last few years. I was bored and grabbed a random book from my late grandmother’s collection, and it was a Dorothy L. Sayers mystery. I ended up reading the whole Wimsey<\/em> series and moved on to other writers of the era\u2014Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh. My mom, too, sometimes reads mysteries, so this is a fun way for us to do buddy reads. We just finished Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders<\/em> together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was a reluctant reader when I was a kid, but I made exceptions for Pippi Longstocking<\/em>, Alice in Wonderland<\/em>, A Wrinkle in Time<\/em>, and The Baby-Sitters Club<\/em>. Later, in middle school, I became a little obsessed with all things Narnia<\/em> and Doctor Dolittle<\/em>. As an adult, it was probably Harry Potter<\/em> that made me realize I was still capable of being completely absorbed by a book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not really a guilty pleasure<\/a>, but I love to read books with mouth-watering descriptions of food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designing Your Life<\/a><\/em>, Your Money or Your Life<\/a><\/em>, Tiny Habits<\/a><\/em>, and Deep Work<\/a><\/em> all have helped me create a life that feels like “mine”\u2014after years spent living lives that would have been great for other people but weren’t right for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I worked on The Big Short<\/a><\/em> as an editor, and I spent the next month accosting people with unsolicited explanations of mortgage-backed securities<\/a>, credit default swaps<\/a>, and collateralized debt obligations<\/a>. I thought it was fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Superforecasting<\/a><\/em>, Biased<\/a><\/em>, On Writing<\/a><\/em>, The Shock Doctrine<\/a><\/em>, Caste<\/a><\/em>, The Righteous Mind<\/a><\/em>, The Design of Everyday Things<\/a><\/em>, and Thinking in Bets<\/a><\/em> are high on the list. I like books that challenge me to see something from a new-to-me perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat’s your favorite book and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What are you reading these days?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
If you could have a dinner party with any three authors\u2014dead or alive\u2014who would they be and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite genre? Why does it intrigue you?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite way to read a book?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What books do you think everyone should read in their lifetime?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
How have your reading tastes changed over the years?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Was there a specific book that sparked your love of reading?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Do you have any guilty-pleasure books?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Have any books you\u2019ve read caused you to make any life changes or to develop any habits?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Are there any books you had to read for Shortform that you thought you wouldn\u2019t like and ended up loving?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What are your favorite books in the Shortform library and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Amanda’s Recommended Reading List<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
About the Series<\/h2>\n\n\n\n