While scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled across @stevenjreese—a serious reader with a seriously fun project. What caught my eye was “50 Books/50 States.” His wife curated 50 books, each set in a different U.S. state, and buried them in their backyard, marking each spot with the corresponding state flag. Steven draws a state at random, then digs up the book. I was instantly hooked.
The first book he unearthed was set in Wisconsin: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. It’s a powerful nonfiction read that explores housing instability and economic injustice in Milwaukee. Naturally, I needed an excuse to buy a new book, so I ordered it—and devoured it in just two days.
I’ve always been drawn to nonfiction that examines people, behavior, systems, and consequences, and Evicted delivered on all counts. It’s the kind of book that lingers long after the last page. If you enjoy sociological or anthropological reads, this one is absolutely worth your time.
Now I’m thinking—should I start my own version of a 50 States reading challenge? Or maybe a “Buried Books” twist of my own?
Whatever reading adventure you're on, I hope it’s one that inspires curiosity, connection, and maybe even a little surprise.
And don’t forget—every book you read brings us one step closer to our goal in the Worldwide Reading Challenge! We've already logged 307 books and welcomed readers from across the U.S.—including Arkansas, Georgia, Wyoming, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska—and even Germany! From ages 6 to 84, our community is as diverse as the stories we’re exploring.
To reach our goal of 2,025 books read by the end of the year, we need to log 287 books each month for the next six months. It’s ambitious, but totally doable—with your help. So keep reading, keep logging, and keep spreading the word.
You can log your books and follow along with the challenge at www.TLCEspressions.org. Let’s hit this goal together, one page at a time.
This month’s winners:
· Nebraska: Jorja Boller with her book Clean Point by Meg Jones. PS Jorja is 16!
· The World: Jerry Davidson from Arkansas with his book Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Mallory
This month’s readers will be receiving a gift card to an independent bookstore near them! This month we are supporting:
· Francie & Finch Bookshop in Lincoln, NE www.francieandfinch.com
· WordsWorth Books in Little Rock, AR www.wordsworthbookstore.com
Congratulations to our most recent winners! To see what everyone is reading, visit www.TLCEspressions.org! Thank you all and happy reading.
PS: My current read: The Invention of Murder: How the Victorians Revelled in Death and Detection and Created Modern Crimes by Judith Flanders. My Current Listen: The London House by Katherine Reay. And next up: Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save the World by Mo Gawdat.
