Caught Reading: The eBook Edition

Despite social distancing, we've spied you reading recently, Chicago. No doubt you've found solace in physical books at home, but we also know you've been accessing CPL's eBooks and magazines to fill your reading needs. You've checked out a lot, and we've noticed some trends. Here's what we caught you reading.

There's been an uptick in interest in inspiring nonfiction titles. Stories about resilience and triumph seem to be particularly popular. We've spied you reading Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand, a thrilling story of a World War II airman overcoming some incredible odds. It's also not surprising you've checked out Cheryl Strayed's gripping memoir, Wild, about a reckless decision to hike the Pacific Coast Trail and how the experience transformed her.

Another trend we've spotted are titles focusing on self-care. Being homebound got you feeling anxious? We've noticed that some of you have recently picked up Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics. We've also noticed a few of you checked out Ingrid Fetell Lee's Joyful, about how our surroundings evoke certain feelings and how to incorporate things like color, plants and design to promote joy and happiness.

Are you using your time at home to cook and bake? Cookbooks are currently in demand. Home-baked goods are always comforting, and a couple of you are ambitiously baking cakes from All About Cake. It also looks like a few of you are channeling Chicago chef Stephanie Izard to whip up some spectacular meals with Gather & Graze.

Finally, there's evidence that interest in fiction hasn't waned at all. You've checked out new fiction, classic fiction and everything in between. We've noted that some of you have checked out Liane Moriarty's Nine Perfect Strangers, which is being adapted for a TV series staring Nicole Kidman. Others of you have escaped into The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, an imaginative and ambitious novel set during New York's Golden Age of comics (and our 2014-15 One Book, One Chicago selection), which is also being adapted for TV. 

eBook readers, let us know what you're reading in the comments!