Book Fix – Lindsay Freeman's Recommendations

It's early morning, the sun isn't even thinking about rising and Topekan Lindsay Freeman is in her rocking chair with a cup of coffee and a good book. She's up as early as 4:45 every morning (even weekends) to get lost in a book in the pre-dawn peace and quiet.

Freeman, Director of Community Engagement for Advisors Excel, is an avid reader and library user. While she's one of TK Magazine's 2018 Top 20 under 40, some might consider her preferred reading format a little old school. "I love the touch and smell of a print book," said Freeman. "I need to have it in my hands."

Reading Recommendations

For the most part she reads fiction, but in the last year she's been reading more and more nonfiction books to improve her leadership skills. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz was a recent nonfiction read that Freeman loved. "It's a short book with a powerful punch," she said. "It's real talk about topics we tackle every day. The four agreements are all things we know and should live by but are not always easy. Especially the agreement of not taking things personally, that takes some work.”

In fiction Freeman recommends any books by Elin Hildebrand and Emily Giffin. How to Walk Away by Katherine Center is a recent fiction book she read and recommends. "Oh my, was it good!" said Freeman. "The author takes a really rough topic and weaves it into a sweet love story. I loved this one!"

She said her friends might be surprised to find a young adult book in her tote bag. "The book Wonder really opened my eyes to the wonderful books written for young adults that also can be enjoyed by adults," Freeman said. She also recommends The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

Finding Her Next Read

Freeman has lots of sources for finding her next reads. She follows several bloggers, #SpiveysClub on Facebook and people on Instagram. Freeman also gets great recommendations from her boss Cody Foster and the Advisors Excel Learning and Development Team. Mix and Match Mama is her favorite book blogger. "Her reading style is very similar to mine so I typically reserve everything she recommends the day she releases her monthly book review," Freeman said.

Love it or leave it is Freeman’s philosophy on books. “I don’t finish books that I’m not crazy about,” said Freeman. “I usually know within the first 100 pages if I like the book or not. If I’m forcing myself to read it or just not getting into it, I return it. Life’s too short to read books I’m not crazy about!”