National Book Lovers Day celebrates the written word and gives bibliophiles everywhere a chance to wax poetic (or prose, fiction, or nonfiction — whatever you choose!) about their favorite books. We asked some folks at Stoke about the book they recommend everyone read at least once. Here’s what they picked.
Laurie Lohner (she / her)
Partner
What’s the book?
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Why did you find this book significant when you read it for the first time?
I could apply the learnings from this book to every aspect of my life.
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. It’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that hurts us. If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control — myself.”
David Acheson (he / him)
Managing Director
What’s the book?
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Why should everyone read this book at least once?
Bradbury wrote a classic that depicted a believable dystopian society where books are banned and knowledge is suppressed. It’s a tale about the dangers of censorship and the importance of preserving intellectual freedom. It influenced me to get my college degree in English literature with its iteration of the power of words and literature — and the need to protect our individual freedoms.
Why did you find this book significant when you read it for the first time?
Friday night was my favorite night as a kid because, with no school the next day, I could stay up late and read. I read Fahrenheit 451 start to finish for the first time lying in bed on one of those nights. I wasn’t able to comprehend all that it contained on that first read but I had a sense that there were great thoughts that I would spend more time with. I took away the thought that reading books was, indeed, worthwhile. My Friday nights were not misspent!
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.”
Maggie Miller (she / her)
Associate Designer
What’s the book?
Peter Sis’s adaptation of The Conference of the Birds.
Why did you find this book significant when you read it for the first time?
The illustrations are amazing, and so unlike anything I’d seen. The book is a very digestible exploration of what it means to be human.
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“The Valley of Understanding: Here we all choose a different way and different rules to disobey.”
Michael Craddock (he / him)
Senior Content Strategist
What’s the book?
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Why should everyone read this book at least once?
It’s a great book that grapples with vanity, darkness, and how to navigate living despite your past and how you can use it to influence your future!
Why did you find this book significant when you read it for the first time?
The vivid imagery!
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s nature perfectly — that is what each of us is here for.”
Layne Arnold (she / her)
Project Manager
What’s the book?
The Swarm by Frank Schätzing
Why should everyone read this book at least once?
Calling all science lovers, humanitarians, and environmental enthusiasts! The Swarm is a captivating and informative work of fiction that encourages us all to reflect inside your soul while diving into Earth’s depths.
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“And yet most people would be lost without the idea that life increases in value the more it resembles our own.”
Abby McHenry (she / her)
Content Writer
What’s the book?
Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Commitment by Gay Hendricks and Kathlyn Hendricks
Why did you find this book significant when you read it for the first time?
It made me look at the people I love in my life differently. Transparency is the key to building trust in any relationship. This book reminded me that sharing the little things that seem insignificant progress your relationships a long way.
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“You need those times of solitude in order to integrate the powerful energy of closeness. By resting between each energetic dance, you are ready next time to take the floor at a new and higher level.”
Madeline Thatcher (she / her)
Marketing Program Manager & Copywriter
What’s the book?
The Book Thief, by Marcus Zuzak
Why should everyone read this book at least once?
Zuzak’s book weaves themes of grief, legacy, power, family, and identity in a way that cracks your heart open. Set against the backdrop of the rise of Nazism in Germany in advance of the Second World War, the book turns a segment of history known on a grand scale into something deeply personal. For book lovers everywhere, this is a must-read.
Share your favorite quote from the book.
“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”