Maya MacGuineas
Nonprofit president
Mom to William, 9, and Annika, 8
On her nightstand: “I enjoyed Wild because I spend too much time reading about work stuff, and it’s great to get completely engrossed in different topics, even though I’ll probably never hike for any length of time or eat chia seeds.”
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Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Anne D. Freeman
Art teacher
Mom to Zach, 18
On her nightstand: “My favorite book of the year thus far has been The Hare With Amber Eyes. It’s a suspenseful, historical, and powerful look at a wealthy society family, spanning pre–World War I through 2009.”
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The Hare With Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
Ashley Bronczek
Entrepreneur
Mom to Birdie, 6 months
On her nightstand: “I’m currently reading The Goldfinch, and I can’t put it down. Donna Tartt is such a fantastic writer.”
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The Goldfinchby Donna Tartt
Heather Shaw Menis
Public relations specialist
Mom to Maxwell, 18 months
On her nightstand: “I’ve been trying to start The Circle and meant to on our trip to Key West—but this was our first vacation with a toddler, and I really overestimated the time I would have to relax.”
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The Circle by Dave Eggers
Jodi Moraru
Event planner
Mom to Eli, 13, and Talia, 8
On her nightstand: “I just read Rules of Civility and loved it. It’s beautifully written and has a great flow. A client of mine suggested it to me, and now I am telling everyone to read it.”
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Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Kate Bennett
Magazine editor
Mom to Tess, 9
On her nightstand: “It was fascinating to read a bit of historical fiction with The Paris Wife, especially pertaining to one of my favorite writers, Ernest Hemingway. It was a completely different way to understand his life and work.”
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The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Lesli Foster
News anchor
Mom to Jordan, 8
On her nightstand: “I’m peering into Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns, her award-winning book that chronicles the Great Migration of African-Americans from the South to the North.”
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The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Liz Levin
Interior decorator
Mom to Julia, 6, and Naomi, 2
On her nightstand: “The last two books I actually finished were Rob Lowe’s memoir, Stories I Only Tell My Friends, and Beyond Time-Out: From Chaos to Calm, by Beth A. Grosshans—a window into my life recently.”
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Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
Poppy MacDonald
Publisher
Mom to Gill, 8, and Marley, 6
On her nightstand: “I loved that the author of Never Eat Alone achieved success through early lessons he observed as a golf caddy. Even though networking can be perceived as a very shallow exchange, he emphasizes that the real currency of it is generosity, not greed.”
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Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz
Sarah Meyer Walsh
Stationer
Baby due in May
On her nightstand: “A House in the Sky—it’s the most compelling memoir I’ve read in a long time.”
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A House in the Skyby Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett
