Welcome to A Lifely Read.

You may recall being told, as a child, to “use your words.” It’s likely that you yourself have uttered this phrase to your own children, students, or special kid in your life. You know why we use it? Because, for many reasons, we really, really want to hear what that child has to say!

As adults, most of us relish in “using our words.” We use words – either as a recipient or an initiator – via writing, talking, reading. Words are how we communicate. But sometimes we need a little nudge – a reminder that, well, words are amazing and dynamic.

The overarching theme of my work is that I connect words and people. Here’s how:

Communications Work for Nonprofits and Small Organizations: Every great organization has a story to tell. I work with groups to provide the words to help tell – and sell – their story. You can click HERE for more information about this type of work.

Events: I read – a lot – and believe there is something powerful about literature and how it reflects “real life,” particularly when people are gathered together to celebrate it. Click HERE to learn more.

Blog: I took out this URL in 2014 upon deciding to start a blog about books. Click HERE to peruse my posts, which use literature as a way to examine “real life” and HERE to read more about the genesis of the blog.

Other Writing: Occasionally I write for other publications. You may click HERE to see where my byline has appeared.

To contact: Please feel free to shoot me an email at Amy@ALifelyRead.com or connect with me via Instagram, where I have a lot of fun exploring the world of books and reading.

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We were so happy to have a handful of people over last night. It was mostly just a way to rev up entertaining again, but as I try to suss out the hows and whats of possibly starting up some literary/book events in Charlotte after doing so in MetroWest Boston, it also served as an easy way to start dipping my toe in that world. I mean, I’m talking in a verrrrry minor way because the only book-ish thing about the evening was that it was requested that everyone bring a book recommendation to share. That’s what you’re seeing above. (You can swipe for closeups, and btw if you were in attendance I forgot to add one that someone who couldn’t come wanted to share. It’s in one of the slides here, but for those who took a pic of the board before I put it up, it’s Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi.) Here’s an article that popped up in my inbox: “What Phones are Doing to Reading.” For much of the piece, writer Jay Caspian Kang reiterates what we already know. We are too used to scrolling and too used to seeking the “knowledge” of an algorithm, and in general, these qualities make us abandon books more readily if we’re not engaged straight away and they also cause us to want to skim and tap — “a quick calcification of muscle memory,” he writes. A question from a couple of people IRL lately: “How’s the writing going?” I recently read a New Yorker piece titled “Becoming You: Are you the same person you were when you were a child?” In it, writer Joshua Rothman references a study of 1,037 individuals in New Zealand who are interviewed by a psychologist periodically from childhood to midlife in an attempt to understand humans’ connections with their “past selves.” (This kind of thing fascinates me.) Today, April 2, is International Children’s Book Day…which I would not have known if I didn’t follow Katie Couric on Instagram. So thank you, Katie. (Btw, she shared that one of her favorite books written for children is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. If you saw my post from the other day, you may recall that the assumed genesis of this title caused a wee rift between me and my childhood BFF. I am happy to report, though, that 40 years later, all is well and she and I met up for an enjoyable dinner in Seattle a few months ago. I guess it’s true that time heals all wounds, even those caused by a jump-roping know-it-all, i.e. me.) Erasure — named to The Atlantic’s “Great American Novels” list — is a stellar book. Percival Everett was unknown to me until The Trees made the Booker shortlist in 2022. I read it and thought, “This is different. And lol funny. But serious too.” And then I saw American Fiction and realized it was based on Erasure and thought, “I should read that novel.” And then I thought, “Why am I so unfamiliar with this author, who has published 24 (!!) novels and is so critically acclaimed?” And then I thought, “This whole thought process pretty much illuminates the entire point of Erasure.” (#amthinking) These Steps to Nowhere, spotted on a walk, reminded me of a childhood friend because there was part of her street where a sidewalk just…ended. And she once told me that EXACT SPOT was the inspiration for Where the Sidewalk Ends, and I was like “Shel Silverstein has never been to your street,” and then we got in a spat. Which isn’t that unusual for kids, you know? (That said, I may have been a bit of an instigator because another time I told this friend that Santa wasn’t real after an assembly featuring a jump roping “team” as we were all outside trying to do our own tricks with those beaded ropes. She was so upset, and I probably did deserve one of those things whipped my way…) The late 90s was this golden era of women writers in their 20s/30s who projected a sort of “intellectual but quirky” image. Or maybe I just thought that because I myself was in my 20s in the late 90s. This was before blogging was really a thing; instead, they penned columns and essays for publications like SELF, Harper’s, Salon, Slate. Maybe you know the genre I mean: Meghan Daum, Katie Roiphe, Amanda Beesley. (That last one is perhaps super random but she wrote a column about getting engaged and married amidst her mother’s early Alzheimer’s diagnosis that turned into a book. Anyone?) Reading these women’s prose was like perusing emails from your wittiest & funniest & most insightful friend. (Because, yes, we all used to send and receive lengthy emails providing full life updates and musings.) What in the world!!!! Last night we got to experience Jon Batiste in concert — and I have never been a part of anything quite like it. I say “a part of” because he performed *with* the audience literally (see my last slide…omg) and emotionally.

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