Tag Archives: recommendations

What Should I Read on Vacation? Penguin Random House employees share their picks

Heading to the beach in the dog-days of summer? Taking some time off to unwind and catch up on your reading? Penguin Random House employees never go on vacation without a good book – see below to learn what professional book-people read on their off-time. Kristen Fritz, Senior Director, Content Marketing, Digital Marketplace Her vacation read: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
Guatemala
The view from my reading spot in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala

“As I was situated along the shore of the soothing, somewhat eerie, very magical Lake Atitlan in Guatemala for a week last spring, Richard Flanagan’s 2014 Man Booker-winning novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, proved to be the kind of book in which I got deeply lost while silently willing the world to stay away and let me read.”

Lindsay Jacobsen, Senior Coordinator, Consumer Engagement  Her vacation read: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

“Sometimes you begin a book on vacation and find that the story doesn’t match your destination. The book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling was the perfect companion on my trip to Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Her sparkly-eyed dreams of fame and materialism seamlessly complement a self-serving Caribbean beach getaway. While hanging out with Mindy, I laughed and I cried. I read out loud to no one. I used the book as protection from the sun. I was so enthralled, I even neglected my piña colada.”

Nancy Sheppard, Vice President, Director, Advertising and Promotions, Penguin Publishing Group Her vacation read: The Magicians, by Lev Grossman The Magicians

“Here I am with the great staff at City Lit Books while on vacation in my old neighborhood, Logan Square in Chicago. I was there handselling my favorite vacation read, The Magicians by Lev Grossman, in paperback!”

  Check out all our bestsellers to find more vacation-reading inspiration!

The Knockoff authors’ favorite things

In The Knockoff, by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, Imogen Tate is a highly accomplished fashion editor at the top of her game, in spite of the fact that she is a bit tech-challenged (she’s barely mastered e-mail). Eve Morton is her ambitious assistant at Glossy magazine. When Imogen returns from a leave of absence, Eve has taken over and is determined to turn the beautiful pages of Glossy into an app. Imogen has to reinvent herself in ways she never imagined as she struggles to re-gain control of the magazine. Office politics have never been quite so stylish. Lucy Sykes is the former fashion director of Marie Claire and Rent the Runway. Jo Piazza is the Managing Editor of Yahoo Travel. It’s a co-author match made in heaven: The Knockoff is filled with insider dish on the worlds of fashion and tech. Here are a few of their favorite things to do, see, and read–offline as well as online. LUCY AND JO’S FAVORITE THINGS Jo’s Favorites 1. Favorite sites and apps
  • I travel so much that most of my favorite sites and apps are things I can use on the go. I use Buddhify to meditate on the road.
  • I am an NPR addict so I have the WNYC app, but then I individually have the This American Life and The Moth apps, which I listen to constantly while I travel.
  • My favorite hotel booking app is Hotel Tonight for last minute booking (and I am almost always last minute). I use City Maps to get around in a new place and I am obsessed with the Go Pro app.
2. Favorite offline things to do with friends
  • Yoga, cooking dinner, skiing.
  • Also…seeing how long we can go without looking at our phones.
3. Favorite books about women in the workplace
  • The play All About Eve inspired so much of The Knockoff that we have to mention it here (in addition to the movie).
  • Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In
  • I am obsessed with Girl Boss right now. I think Sophia Amoruso is my spirit animal.
  • I also love Kelly Cutrone’s If You Have to Cry Go Outside
lean 4. Favorite movies about women in the workplace
  • I remain obsessed with the movie Working Girl (Oh the shoulder pads!)
  • 9 to 5 (obviously)
  • Baby Boom (First time I girl-crushed on Diane Keaton!)
  • Legally Blonde
  • The Devil Wears Prada
9-5 Lucy’s Favorites 1. Favorite sites and apps
  • My Flybarre App is friendly, quick, and simple. It makes working out seem easy!
  • My Instagram is right up there–being a visual person and having the attention span of a gnat, it gives me a jolt of excitement 4 or 5 times a day. Does that sound naughty?
  • Netflix is so amazing. I get into bed and put my headphones on and I am off on a fascinating bizarre creepy story while my boys watch boring football–perfect!
2. Favorite offline things to do with friends
  • I adore Flybarre an amazing super hectic sexy boot camp/ballet class–all the rage in NYC. I have taken all my friends and my husband!
  • I adore cooking for a dinner party, totally from scratch, once a week. I call it farm stand to table, as I buy everything from Farmer Harry down the road. I also love to buy vintage cocktail glasses and old silver. Lots of white flowers and candles are my tricks to making a pretty table.
  • Hanging with my family–all the cousins, aunties and uncles and grandparents. Watching my elder son become a passionate sportsman and a good guy. Seeing my young son playing the part of Lysander was a first, and making fairy cakes with him –and eating all the mixture first.
3. Favorite books about women in the workplace
  • All About Eve (Well, the play is as good as a book–it’s so sharp, timeless and true!
  • The Help
help 4. Favorite movies about female friendships/women in the workplace
  • The Women
  • Legally Blonde
  • All About Eve (My total all time fave–Marilyn Monroe has a bit part–one of her first roles!)
  • Mildred Pierce (Both the original and remake are fantastic.)
  • The Help
  • Mad Men (Technically not a movie, but it so often feels like one!)
all-about-eve Follow Lucy and Jo on Instagram : @lucysykesrellie, @jopiazza12 Read more about The Knockoff here.