The frenzy of the holidays is almost behind us and 2026 is just around the corner. For many, using the new year to set goals and resolutions is a time-honored tradition. Some of you may join a gym or commit to Dry January. Perhaps you want to do more for our local community. Volunteer at one of the many nonprofits in town or lean into civic engagement. There are some incredible organizations in Central Oregon that would welcome your hands, your experience and your time. Connect Central Oregon can help you find the right place for your skills and passions.
No matter what you choose as your area of focus, I propose that 2026 also be THE YEAR OF READING. Professional alpinist and author dedicated to protecting our planet’s climate, Graham Zimmerman, was recently at Roundabout Books for an event. As he discussed the situation in our world today, he suggested that we take a step back: “In this moment, it’s important to take the time to sit and be quiet. Choose a good book and immerse yourself in the art, reflect on the prose.” We couldn’t agree more.
A beautiful book to start with is the newly released “Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books” by Hwang Bo-Reum, translated by Shanna Tan. Each essay is a quick read and invites you to reflect on your relationship to reading with suggestions for celebrating the joy of books.
Another fantastic choice is “Eventually a Sequoia” by Jeremy Collins. This graphic memoir intertwines art (much drawn while hanging from rock faces), adventure and environmental activism, exploring the profound connections between nature and personal growth.
If you just want to spend time reading great literature, Roundabout Books offers a monthly First Editions Subscription Club that will inspire your reading goals. Each month, a box will show up in your mailbox with a new novel that has been carefully selected because it’s a great read and of enduring quality. We give debut authors a platform as well as share the latest from some of your favorite, award-winning authors.
If you would like to use your reading time to learn more about what makes people truly content, I recommend “The Good Life” by Robert Waldinger, MD, and Marc Schulz, PhD. In this fascinating book, the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted, show that the answer to these questions may be closer than you realize. There is plenty to reflect and act on in this book.
Speaking of the importance of quiet time, “Meditations for Mortals” by Oliver Burkeman is a new take on how meditation can help you make time for what counts.
Brene’ Brown’s new book, “Strong Ground,” provides an urgent call to practice what she calls “daring leadership” with practical and actionable insights focused on essential mind and skill sets for these uncertain times.
If you want to focus on your health, two new books might be right for you: Perhaps the new “Live Naked AF: A Joyful Approach to Living Alcohol Free” by Annie Grace. This guide to navigating what’s next after you find freedom from alcohol uses a science-based approach. In “Age Like a Girl,” Dr. Mindy Pelz redefines menopause as a powerful biological upgrade, offering science-based strategies to help women thrive and reclaim their health.
Civic engagement is a hot topic right now. I highly recommend a bestseller from last fall, “Democracy in Retrograde” by Sami Sage and Emily Amick. This whip-smart combo of self-help and political manifesto is perfect for anyone who wants to save our democracy but doesn’t know where to start. Alternately, “Giving Up is Unforgivable” by Joyce Vance, and the new-in-paperback “On Freedom” by Timothy Snyder will help you consider our democracy further.
Money management is another classic topic for New Year’s resolutions. Check out “The Art of Spending Money” by bestselling author Morgan Housel. This doesn’t give you budget hacks; instead, he focuses on how your relationship with money shapes your decisions and how to reshape that relationship so that money works for you.
Lastly, cookbooks aren’t just for cooking – they are fun to browse, pour over images of delicious food, read the anecdotes provided by the authors and get inspired for your next great meal! Check out “Everything’s Good” by Toni Chapman, full of cozy classics, or Milk Street’s latest “Shorts: Recipes that Pack a Punch.” If you want a vegetarian-inspired diet, “Veg Forward” by Susan Spungen offers plenty of inspiration.
No matter your focus for 2026, reading can provide guidance, inspiration and an opportunity to stop and sit quietly to ponder the best direction for your life. As Zimmerman said, “Choose a good book and immerse yourself.”
WHAT CASSIE’S READING:
“Persuasion” by Jane Austen
Dec. 16 was Jane Austen’s 250th birthday and to celebrate Cassie is reading “Persuasion.” Of all Jane Austen’s great and delightful novels, Persuasion is widely regarded as the most moving—the entrancing story of a second chance at love.
Anne Elliot is a woman of quiet charm and deep feelings. At 19, she fell in love with—and was engaged to—a naval officer, the fearless and headstrong Capt. Wentworth. But he had no fortune, and Anne was persuaded to give him up. Now, at 27, Anne learns that he has returned to the area, rich and still unwed. Her never-diminished love is muffled by her pride. What happens as Anne and Wentworth are thrown together in the world of Bath—and as an eager new suitor appears for Anne—is touchingly and wittily told.
This article appears in the Source December 25, 2025.
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