We're celebrating Reading this October in honor of Book Month, One Dog-Eared Page at a Time (no wait –we have bookmarks!)
At Allport Editions, we’re big believers in the power of the written word, whether it’s stamped on a greeting card, scribbled in a notebook, or pressed between the pages of a well-loved book. To celebrate National Reading Month, we asked the readers on our team to share their favorite books (they were all sad to find out they could only pick 3).
Based on their bookshelves, here’s a lovingly unscientific analysis of some of my brilliant co-workers. Last but CERTAINLY not least, Mackenzie is up!
(hint: She’s the Owner!)
At Allport: Mackenzie is the Captain of the Cardship! The Sensei in the Dojo of Cards! The Owner and President of Allport Editions! She oversees operations, design, and big-picture direction and if I listed off all the other things we’d be here all day. She brings years of experience, empathy, and joy to everything from product development to daily decision-making.
Bookshelf Reads Like: An Austen aficionado and purveyor of quiet excellence with a dash of hopeless romantic. Equal parts cozy librarian and low-key literary oracle. The kind of person who’ll recommend a book that feels like a warm cup of tea, then follow it up with one that will quietly rearrange your moral architecture.
Persuasion by Jane Austen – Mackenzie loves Jane Austen (she’s the OG romance author) but Persuasion is by far her favorite Austen (tied with Jane Eyre for favorite classic overall), and it makes sense: this is Austen at her most grown up, and quietly devastating. The story follows Anne Elliot, who once gave up the love of her life out of duty. Now she’s older, wiser, and full of silent ache, and has a second chance. It’s about regret, restraint, and the kind of love that shows up again when you least expect it, this time with better timing. Shorter than most of Austen’s work, and sweeter, particularly if you’re no longer in your twenties (and no longer believe longing has to be loud).
Trustee from the Toolroom by Nevil Shute – Mackenzie’s favorite fiction read of the year, recommended via the Backlisted podcast (which, by the way, you should absolutely listen to if you’re the type of person who organizes your TBR list by mood and season). The story is quiet but utterly delightful: a modest model maker finds himself on an improbable international adventure, fueled not by ego or heroism, but by competence, decency, and a deep belief in doing right by others. Short, spare, and unexpectedly moving, it’s the literary equivalent of a well-made tool: practical, underappreciated, and kind of perfect.
The Oregon Trail by Rinker Buck – Part autobiography, part history lesson, part slightly unhinged travelogue, this one is so much more than it sounds. Buck, his brother, and a stubborn team of mules retrace the actual Oregon Trail…in a covered wagon. Yes, that Oregon Trail. What could have been a gimmick turns into a thoughtful, hilarious, surprisingly emotional meditation on family, legacy, and how we mythologize the past. Mackenzie has given this book to their dad, brother, and husband, all of whom loved it, which is the kind of recommendation that speaks for itself.
What I’ve realized while putting this together is that our reading lives are just as different and beautiful as the cards we sell. We love books that ask hard questions, make us laugh unexpectedly, or just remind us that connection is what we’re all here for, whether through words, worlds, or wildly specific lore.
This month, grab something from your shelf… or better yet, someone else’s (support your local library & independent bookstores), and sink into a story. Revisit a favorite, get haunted by footnotes, cry about marshes, spiral over moral philosophy, or finally figure out what’s actually happening in Flatland (if you do, please report back).
So, Happy Book Month from some of the bookish weirdos at Allport Editions, including myself, who is currently finishing Last To Leave The Room by Caitlyn Starling and using this post as an excuse to sneak in one last book recommendation. You’re welcome!
Check out the other shelves of our fabulous Team that makes up Allport Editions! I might be biased, but I think they’re pretty awesome
Until next time,
Sam