Books of July 2020
I was finally able to pick up my holds at the library this month after not being able to visit since March! It was a drive-by pick-up, but I still think that counts, and I have new books in my home for what feels like the first time in forever. Of course, they are already back at the library and I longingly await when I can schedule an appointment to pick up whatever books are available for me next.
Since I’ve been library-less and I rarely buy books, I have found myself resorting to ebooks a lot in the last couple of months. Ebook reading has never been my favorite, although since I have gotten an iPad I have enjoyed it a bit more - reading on my phone is just a bit of a stretch. It has worked out though since I have had a number of books on my reading list that I could only find in an ebook format, and these last several months have been my opportunity to tackle them. I certainly have a ways to go - but since I probably won’t be able to wander my local library for a bit longer anyway, I’ll probably be able to make a bit more progress.
Regardless, in July I was able to read 11 books - several of which were ebooks from that list.
Memoir: The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President - 3 Stars. Since 2020 has seemed like such an upheaval of a year, I was fascinated to read about a time in (relatively) recent history where life seemed almost as upside-down. Jill Wine-Banks does a great job of blending her personal and work lives in this memoir and paints them in a beautiful juxtaposition. The ins and outs of Watergate were something I’d never really read about in detail before, and the investigative angle is really emphasized by her role as one of the prosecutors. That, along with her depiction of sexism throughout her career, is a timely reminder of how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
Business: The Thank You Economy - 3 Stars. I have not been known to be a big fan of Gary Vaynerchuk, and I wasn’t expecting to really enjoy this book, especially once I started it. The book focuses on the idea of having a company that is very employee and client-focused. And emphasizes the importance of making sure to meet the needs of people in both categories, “thanking” them appropriately for their role - a concept that I assumed was pretty obvious. Although the book was definitely written long enough ago to feel dated, there were still enough important reminders in the book that I’m glad I read it. There were also some new ideas to be “thankful” for.
Mystery: Black Coffee - 3 Stars. The murder weapon generally isn’t given away in the title of a mystery book - but in this one was. In my mind, I tend to associate summer with light reading, and although I haven’t done a lot of that this summer, this Agatha Christie mystery definitely fell into that category. I was delightfully surprised at the end and enjoyed this slight reprieve from some longer and denser reading material.
Personal development: Don't Overthink It - 3 Stars. This book seemed to me to hit squarely in the center of an often-discussed personal development topic. I have long appreciated the work of Anne Bogel and this book certainly didn’t disappoint. It centered primarily on practical techniques for moving through and past overthinking in your daily life. The advice is blended beautifully with stories from the author’s life - many of them situations she experienced even as she was writing the book. I think that there is a bit more mindset work that can be done behind the practical techniques, but that wasn’t discussed as thoroughly in the book.
Novel/fiction: The Signature of All Things - 2 Stars. I found this book to be extremely long and almost just as dull. None of the characters particularly intrigued me, nor did I care about them. The science added into the book seemed appropriate given the story but was not something I was particularly interested in. The book is well written, and if the idea of a story of a spinster who spends her life studying moss intrigues you, then you’ll probably love it.
Sustainability: Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet-One Bite at a Time - 3 Stars. We’ve all heard the idea that a butterfly can flap its wings on one side of the world and create a hurricane on the other - or something to that effect. And that is in no way more true than in the realm of health, food, and environmentalism. These concepts and the concrete realities of how they play out in the world today are tightly interwoven, and in many ways inseparable. The way food is produced, how it is sold, and even how it is marketed effects the environment, economy, and our health in a myriad of ways. There are many things that can (and should) be done to improve all of these areas for the world as a whole and in the communities all across it. Much of that action, however, lies at the feet of governments and corporations - and to influence them, we only have our words and wallets to wield to the best of our ability. There are other things that we can do to effect change, but I would have liked a bit more of the book to be focused on that - because we all have to do something, even if just one bite-sized chunk at a time.
Once I got through my “required” reading (not that I always read those books first), I also read:
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God - 3 Stars. Many books touch on prayer, but few are solely devoted to discussing the topic. While this book was a bit harder to get through than many of Timothy Keller’s others, it is still very important. He weaves together much of the thought and discussion on prayer over the decades and synthesizes it as much as possible. He highlights both the commonalities and the differences, which left me confused at some times, and at others forced me back to grace - which is definitely the best place to start from.
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor - 3 Stars. Of the books I have read about racism so far, I think that this has been the best. It is by far the most comprehensive, and while it covers a different topic over the course of 28-days, each chapter still manages to go in-depth on crucial topics - many of which have not even begun to be addressed or discussed. The questions at the end of each chapter/day are very poignant and thought-provoking. I certainly have much work to do in this area still, but I felt that this book was a very solid starting point.
None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That's a Good Thing) - 4 Stars. Growing up in a Christian home, I have read plenty about God - that’s what the Bible is primarily about after all. But this was a beautiful depiction of 10 primary characteristics of God, the things that make Him God, and how our lack of those things make us the creatures that cry out to and depend on Him so completely. Especially as I try to surrender more and more of my life to Him, it is nice to be reminded of his power, his presence, and most of all - his love.
Letters to the Church - 3 Stars. Whenever I read books by Francis Chan I feel completely deflated and like I could run a marathon simultaneously. He so brilliantly points out all of the ways that we, as Christians, fall short of what we are called to be - while also showing us what that is. And as he paints that picture, it is so beautiful that you strive to pursue it all the more. This book was a bit different from some of his others in its unique focus on the church as a whole and our role within it. The overarching concepts he presents for us as Christians individually and collectively I think are fundamentally important - and some of the other nuances he identifies definitely made me stop and think. It was especially interesting to read this book when I haven’t been able to attend church in person in months due to COVID. I will continue to sit with the ideas in this book, considering them and learning more, and they just may influence my decisions on what church looks like for me going forward.
How to Be an Antiracist - 3 Stars. As stated in the title, I found this book to be a perfect read on how to be more actively antiracist in my own life, attitudes, and interactions. Ibram X. Kendi does a brilliant job of blending his personal story with all the layers of complexity around racism in America today and how it has evolved over the years. He addresses the arguments and counter-arguments presented by people on all sides - while also pointing out that this is an issue that really shouldn’t have “slides” to begin with. Numerous nuances were covered, and while that felt quite overwhelming at some points, I know that itself is part of the point, and where a lot of my personal learning and growth lies.
Looking back, it looks like I read much less than I normally do in July, but it feels like I read a normal amount - if not more! Some of the books were pretty long or intense though, so it probably ended up being about the same amount of material.
And part of the reason I chose to read books from specific categories each month this year was to make sure I was educating myself in a well-rounded way and focusing on quality over quantity. I’m still not really enjoying having to read based on the categories, but I am learning a lot. And that, at least, is something to be proud of.
Until next time,