Check the Bookshelf often, as recommendations are continuously updated.
I've launched a virtual bookshelf featuring titles mentioned in my Steeped Stories newsletters. Currently, I'm focusing on these recommendations only to keep the list manageable. Perhaps I'll expand it to include other notable reads in the future.
To travel far, there is no better ship than a book.
—Emily Dickinson
As a lifelong book enthusiast, my passion for reading blossomed during childhood visits to the library Bookmobile, which stopped outside our farmhouse each week. (And by the farmhouse, I mean the original 1880s home of the farm-turned-housing-development in our ever-shrinking “Garden State.”) Surrounding myself with books and art infuses my home with warmth and reflects the joy and comfort they bring me.
While my book collection isn't meticulously curated or neatly shelved, scattered stacks and cozy nooks are everywhere, evolving as my love for literature expands. (My ultimate dream home has a dedicated library space.)
Despite the trendy buzz around "Bookshelf Wealth," my connection with books runs deeper—it's an integral part of my life. I'm heartened to see the resurgence of independent bookstores in my small hometown and neighboring communities, recognizing their importance in fostering literacy and community growth.
"Bookshelf" is an ongoing compilation of books relevant to Steeped Stories, with links (yes, affiliate) for purchase. I also include the ratings, based on ⭐️ 5 stars, from Goodreads. I believe Goodreads has the least biased rating. So, grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and peruse the bookshelves with me, won't you?
My Reads
This page is categorized by genre and features links from Bookshop.org, a platform supporting independent bookstores. Founded by
Bookshop.org was created with the explicit goal of preserving and sustaining indie bookstores. (If you’d rather order from Amazon, I include those links as well).European World History
For All the Tea in China: How England Stole the World's Favorite Drink and Changed History
by Sarah Rose
⭐️ 3.8 on Goodreads, 3,988 ratings
Health & Wellness
Cancer Hates Tea: A Unique Preventive and Transformative Lifestyle Change to Help Crush Cancer
by Maria Uspenski
⭐️ 4.3 on Goodreads, 131 ratings
by Bernie S. Siegel, MD
⭐️ 4.3 on Goodreads, 4,292 ratings
The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100
by Dan Buettner
⭐️ 4.0 on Goodreads, 2,785 ratings
Historical Fiction
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
By Lisa See
⭐️ 4.3 on Goodreads, 108,493 ratings
by Kristin Hannah
⭐️ 4.6 on Goodreads, 1,466,913 ratings
Inspirational
by Oliver Sacks
⭐️ 4.2 on Goodreads, 21,967 ratings
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
by Héctor García
⭐️ 3.7 on Goodreads, 7,8926 ratings
by Paulo Coelho
⭐️ 3.9 on Goodreads, 3,142,534 ratings
Life Sciences
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
⭐️ 4.5 on Goodreads, 127,698 ratings
by Florence Nightingale
⭐️ 3.8 on Goodreads, 1,509 ratings
Memoir
by Frank McCourt
⭐️ 4.1 on Goodreads, 635,072 ratings
by Henrietta Lovell
⭐️ 4.1 on Goodreads, 851 ratings
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
by Anthony Bourdain
⭐️ 4.2 on Goodreads, 326,400 ratings
The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition
Anne Frank (Author) Otto H. Frank (Editor) Otto M. Frank (Editor) Mirjam Pressler (Editor) Susan Massotty (Translator)
⭐️ 4.2 on Goodreads, 3,811,315 ratings
Tea
by Michelle Francl
⭐️ 4.3 on Goodreads, 43 ratings
Tea: History, Terroirs, Varieties
by Kevin Gascoyne et al.
⭐️ 4.3 on Goodreads, 463 ratings
by Okakura Kakuzo
⭐️ 3.9 on Goodreads, 15,332 ratings