Category Archives: Real Simple

In The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jaime Ford. Dorothy Moy is a Seattle poet with depression. When her 5-year-old shows familiar symptoms, Dorothy tried an experimental therapy: connecting, via memory, with past generations of women in her family. Her experiences raise a fascinating question: Do we inherit trauma from our ancestors?

Even if you haven’t read Lisa Jewel’s megahit The Family Upstairs, you’ll love her stand-alone sequel, The Family Remains. A thrilling cast of characters’ lives collide in ways you won’t see coming. Set in London, Chicago, and France, this intricate page-turner about secrets, family loyalty, and revenge is the perfect end-of-the-summer novel.

Sisters ruth, esther, and Chice make up the Salvations, a 1950s girl group who are lcoal stars in gentrifying San Francisco. When they get close to the big break their mother has pushed for, there’s a problem: Mom’s dream is no longer theirs. On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton is a powerful drama setContinue reading “Moving Novel”

How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water by Angie Cruz is about a woman who’s been tossed around by life but refuses to surrender. Cara Romero is in her mid-50s when she loses her job and has to find work for the first time in decades. Told through Cara’s sessions with a jobContinue reading “Modern-Day Hero”

In these connected short stories, author Jonathan Escoffery follows a Jamaican family, from the 1970s, when they settle in Miami after fleeing political upheaval in their home country, to the modern day. Both outrageously funny and a piercing look at life in America. If I Survive You is the kind of book you’ll think aboutContinue reading “Dazzling Debut”

Upgrade your vinyasa practice with candy-colored foam blocks that provide extra support for people with flexibilty issues, such as arthritis. To buy: Form + Function Foam Marble Yoga Block set, $25; Oak Reed

This textured foam roller helps massage away soreness for a faster recovery. Plus, at just three inches in diameter, it won’t take up space in your gym bag. To buy: All in Motion Foam Massage Ball, $6; Target

Reach for a cheerful and 100% recyclable strap to nail some of the tougher yoga poses. To buy: Yoga Strap Mexicana, $18: http://yogadesignlab.com

Sync this techy jump rope with its companion app to set goals and track progress. To buy: SmartRope Rookie, $40; http://store.tangramfactory.com

The colors of these resistance bands correspond to strength level, so you can build slowly and safely. To buy: Resistance Bands 5 set. $16; Kikkerland.com