Calling All Gardeners, Planners, Readers, and More

Find a compelling podcast about airport bestsellers, real talk about grief, the coziest hoodie, and more in this issue of The Splash Pad.

My Garden (Book) by Jamaica Kincaid and The Hood Garden pepper seeds

I can’t believe I was 2022-old when I discovered by accident (thank you, local library!) that Jamaica Kincaid had written a book about gardening. Read it immediately, it is a triumph, and then go get yourself some seeds. I’m ordering from The Hood Garden this year, because that range of peppers (from an independent grower in my zone, no less) is calling me!

— Jenn Northington

Passion Planner

Yes, it’s that season! I got the Full Focus planner for 2022 and learned that there is such a thing as too much planner for me. I needed something simpler that offered more freedom and fluidity. I bought the Passion Planner and loved it back when it was a Kickstarter project, but it wasn’t terribly compact in those early days. Now Passion Planner is a fully fledged company with planners in different styles and I’m already happily planning out 2023 in my gorgeous daily planner from a company founded by a queer, first-generation woman of color.

— S. Zainab Williams

The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

I’ve been recommending this book to anyone who’ll listen because it pulled me out of the cyclical reading slump I’ve been experiencing. Maybe it’s on the nose that a book about books would do the trick, but this grim yet motivating fantasy novel is so much more than that. I say it’s motivating because Devon, our main character, is one of the most determined fictional characters I’ve encountered in a good long while. While some of her choices made me cringe, I was inspired by her unwavering determination to do what she felt was right. I’ll be drawing from the well of strength that is this book for some time.

— S. Zainab Williams

Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast

Allow me to get a lil’ emo on you for a sec: the last few years have been hard in my family. COVID and the general state of things have been (a big) part of it, no doubt. But really it’s more that at 38, I seem to have reached “that” age, the age where my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles are starting to experience declining health. That is why in the waning days of 2022, I reached for this graphic memoir for the third time in three years.

Cartoonist Roz Chast describes being her parents’ sole caretaker during their final years; she perfectly captures the unique mind f*ck of an experience that is witnessing the deterioration of a loved one, from the exquisite pain of confronting their mortality to the crushing burden of managing their care. I both sobbed and laughed my way through this entire memoir, finding comfort in Chast’s explorations of anxiety, frustration, grief, guilt, and above all: love.

Reading this work will help you navigate this weird life stage, whether for yourself or in support of someone else. It is such a funny, candid, and tender read just bursting with humanity.

— Vanessa Diaz

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

I read this book late last year and it’s my personal mission to tell everyone about it. It’s a reimagining of the Hindu epic Rāmāyana, specifically the story of the epic’s villain, Kaikeyi. Like Madeline Miller did with Circe (one of my favorite books of all time), Vaishnavi Patel reimagines her story with richness and nuance to paint a complex portrait of a woman unjustly maligned. Here Kaikeyi is a warrior, a negotiator, a defender of women, and a beloved queen railing against societal expectations. I love that we’re getting to see more stories like these from outside the Western Canon.

— Vanessa Diaz

Ask Iwata: Words of Wisdom from Satoru Iwata, Nintendo's Legendary CEO, edited by Hobonichi, translated by Sam Bett

I keep this book by my side for quick bits of wisdom from the late, great Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo from 2003 until his passing in 2015. The book collects various snippets of wisdom and observations gleaned from the "Iwata Asks" interviews Nintendo conducted in the late aughts and up until his passing. I find the wisdom found within both inspiring and aspirational, and the book serves as a nice motivational pick-me-up.

— Alex Baker

If Books Could Kill (podcast)

If you’ve ever been skeptical about the Big Truths proclaimed by popular business books, you’re going to love this show. In each episode, Michael Hobbes (of You’re Wrong About and Maintenance Phase) and Peter Shamshiri take a deep and analytical dive into one airport bestseller. Critical thinking meets the gleeful hatchet job as they deconstruct Freakonomics, Outliers, and more.

— Rebecca Joines Schinsky

Laid-Back Camp series by Afro

If you’ve spoken to me in the last six months, I’ve probably talked to you about this series, because it’s my new obsession. It’s a manga series about a high school outdoors club and their camping trips. There are tips on camping, especially winter camping, and a whole lot of descriptions of delicious food—Japan really takes camping food to a different level. Overall, though, this is just a warm hug of a read: the absolute gentlest story. I’ve started watching the anime, and the peaceful music makes for a great addition.

— Danika Ellis

Oversized Wearable Blanket Hoodie

I am in my cozy era, which is why the plaid Snoodie/Oodie/whatever brand oversized hoodie I got for Christmas is my new favourite thing. Yes, it looks ridiculous. But it’s the coziest, and it’s perfect for reading, because it’s like a soft blanket that also keeps your arms warm! Also, the pocket is big enough to stow even hardcover books. And a snack or two.

— Danika Ellis