Books of May 2020
May brought with it quite a lot of reading time and sunshine - both of which I endeavored to enjoy as much as possible. This month I also started sharing the books I have finished (and their rating) on my Instagram stories (I’m @carlytizzano). It has been fun to open the door to some discussion and even just to share the things that I have been reading on that other platform.
So although I didn’t start exactly at the beginning of the month, I was able to share many of these books on Instagram, but for now, I have kept my reviews for the 19 books I read in May here.
Memoir: Kate: The Future Queen - 4 Stars. I’ve loved Kate Middleton ever since I sat on my aunt’s carpet and watched a recording of her wedding the day after it happened. I’ve closely followed the royal family ever since and loved visiting Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace on my trip to the UK a few years ago. But it wasn’t until I read this book that I had a full picture of who this amazing woman is, and all the pieces that went into making her into such a wonderful Duchess. I loved finding out little things that we have in common (that always makes me feel more connected to someone!), and about her childhood, education, and ascent to royalty. I do wish that the book covered everything up to the present, since it seems like so much has happened since the birth of George (that’s where the book ends). I guess I may have to read another, newer biography and see what else there is to learn.
Business: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion - 3 Stars. I love reading psychology books, especially ones that show how psychology is used in the real world. This is a perfect example of how influence (often in the form of sales tactics) can be used to direct our behavior. Although I didn’t think there was too much that was very actionable, and not a whole lot of research I hadn’t heard before, it was interesting to see it all pieced together under the guise of persuading consumers, collectively or individually, to do what we want them to do.
Mystery: The Labors of Hercules - 3 Stars. This was a fun Agatha Christie mystery because it was made up of twelve smaller mysteries that align with the 12 Labors of Hercules. Although I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the “Labors” it was interesting to see how she related them to the different stories. I also find it intriguing how such complex mysteries can be told in one chapter when most of her other stories take up the span of the entire book. Some of the stories didn’t feel fully explained or fleshed out to me, but I guess some amount of that is understandable. On the whole, it was enjoyable, but not a standout.
Personal development: In the FLO: Unlock Your Hormonal Advantage and Revolutionize Your Life - 3 Stars. I’ve been interested in what it looks like to live in sync with your feminine cycle ever since reading Do Less by Kate Northrup last year. This book was a good, if somewhat overwhelming, place to start. There are so many ways that you can get your exercise, diet, and even work schedule in line with whatever phase of your cycle you are in. I believe all of it can have a huge impact, although I would have liked to have heard a bit more scientific backing. I definitely want to play around with implementing some of this cycle-syncing into my life, but I ending this book feeling a bit overwhelmed and not really knowing where to start. So I decided to let the knowledge simmer a bit, and learn a bit more about it before I choose an area and dive in. It will likely be a long journey, but the positive impact on my life, health, and hormones will be worth it.
Novel/fiction: The Alice Network - 3 Stars. This story uses flashbacks very well to tell two stories concurrently, one set during WWI and the other in the post-WWII period. It was interesting too to read this semi-spy novel so shortly after finishing The Unexpected Spy last month. The story is interesting, although it took me a while to get into it. I also felt like the ending was a bit predictable and some of the depictions of violence were a bit too graphic for my taste. I found I had a hard time connecting to any of the main characters. I didn’t necessarily dislike them, but I also didn’t feel too passionately connected to their endings.
Sustainability: Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things - 2 Stars. I found this book to be a complex mixture of deeply depressing and very intriguing. It’s sad to see the way that things are designed now to break quickly and even to harm or poison us as we use them. The different ingenious ways shared in this book to make the world more sustainable make a lot of sense - although I’m not sure all of them would catch on (windowless rooms for example). But it would be wonderful to see some of the ideas implemented - for example, takeout containers that could be tossed to the side of the road where they would quickly biodegrade. The book even suggested that they could contain seeds that would be planted and nourished in the process. But here we are, still stuck with the styrofoam ones that will never break down. The saddest part of the book though was that out of all of these great ideas, I haven’t seen a single one implemented - and the book was published in 2002. In almost 2 decades not one of the changes suggested has been made. Hopefully, that will change in the near future. I would also like it if the book was a bit more practical. Since I’m not a company, I really can’t change the way things are produced, but I definitely still want to do my part.
In May I also read:
The Honest Enneagram: Know Your Type, Own Your Challenges, Embrace Your Growth - 4 Stars. I’ve read several books on the Enneagram, but this one definitely takes a different tack. The Honest Enneagram focuses on how to maximize your type for growth, by using the H.O.N.E.S.T. method - although, I’ll be “honest” I really couldn’t keep the letters or the steps straight. I think there is a lot of value in this book for anyone, whether they are new to the Enneagram or consider themselves pretty well-versed. It is almost written like a love letter to each type and is meant to leave you empowered rather than discouraged (which some people seem to think is a focus of the Enneagram). There is so much value here for learning about other people’s perspectives and how they approach the world. As a 1, sometimes I find it hard to be open to those other ways of life and have difficulty understanding them, but I know that when I open up to them, we all can thrive.
When It's Never About You: The People-Pleaser's Guide to Reclaiming Your Health, Happiness and Personal Freedom - 2 Stars. I have to admit, this is another ebook that I’ve had downloaded for a while. I started it months ago, and only finished it now because I’ve read all the books I checked out of the library prior to the start of COVID-19. I didn’t find the book to be very engaging or any of the suggestions to be that helpful. Maybe I’m less of a people pleaser than I thought, but I definitely have a solid “I will do what I want to” side. If you feel like you are constantly steamrolled or underappreciated though, then this book might be just what you need.
The Adventurer's Son - 3 Stars. As a homebody with not a single adrenaline-junkie bone in my body, I had a hard time getting started with this memoir. The tales of adventures and life-threatening incidences bored me more than excited me. Once the crux of the story arrives though, the disappearance of the “adventurer’s son” I was instantly more enthralled. And since I didn’t know how it would end, I was kept hooked until the last page… even if I did end up being a bit disappointed. It was fascinating to see how much our early experiences can shape our decisions and thus, the rest of our lives. I was also reminded of how suffering can bring out both the best and worst of humanity and of the importance of having a Power of Attorney. I was intrigued to read bout this adventure, but thankful I got to enjoy it within the safety of my home.
Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words - 4 Stars. Ever since I wrote and gave a biographical speech on Princess Diana in high school, I have felt deeply connected to her. Although this is certainly her side of the story, it is beautiful to hear her life detailed as she herself described it, and to more deeply understand her background and unique perspective. It is very tough to see what she went through, even more, to think of what it could have been. She was the people’s princess in every way, and the world is a better place because of who she was.
The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure - 3 Stars. The idea of massive action is encapsulated pretty well in this book. It has a lot of tips and advice on how to be successful - basically work 10 times harder than anyone else. But I don’t always agree with the emphasis placed on being successful or even that it has to be so much work. The most helpful part of the book is towards the end when Grant Cardone lists out the different actions that someone who puts in 10X the effort would take. Some of them are a bit vague, and some definitely overlap, but if you’re considering tackling something new and you want to be prepared to take the steps necessary for success, some of the advice in this book could be just what you need.
Normal People - 2 Stars. I had heard pretty good things about this novel so I was a bit disappointed that I really didn’t like it. That is in large part because I don't appreciate books like this that depict couples in unhealthy and codependent relationships. I've read many young adult and adult books in this vein, and all seem to glorify these relationships that cause people so much harm. This book spends way too much time dealing with those aspects of life and while seeming to gloss over other important issues. Neither of the main characters in this book is mature, and neither seems to grow over the course of the story. While their lives are painful and rough, it wasn't in a way that made me care about them as characters. The depictions of abuse are painful and realistic, but don't seem to come to any sort of resolution, and neither does the story as a whole. Life can certainly be rough at times, but this novel only reminded me of it, rather than acting as any kind of escape or solution.
Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church - 3 Stars. As a Christian, I find it really interesting to read and hear about other people’s journies through their faith, their struggles, their doubts, and their realizations. Rachel Held Evans does a really good job showing some of the big divides in the church, while also questioning things that many people seem to ignore. I don’t agree with everything she says, but I do agree with her that faith is a journey, and I’m in it for the long haul.
Judgment Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living A Better Life - 2 Stars. There are certainly some important lessons for all of us in this book, including that judging other people for their judgments only increases the amount of judgment in the world. And that our only job is to love people, even though we can’t control what they do. The book even includes some meditations and tapping exercises that you can do. Ultimately though, the theme of the book seemed to come back to forgiveness, something that we all understand, whether or not we actually do it. There are also parts of the book that felt a bit too “woo-woo” for me, so that’s something else I didn’t really enjoy - although I didn’t judge it!
Love, Lucy - 4 Stars. I didn’t grow up watching I Love Lucy, but from the first time I saw it, I was hooked. Few shows have gotten me to laugh as hard as that one. I loved to hear about the life of Lucille Ball and the fact that this book was uncovered and published after her death. I have a much greater appreciation for what made her the woman that she was and her impact on such a national scale. It is also interesting to read about her life in such a transitional phase of human and American history. She struggled between her roles as a wife and an actress, in a time when so many women were having to come to terms with that struggle themselves for the very first time. And although I can’t say she did it perfectly, she certainly did do it beautifully, and with a lot of laughs along the way.
Joy at Work: Organizing Your Professional Life - 3 Stars. This book has a lot of great tips and suggestions for organizing everything from your desk, to your contacts, to your digital files, to your schedule. The ideas are presented in a really logical progression, and they are a good combination of advice and stories. I didn’t find too much of it super applicable to me, but I’d better not if I consider myself a professional organizer! There is so much to be gained from having an organized work life, and if you don’t believe me, then you absolutely have to try it.
Contagious: Why Things Catch On - 4 Stars. I found this book fascinating. I’ve always wondered why people talk about certain things instead of others and why that video of Suan Boyle singing “I Dreamed a Dream” went viral. This book answers those questions very succinctly. The different components that make something “contagious” are very clear and make a lot of sense. I’ve already started to notice them in what other people post about and the things that I bring up in conversation. In the book there is a perfect mix of research and very specific examples to show how each of the components works. We all share contagious ideas without even realizing it, and now I’ve been sharing about this book because I think it encapsulates the ideas very well itself.
#AskGaryVee: One Entrepreneur's Take on Leadership, Social Media, and Self-Awareness - 2 Stars. I don’t know why, but I really don’t like this book. I know so many people who absolutely idolize Gary Vaynerchuk, but I really don’t like the way he shares or even what he has to say a lot of the time. Much like with The 10X Rule, I don’t agree with his depictions of success, how to get there, or even its importance. I think that there are other people who share much more actionable business advice, and in a much more successful way.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - 3 Stars. This book really felt like it was about the science of first impressions - and in a lot of ways, it was. Books like this are really fascinating to me because I enjoy hearing the research and theories behind why we humans do the things that we do. Malcolm Gladwell always does a good job of pulling examples from all areas of life and all realms of work. I'm not entirely sure that any of the core ideas from the book are particularly applicable or actionable, but it does make me consider what I think about people within seconds of meeting them and also how I come across in that same length of time.
I’m really looking forward to going back to the library in June. Its reopening has been continually pushed back as our local stay-at-home guidelines have been extended, but it is looking like they will be able to open up next month! I’ve had a huge stack in my car waiting to go back and I long ago finished everything I checked. This situation has made me extra grateful for services like Libby and Scribd which have ensured I haven’t completely run out of things to read.
But I’m still excited to be able to pick up a fresh stack of books from the library next month.
Until next time,