Books of March 2021
It has been a year since the entire world changed in (at least somewhat) unexpected ways. It is amazing how much, and how little can change over the course of a year. And as we experienced last March - how much (and how little) can change in a single day.
Although reflection is normally something that, for me, happens at the end of the year - both because of the natural end of the year and the start of a new one, but also because of my birthday - we also tend to reflect on the anniversary of any large personal event of significance. And in this case, March marks the anniversary of something that was a matter of national (and international) significance.
Over the last year I’ve done quite a bit - I moved, got certified as a life coach, launched a second business, wrote a book, read a lot of books, and many other smaller things. On the other hand, many things have not happened - I haven’t traveled, seen many friends, or done a number of other enjoyable activities. But through it all, I’m still the same me. A bit stronger, smarter, and happier. I’ve grown a lot. And I’m excited to continue that growth - but hopefully, the pandemic will have less and less of a role to play in it.
So although March 2021 wasn’t quite as dramatic or exciting as March 2020, I still got a good amount of reading done. Since I’m trying to read one classic and one re-read each month, in March I read…
Classic: The Stranger - 3 Stars. This is another classic (like Beloved, which I read last month) that I have had on my list for a long time. I hadn’t picked this one up because, in reality, I didn’t know that much about it. But once I did, I really enjoyed it. The characters and language were strongly reminiscent of Hemingway, an author that I’ve always loved. Although there is very little redeeming about the story overall (which is also very reminiscent of Hemingway), and I definitely don’t fall into the existentialist camp, as pure literature, there is little better. Although over the last year, I have certainly been drawn to much more positive language and stories, this was a pleasant return to the roots of so much classical literature that I have read and loved over the years.
Re-Read: Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead - I love all of Brené Brown’s work, but this book will always be my favorite. I first heard her speak when she was interviewed on one of my favorite podcasts. In that interview, she shared many of the core truths of this book - and they rocked my world. It was the first time I had heard “the story we tell ourselves” described in such a clear and succinct manner, and in some ways, that concept gradually changed the path of my career and life to help me end up where I am today! A lot of the ideas she shares in this book still resonate very deeply, and she also shares a lot of my favorite anecdotes. I definitely took different things from this book this time through, but I think that’s the beauty of re-reading books that meant a lot to us at different points in our lives - they often have the same importance, but a completely different power with nuance based on our current life experience. I’m sure I will return to this book again in the future, but for now, I just appreciated being reacquainted with it and many concepts I can use to rise strong in my life, and to help my clients do the same.
In addition to the books from those two categories, I also read the following 8 books:
And Dangerous to Know - 4 Stars. I’ve read several mystery series that get better around the third book, and once again, this one supports that trend. I think that there were a lot more depth in the characters in this story and less romance than in the earlier books of the series. Even though they don’t necessarily have a lot of romance, to begin with, it’s definitely not the part that I enjoy. There was a lot of great suspense throughout the story and it was all tied together well at the end. As I read, I recognized that part of the reason I’ve struggled with this series was an implied mutual understanding of societal norms in Elizabethan England. While that’s an era I’ve always enjoyed reading about, I don’t understand many of the nuances of proper social interactions from that time, and that left me a bit lost. Regardless, I am excited to continue the series and I was excited to see that a fifth book will be coming out at the end of the year.
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know - 3 Stars. It has been a while since I read anything by Adam Grant, and I don’t know if this is something that I haven’t noticed before or if is just particular to this book, but I definitely thought I was reading something by Malcolm Gladwell. Maybe they just have a similar style that I’ve never noticed before. Either way, I think that there was a great combination of research and explanation here, but a bit more practical application would have been nice. There was a compilation of different ways to apply the ideas at the end of the book, but it felt a bit forced, and would have been nice to see them more scattered throughout the book. And even the application ideas that could be implemented, seemed a bit ethereal and took a bit of consideration. The book was a nice reminder of how much I (and all of us) don’t know, and why that is ultimately okay - and also that we are able to move forward much more effectively once we’ve had that realization. Being willing to be wrong and actively analyze what you believe is a really powerful mindset and one that I find myself returning to again and again as I work to build my business. Also, I hadn’t heard about the Dunning-Kruger effect before reading this book either, and I found it fascinating.
Reasons to Stay Alive - 3 Stars. I read and loved The Midnight Library last year, and when I love a book, I always go to try and find more books by that author (if they have more, of course, which I always hope they do!). That is how I ended up coming across this book. I really appreciated this insight into Matt Haig’s life and background. It shouldn’t be so revolutionary to see a man share his mental health struggles, but I think that in many ways, it still is. The book is easy (if painful) to read, and I think that anyone who has ever struggled with depression will find themselves reflected in the pages. I know that I did. I certainly have struggled with depression at times in my past, and am lucky that now is not one of those times. So while I didn’t feel this book resonated as deeply as it might during those times of my life, I will always know that it is there for me to return to if I need it. Although the overall message of the book, that there really is light at the end of the tunnel, is a bit cliché, it is cliché for a reason - because it is true. That light is what so many of us need to hold onto, depressed or not, and for any readers who aren’t ready to embrace that light quite yet, the book will sit down with you in your pain and let you know that you are not alone.
Stuff You Should Know: An Incomplete Compendium of Mostly Interesting Things - 3 Stars. I will admit, there was a lot of stuff in this book that I didn’t know. Whether or not it is stuff that I actually should know is probably something that I would disagree with the authors of this book on. I was kept interested, entertained, and engaged throughout all of this book. The authors have a good style and cover a wide range of (random) material. Since I wasn’t familiar with the Stuff You Should Know podcast, I found the constant references to it a bit annoying, but I’m sure for long-time listeners it would only have enhanced the experience. I certainly learned things from this book, and enjoyed learning most of them, but I don’t know how much of that knowledge will stick or that I will ever find an opportunity to use.
The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. - 2 Stars. There are a lot of great concepts in this book and many of them are the exact things that I have been learning about and implementing in various areas of my life. But while I found a lot of the specific points to be really powerful, the vehicle by which they were shared was cumbersome, distracting, and unbelievably annoying. The concepts are shared in the form of a parable, with characters and a plotline that I found absolutely ridiculous. I also definitely disagree with the primary message book - that you must get up at 5 am to lead a successful, productive, or meaningful life. I think that there are certainly benefits, but that they are easily outweighed by negatives for some people because this method just simply wouldn’t work for them or their lives. And many people just don’t want to get up at 5 am, which makes this a nonstarter. While I have been considering starting to get up at 5 am for a while, and have yet to decide whether or not I will, my decision will in no way be determined by any of the thoughts, concepts, or lessons from this book.
HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style - 4 Stars. This is such a beautiful book and is one that I definitely plan on purchasing in the future. I’ve long been obsessed with Princess Diana and Kate Middleton - and many of the books I’ve read in the past reflect that. I also have read quite a bit about Meghan, but markedly less on Queen Elizabeth. It was interesting to read such brief overviews of their lives through the lens of the clothes that they wear, and by extension, the statement those pieces of clothing make. I didn’t always agree on the alleged “statements” in every case, and I didn’t always agree with what the author (or the press) thought were stunning pieces or dowdy choices - but even that just goes to prove the fact that fashion is as varied as the women who wear it. The pieces that I loved the most are the ones that reflected a piece that one of the other women wore at a similar time in their life or to a similar event! There is so much that goes into royal fashion, and I loved getting to learn more about that - and to increase my awareness for all of the amazing outfits I’ll see in the future.
Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning - 3 Stars. It can be exceeding valuable to step away from our need to excel in our endeavors and throw ourselves once more into the activity of being a beginner. Tom Vanderbilt shares his experiences as he endeavors to learn how to play chess, sing, surf, and swim as an adult. He starts and ends the book by referring to learning the basics of several of these activities with his daughter, and the different ways they seemed to approach the activities and learning as a whole. Overall, the book delves very heavily into the author’s personal experiments with each new activity and much less into the studies, research, or general insights on the power of being a beginner. While I love books that blend personal experiences with the information that supports the theory being purported, this book was much heavier in the former. While Tom Vanderbilt’s experiences were interesting, I didn’t feel any more inclined to go swim or surf than I did before I started. I think that lifelong learning and being a beginner is incredibly important, especially in the ways that they can help us to develop a growth mindset, and I would’ve liked to see the book discuss that a bit more.
Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath - 3 Stars. When I first decided to read this book, I didn’t know how long it was. It has been several years since I’ve tackled an almost 1,200-page book, but I’m glad to say I haven’t lost that skill or my perseverance. Sylvia Plath lived a fascinating (albeit, short) life, and I know much more about it now than I ever knew there was to learn. The insights into her life from so many different perspectives were fascinating and nuanced, and having so many letters - both from her and about her - added a level of realism. There were times though where the book is certainly dragged down and held back by the level of nuance that is shared. The book does not portray Sylvia as a sinner or saint, but as a real woman with a real life and real struggles - and a very real end. I read The Bell Jar in high school and was definitely drawn into the story and the moodiness of the literature, but I never got as into Sylvia Plath’s poetry. Now, I am inclined to give it another shot. As I read, it was shocking to see how far we have come in the last several decades and saddening to consider the many ways society hasn’t progressed at all. I was left wondering how her life, if she lived now, may have gone differently (and ended much later).
Although I didn’t read a lot of books total this month, cumulatively, I did read a lot of pages!
This month I bought Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years, and Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me to keep up with my goal to buy (at least) one of my favorite books each month. These are all biographies that I’ve loved and I am so excited to add them to my personal library.
As I said earlier, a lot can change in a day, month, or year - so I don’t know where I’ll be at the end of April, but I plan to read some more books along the way.
Until next time,