"Books to Read" Restarting the Stack?

BY ANDREW DAVIS, HEAD OF SCHOOL

For years, I kept a teetering stack of unread books on my bedside table. Whenever a friend recommended a title, I ordered it from Amazon and added it to the pile. And, for most of those years, I did not read. Yes, having younger kids and cooking more elaborate dinners played a role, but I have come to believe the stack itself was a major culprit. With so many choices, picking just one felt oddly difficult. And knowing the rest were still waiting made the whole thing feel daunting.

These days, I keep just one book on my bedside table, and I actually read it. When I finish, I head to Book Passage in Corte Madera to choose my next title. Closing a book now triggers both the dopamine hit of a new purchase and the sensory joy of stepping into Book Passage: the smell of coffee, paper, and intelligence in the air. As I near the end of a great read, I find myself eagerly anticipating the next one.

At the bookstore, I pull up an Apple Note titled “Books to Read,” where I have jotted down recommendations from friends and colleagues over time. It is also where I add the titles I hear from colleagues and great sources such as Elaine Petrocelli’s Book Passage talks (an AI summary that you can query). And whenever I am unsure what to pick up next, the wonderful staff delights in pointing me toward something I am bound to enjoy.

I also encourage you to visit Book Passage between now and November 23 to purchase books in support of the MTS Library. I may even break my “one-book-at-a-time” rule and build a small stack in the name of supporting MTS. I will certainly be picking up Culpability by Bruce Holsinger, the MTS PA Book Club read.

And if Elaine’s recommendations are not enough, we have gathered some recent favorites from the MTS ProComm for you to explore as well. I have added a number of these to my “Books To Read” note!

Andrew (Head of School)
What Kind of Paradise – Janelle Brown
A gripping, character-driven mystery about a young woman’s disappearance at a Caribbean resort and the dark secrets that surface as those closest to her confront the truth. 

Jenn (Associate Director of Advancement)
Solito – Javier Zamora
A memoir following a young boy’s harrowing and hopeful journey from El Salvador to the United States, told with striking vulnerability and poetic detail.

Suzanne (3rd and 4th Grade Science & Engineering)
The Midcoast – Adam White
Set in coastal Maine, this suspenseful drama follows a family’s rise and fall as their community uncovers the truth behind their seemingly perfect life.

Jennifer (PE and Athletics)
The Dutch House – Ann Patchett
A tender, multi-decade story of siblings bound by a childhood home and the mistakes, memories, and loyalties that define them.

Heather (Director of Communications)
The Girl with the Louding Voice – Abi Daré
An uplifting and powerful novel about a Nigerian girl determined to get an education and claim her voice in a world that seeks to silence her.

Robin (First Grade Math)
The Stationery Shop – Marjan Kamali
A sweeping love story set in 1950s Tehran, where a young couple is separated by political upheaval and reunited decades later.

Jim (7th and 8th Grade English)
Into the Wild Light – Jeff Zentner
A moving coming-of-age story about friendship, grief, and opportunity as two teens leave their Appalachian hometown for a life-changing academic program.

Julia (1st and 2nd Grade Science & Engineering)
The Kamogawa Food Detective – Hisashi Kashiwai
A cozy, heartwarming Japanese novel about a father-daughter duo who solve life’s sorrows by recreating lost meals.

Tanja (6th Grade Humanities)
The Ministry of Time – Kaliane Bradley
A witty and imaginative time-travel romance where a civil servant supervises a Victorian explorer brought to the present, blurring boundaries of duty, history, and love.

Maria (Middle School Learning Specialist)
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women – Lisa See
Inspired by a 15th-century Chinese physician, this novel celebrates female friendship, medical knowledge, and the strength of women navigating a patriarchal world.

Erin (Kindergarten STEM)
My Friends – Fredrik Backman
A touching tale about aging, belonging, and the small acts of kindness that bind a community together.

Christina (Operations Manager)
A Court of Thorns and Roses Series – Sarah J. Maas
A fantasy series blending romance, political intrigue, and richly imagined fae worlds as a young huntress becomes entangled with dangerous magic and powerful courts.

Lisa Barnes (School Receptionist)
I See You’ve Called in Dead – John Kenney
A sharp, comedic novel skewering modern office culture through the story of a man whose midlife unraveling leads to unexpected clarity.

TGIAM is the blog of Andrew Davis, Head of School. TGIAM = Thank Goodness It's Almost Monday.