Books of February 2021
I didn’t get that much reading done this month - I only got through 7 books! I did do a lot of podcast listening though, so I don’t feel too bad about it.
The books that I did read were pretty mixed, which I’ve come to expect. I really enjoyed my re-read, but some of the other books that I was really looking forward to weren’t quite as good as I had hoped. That’s okay though, I have some fun ones planned for March, and I’m hopeful that they won’t disappoint!
To work towards meeting my reading goal for this year, I read the following classic book and re-read this month:
Classic: Beloved - 2 Stars. I’ve had this book on my reading list for a long time and I’m glad I finally got around to reading it. Although it isn’t one that I particularly enjoyed, I do understand its cultural significance and importance. The relevance of the story and the necessity that it be read has not waned since it was written. Even though I am pretty familiar with the story, I still found myself confused in various places. But although I was somewhat lost at times, the story was still heartbreaking, especially when taking into account the reality behind it. The depictions are vivid and the language is both harsh and beautiful - perfectly juxtaposed against the story itself. While this book isn’t one that I loved, it is one that I’m glad I read.
Re-Read: Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits--to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life - I credit Gretchen Rubin with being the author who helped to launch me into personal development literature and by extension, the work that I do! So it is no surprise that her books are some of my favorites and ones that I return to again and again. I’ve read a lot of books on habits, but Better than Before is one of the best because of the 21 strategies it shares and the clear guidance to do whatever works for you! Not all of the strategies will work for everyone, but with the vast variety of people that exist, how could we expect them to? Way too many books on habits (or personal development in general) purport their one way of doing things. And while that method may work for the author, it is unlikely to translate to everyone else on earth. This book shares various tools to experiment with to discover which ones work best for you. It also reminds us that most of us can make our lives even happier through the cultivation of positive habits (and the removal of negative ones)!
In addition to those two planned books this month, I also read:
Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema - 3 Stars. This book definitely borders on being overly sarcastic and endlessly irreverent, but it made me laugh in every chapter. These (mostly) satirical reviews of famous films kept me guessing and giggling. I will admit, I hadn’t seen many of the movies that were described, but they’re all cultural icons that I am familiar with. I’ll probably never watch any of the movies the same way - but a few extra laughs at nonsensical plot points will probably make them better, not worse. There isn’t much redeeming overall about the book, but that certainly wasn’t its point.
The Little Book of Life Skills: Deal with Dinner, Manage Your Email, Make a Graceful Exit, and 152 Other Expert Tricks - 4 Stars. I really enjoy books like this. There are so many things that we do regularly, and learning the best (or at least a different) way of doing them can certainly come in handy! This book shares the step-by-step way to do any number of things - from the best way to make a bed, send a thank you card, clean your shower, or build a cheeseboard. It also discusses more existential things - like how to calm down, optimize your schedule, and ask for forgiveness. I’m not sure that I agree with all of the directions for all of the skills - and some of the tasks detailed seemed so inconsequential that I wasn’t really sure why they were mentioned. There were several references to COVID in the book - both as something the country is currently dealing with and as something the author hopes to quickly pass. This makes some sense since some “life skills,” such as hosting, aren’t getting much use in the current environment. But while these references make sense now, I’m not sure how well they will age, and I didn’t find them particularly necessary. On the whole, I enjoyed learning how to do new things, and how to do some things that I regularly do, even more efficiently.
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk - 3 Stars. Very few stories take place over the course of one night, but this is one of those few. Octogenarian Lillian Boxfish reflects on her life on a long walk across New York on New Year’s Eve. The vivid depictions of New York, both on a grand scale, and in the smaller vignettes are breathtaking - making me want to go visit even more, once that’s safe again. The story was a good reminder of how the current moment is a culmination of all that has come before - both good and bad. And that we can take that same perspective as we look ahead to the future, since we know it will all lead us where we need to go. As a New Year’s Resolution coach, I particularly enjoyed the reflection built into the story. New Year’s reflection is part of what makes resolutions so powerful and effective - and even though Lillian Boxfish doesn’t set any goals, she is open to what lies ahead. And that’s how I want to be too.
A Purely Private Matter - 3 Stars. I was curious to see where this second installment of the Rosalind Thorne mysteries would take the protagonist. Once again, it was an intriguing mystery (reminiscent of Agatha Christie) in a very Jane Austen-type setting. I felt that there were too many characters with similar names, and I didn’t felt particularly invested in any of them. There were also slightly divergent plots which kept me kind of confused - instead of one big surprise reveal at the end, there were several over the course of the story. I plan to keep reading the rest of the series since it will be interesting to see how the story continues to evolve.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art - 2 Stars. Since breathing is something that we all do every day, I would like to think that we are all pretty good at it - but apparently not. According to this book, we are all horrible at breathing and it is costing us our health. I appreciated the author’s dedication to several years spent on breathing experiments, since most of them sounded pretty awful, especially the ones where things were shoved up his nose for weeks (ew!). The book did briefly mention divers and others who have learned to hold their breath for long periods (like several minutes) and the health benefits that they seem to have reaped as a result - but I didn’t feel like this was very fully expanded on and I had been curious to read more about it! I was a bit lost in the logic and science behind some of the ideas mentioned, and many of the exercises that the book seemed to be promoting weren’t thoroughly explained. Some were even shared with a warning that you probably shouldn’t try them on your own. It didn’t seem like there were many exercises or activities that most people could incorporate into their regular life to solve this (apparently) major problem - and I didn’t even feel compelled enough to want to try. I will admit that this book has made me more aware of breathing out of my nose - and of course, the times when I’m not, so I am making more of a concerted effort to switch back to nose-breathing when I notice. That nose-breathing is good is probably the one major lesson I learned from this book. Like many people I think, when I spend a lot of time thinking (or reading) about my breath, it becomes a lot harder to breathe normally. Other than being mildly bored, that was the worst side effect of the book.
To keep up with my other reading-related goal, this month I bought Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, and I'll Be There for You: The One about Friends. Once again, I couldn’t limit myself to just one book, but these are all ones that I love. I’m really enjoying buying books so far. It has been so fun! On February 2 I remembered that I could order my books for this month and I did right away. Having goals just for fun - like buying at least one of your favorite books every month, is the perfect way to add a bit of extra happiness to your life, while still building the skill of self-trust (since you’re doing what you said you were going to!).
As I said earlier, I‘m hopeful that I am going to read some pretty great books next month! I’ve already started a few that definitely seem like 4 or 5-star material.
Until next time,