Books like The Surprise Restaurant Manager — picked by fans

I have followed Steve’s website for some time, fascinated by the notion of being labelled an “introvert” and what this actually means.

As an entrepreneur, a small business owner for many years, there is no doubt that according to some definitions, I also have signs of being an introvert. Not something usually associated with an entrepreneurial spirit!

The book is a thought-provoking study of how the typical traits of introversion can be utilized in a business setting, what they can bring to the team in any organisation, and basically what a valuable contribution they can make. Whether you consider yourself to be an introvert or are part of a team with different skills and traits, this book can trigger some interesting conversations in the workplace. 

The reference to selling yourself in the title, not just about being a salesperson for a business, made me dig deeper to find out what the message was. After all, there are lots of business books about selling so what will be different here?

The crucial thing is that you are the important part of selling in any context, the need to see your own self-worth and be confident, and ultimately to laugh to live longer!

There are references to different personality and character traits, and the need to be honest about who you are and the personal brand you are creating. Lots of ideas about setting goals, dealing with any fear of ‘selling’, and a useful resource whatever the context in life or work. 

I would not normally be drawn to a title about being financially capable as I like to think I am already (whether that is true or not)!

It starts with statements about how difficult it is for people to talk about money, and how wary people are of asking questions about managing their finances. A great starting point asks the reader to remember their first memory about money, then discusses how this impacts dealings in later life.

It is well written, easy to follow, with question-and-answer sections at the end of each chapter. While he includes eight key areas of wellbeing, the focus is on managing and improving, if necessary, your own financial position. So yes, I did find it interesting and considered all the points raised to check my own situation. 

We all know how important it is to reach the target audience for your product or service, whatever business sector you operate in, so as an author, this is particularly relevant for me.

The good thing about the book is that it does not just focus on having an online presence but confirms the need to ensure you have offline presence too. 

It is a practical approach based around four steps to creating your brand and the strategy to reach the audience, with examples of how the suggested strategies work. It is a realistic discussion about techniques we need to use today in order to reach the widest possible audience. I shall be trying the four steps out for myself! 

An eclectic group of people regularly visit Bailey’s Cafe.

The owner believes the cafe is magical and he tells the stories of each of its patrons finding their way to a local boarding house and ultimately finding themselves. From the opening tale of the cafe owner to Sadie, and Eve, and Jessie Bell, and others, the stories are excellently told, each in a distinct voice.

Author Gloria Naylor has explained that the themes are relating to female sexuality and femaleness. I will note there are some pretty rough scenes, but the characters and their stories are unforgettable.

When I think of Maine, I think of mill towns. When I think of mill towns, I think of Empire Falls. And to consider Russo’s titular town is to consider what happens to a community when its once-lucrative mills are abandoned.

I have witnessed it repeatedly through the years, all around the state of Maine—first our mills go out of business, then the towns that grew around those mills gradually, inexorably decline. Russo captures this struggle, creating characters as real as the millworkers I grew up with.

He also emphasizes a strange thing that happens in these blue-collar communities: even though the people who live there know their town will never be as it once was, most of them still can’t bring themselves to leave. 

This sequel to From the Desk of Zoe Washington shines a light on a topic I haven’t read about in children’s literature: the reintroduction of former prisoners into society. Author Janae Marks approaches it through the POV of a very relatable and determined heroine, 12-year-old Zoe Washington.

I loved how Zoe worked through her own misconceptions and biases around this sensitive topic, then turned around to help her former prisoner father fulfill his dreams of running his own restaurant by advocating for his rights through her podcast. Plus, reading this book made my mouth water as I imagined all the yummy food her exonerated father wanted to cook in his new restaurant.

This was a feel-good read about a 3-generation rivalry between two sisters in a small town involving fried chicken. (You cannot go wrong with southern food in a novel, I’m just saying.)

What I thoroughly enjoyed about this book was how the plot got thicker and thicker, revealing the backstory throughout the story in a way that made me #TeamAmanda one minute and #TeamMae the next. I like digging deep into a character’s life, and this one did so in a way that made me sympathetic to both sisters, rooting for their reunion until the very end.

I’m trying my best not to give away the ending…suffice it to say; it helped me reframe my thinking around getting to the heart of a long feud that started before you even got here.

This story expertly weaves together the tensions of a struggling family, a faltering business and a natural disaster that pushes them all to consider new ways of being. I was especially intrigued by the attempt of the characters to save wildlife after an oil spill in Louisiana. In addition, the stories of characters outside of the family provided a variety of points of view about what was happening.

The spirit of the characters encourages me to remember that there are always choices and new options if I’m willing to explore them.

Cheffes explores the lives and the challenges facing female chefs and chefs-in-training in Lyon, France.

It also provides compelling first-hand experiences of the author who went through training while pregnant as well. Black’s account of the tribulations of professional female "cheffes" against a background of prejudice and harassment seemed very relevant to our contemporary discussions.

But what really stood out for me about this is that she contextualizes the story within the history of Lyon, famous both for its cuisine and for its legendary female cheffes. Black ties together past and present beautifully in her account, giving a real sense of continuity and change in the food world.