My free time lately has been a slew of podcasts and books. I think I'm over consuming a little bit, and probably need more white space, but I find myself so content as I devour podcasts alongside my lunch and books as I end my days. I think some seasons are for consuming and some are for creating and still others are for fasting altogether. This season is one of mental absorption.

Chris recently introduced me to Blinkist, which is a way to read or listen to key lessons from nonfiction books in 15 minutes or less. I am pretty much hooked. We are currently both doing the free trial and I am already sad for it to be over soon. 

Lately I've also been listening to Dear Sugar, How I Built This and, my newest obsession: The Shauna Niequist podcast. At the end of Shauna's podcast, she always asks each guest about the books she's reading. I thought I'd run through the answers to each of her questions and would LOVE if you'd share a few in the comments, too! I am always looking for new books. 

• All-time favorite book: The Giver. It opened up my world in middle school. It was one of the first books I can recall shaping my world view.
• Favorite book as a child: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. That guy! He never got old. Runner up: The BFG.
• Two of the best books you've read in the last year: What Alice Forgot for a fun, light read and Eleanor & Park. 
• Is there a book you reread? The Giver. This is one of the only books I reread. It never gets old to me - I loved in when I discovered it in middle school, when I reread it in high school and again a few years go. It's so good. 
• Book you give as a gift? Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist. This book changed me in my 20s and normalized so many of my feelings. I highly recommend it. Over the years I've given away The Alchemist a few times, too. In high school I loved to give away Notes to Myself, which makes me smile when I think of it. It's obvious now that I liked giving it to people because I thought it made them think about me a certain way. I can assure you it didn't - nobody ever thinks about us as much as we think they do (: 

And, a bonus, the next book I want to read: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I have had three people recommend it in the last two months. It's time to crack that baby open!

Tell me, tell me your answers below!