What I've Been Reading Lately (April 2026)
Quick hits for month's worth of reads
Hello, readers! It’s been a while. In this edition of the newsletter, I’m giving you quick hits about what I’ve read in the last 5-6 weeks and which hasn’t already been featured. Let’s get right to it!
—FICTION—
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Most of the women I know have read some Taylor Jenkins Reid books; most of the men I know have not. Well, let me say to those men: read her books! Taylor is a damn good storyteller. I started with Atmosphere simply because I can’t resist a NASA story, especially on the heels of the wildly successful and inspiring Artemis II mission. Atmosphere has tense space action, a touching romance story, and a lot of great relational psychology. Loved it.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
I’m not generally into “cozy” sci-fi or fantasy — nice stories with low stakes — but the heart of this novella by Becky Chambers gets into themes that I can’t resist: What is it that makes us human, what is it that gives life meaning and fulfillment, and how should we spend our days in light of those answers? Through conversations between a tea-slinging monk and a friendly robot, Chambers guides readers into a gentle fable that explores these ideas. A lovely, life-affirming story all around.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
I’ve long been a fan of the Green brothers, but until this month I hadn’t read any of Hank’s books. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing has a fairly silly premise: a young tech employee, memorably named April May, makes a video about the sudden appearance of a statue in New York City. Turns out, similar statues popped up all around the world and they have physical properties that should not be possible. Alien contact, online life, the perils of fame and wealth, deep friendship — the stakes are both high and low, and Hank balances humor with earnestness in a very satisfying way. Excellent book!
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith
I only recently learned that A Simple Plan, the fantastic 1998 movie, was actually adapted from a 1993 novel of the same name. I’ve come to really like rural thrillers, so I decided to give this one a listen — and I thoroughly enjoyed it. First-person narration always works well on audio, and it’s a classic story about greed and how the best laid plans can quickly crumble. There were some pretty ridiculous plot points, but I never struggled to keep going. If you want a slippery slope of a thriller, this is a good one.
Thrawn trilogy by Timothy Zahn
Star Wars fan boys tend to loooove Timothy Zahn’s dozen or so books featuring Thrawn — a blue-skinned Imperial admiral who routinely outsmarts his opponents. While the original trilogy from the 90s gets more adoration, I started with a newer trilogy, published between 2017 and 2019. They were . . . fine. As a character, I actually found Thrawn rather one-dimensional, and the plots were a bit convoluted for me. By the end of the trilogy, I found it to be a bit of a slog to finish.
—NON-FICTION—
Ordinary Time by Annie Jones
This was a really nice little book, mostly chronicling Annie’s experience as a bookshop owner in the small southern locale of Thomasville, Georgia. It’s also about small town living, what it means to be rooted, and the joys of ordinary life. Ordinary Time wasn’t a life-changing read, but I rather enjoyed it — it would pair especially well with a nice cup of coffee on the porch.
This Vast Enterprise by Craig Fehrman
I *loved* Craig’s 2020 book, Author in Chief, so when I found out he had a new one coming about Lewis and Clark, I knew I had to get my hands on it ASAP. Given how impactful Lewis and Clark’s explorations were to the field of American history and science, there are surprisingly few books about their long expedition. Stephen Ambrose’s page-turning Undaunted Courage graced many a dad’s bookshelf in the 90s and 00s; This Vast Enterprise is just as compelling and does a much better job covering the context and scope of their journey, particularly in regards to the numerous other people who played a major part in their story. A must-read for any fan of American history.
The Way of Excellence by Brad Stulberg
Brad Stulberg has become one of my go-to authors and recommendations in the field of psychology and self-improvement. It’s a genre I tend to avoid, honestly, but his stuff cuts through the clutter and, mercifully, avoids the bloated page counts you often find when authors wax on and on about the same things. This book offers a fresh take on the idea of excellence; Stulberg’s best moments are when he encourages a strong self-examination about “shitty flow” (losing time and attention in the algorithm) and when he talks about the power of earnest enjoyment.
Thanks for reading and be good to each other. Until next time,
Jeremy