Tim Ehrenberg’s Little ACK Book
Tim Ehrenberg is a man of many titles: you may recognize him as the creator of Tim Talks Books (the book review platform that’s garnered a following of nearly 30,000 bibliophiles, to date), Marketing Director for Nantucket Book Partners, Vice President of the Nantucket Book Foundation, resident bookworm for N Magazine, or even caught him on your screen discussing his favorite tomes with none other than Oprah. “I really love books as much as it seems and I’m so thrilled to be able to talk about them for my career,” Ehrenberg says. “You could not have created a better job for me if you tried.” But there is another affection at play here that’s a common denominator between all of his ventures, and that’s for his home: Nantucket.
A full-time resident since 2013 (he married his husband, Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s James Scheurell, on island in 2012, and the couple decided to stay), Ehrenberg says there isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t stop and think: “I am so lucky to call Nantucket Island home.”
“Nantucket has such a storied history. Moby Dick put it on every literary map there is. I think Nantucket’s timelessness is what inspires me most. It is truly the most special place in the world in my opinion,” he says. “Nantucket is such a dreamer’s paradise. I feel if you are passionate about what you do, Nantucket and the community will help you succeed at it.”
As such, Ehrenberg has just launched (today!) a brand-new, Nantucket-based literary podcast, Books, Beach, & Beyond, with his co-host, #1 New York Times bestselling author and another Nantucket resident Elin Hilderbrand, and in partnership with N Magazine, featuring a lineup of some spectacular literary guests: Taylor Jenkins Reid, Jenna Bush Hager, Ann Patchett, Colleen Hoover, and many more. Further, this week marks the annual Nantucket Book Festival, where Ehrenberg is set to host conversations with authors including Emma Straub, Jodi Picoult, Jennifer Finney Boylan, and beyond—which is all to say that if there’s a person to know on Nantucket right now, it’s Tim Ehrenberg. And lucky for Little ACK Book, the man who’s built a career on making top-notch recommendations has agreed to share his Nantucket favorites, exclusively for us.
Below, find everything from where Ehrenberg is dining and imbibing (including the off-menu cocktail named after him) to his “secret beach” and, of course, what he’s reading this summer.
Hotels: White Elephant, The Nantucket Hotel, and Greydon House
Restaurants: Cru, Nautilus, The Pearl, and Ventuno
Restaurant for Breakfast: It used to be Black Eyed Susans, but not sure if they are having breakfast again but they did reopen!
Restaurant for Lunch: Cru Lobster Roll and a Crucomber on the weekends and Lemon Press salad during the week
Restaurant for Dinner: Pearl Wok Fried Lobster and a Dirty Martini
Bars: Nautilus: One year they made a drink with Cucamelons and I loved it so much that they called it “The Timmy” for like a day. However, no one remembers what was in it. Nautilus has great cocktails though and I highly recommend it. Cru for the Crucomber is my forever favorite.
Café: I get my iced coffee every morning from The Main Street Pharmacy café.
Juice Bar Order: Cookie Dough or something caramelly
Small Business: Obviously Mitchell’s Book Corner and Nantucket Bookworks
Activity or Attraction for Groups: Cisco Brewers
Activity or Attraction for Children: Nanpuppets
Activity or Attraction for Yourself: Great Point Lighthouse
Activity or Attraction for Pets: Bluff Walk
Beach: I like our “secret beach” out in Tom Nevers or driving the Jeep out to Great Point is my favorite summer pastime.
Person to Know: Elin Hilderbrand, Nat Philbrick, and Nancy Thayer
Item to Leave at Home: Your car! Traffic is crazy enough!
Souvenir: My favorite souvenir is a signed book from Mitchell’s. We have several signed copies from local authors plus some of our favorite writers in stores.
Beach Reads: You have some time? I have quite the list! Haha! I would say my “Beach Reads” for this summer will be The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue (6/27), Speech Team by Tim Murphy (8/1), and Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (8/1), and of course, Elin’s The Five-Star Weekend.
Time of Year: September
Rainy Day Plan: Go to one of the bookstores, pick out a new book, and find the coziest place to read it.
Spot on Island: My house, but probably Great Point Lighthouse!
Morning or Night?: Night
Sun or Fog?: Sun, but the fog can be mysteriously gorgeous for a day at home reading…
Land or Sea?: Sea
Nantucket’s Best-Kept Secret: I’m not telling.
Anything Else You’d Like to Add: Thank you for featuring this book nerd. ;)