Books of May 2021
As the month of May comes to an end, I am packing to fly out on my first vacation in about 18 months! I am so excited to get away, take a break, and experience a change of pace. And I have some pretty great books packed for the trip - so I’m excited about that too.
But before getting ready for my trip and flying across the country, this month I read the following books:
Classic: Doctor Zhivago - 2 Stars. This book is a perfect example of why I don’t casually pick up classics (even though I do love so many of them), because they can be so hard to read. This one wasn’t actually a difficult read, but I found myself constantly mixing up characters, getting lost, and having my attention wander. I’m not sure what made me select this book as my classic for the month, but I did, and once I started, I was determined to finish it. The story was interesting, but not overly so. There were a few passages that really stood out, but other than that, I mostly just read it so I could check off my classic for the month. While I understand its historical and literary significance, this book is not one I will likely be returning to in the future.
Re-Read: 13 Things Mentally Strong Women Don't Do: Own Your Power, Channel Your Confidence, and Find Your Authentic Voice for a Life of Meaning and Joy - I read this book a little over two years ago, and I’m so glad I returned to it now. Although I haven’t put too much intentional time or effort into thinking about any of the 13 things, it was amazing to come back to them and see how much I have grown in all of these areas. The lessons are ones that most (if not all) of the women I know struggle with, and although some of the suggestions and advice are pretty intuitive, they are also incredibly powerful. When I first read the book, I took a picture of the Table of Contents and shared it with several people because I was so struck by its conciseness and significance. That often led to discussions of which areas my friends and I felt we needed to improve most, and the ones in which we felt we were pretty in control. Although I hadn’t read through the list in a while, now that I have been reminded of it, I will continue to contemplate the ideas - and maybe even start bringing it up again in conversation with my friends to see how far we have come.
In May I also read:
Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age - 3 Stars. Life is made up of transitions and the time in between. But there isn’t very much of that in-between time according to this book. I think that the research showing we go through major life transitions every 18 months or so has been very accurate in my own life (I say, as I approach a major life transition). And since we spend so much of our life in transition, recovering from one, or preparing for the next one (if we know it is coming), it makes sense that we should learn how to handle them as best as possible. I didn’t think that any of the concepts shared in the book were particularly revelatory, but I do think that within this context, they can carry a lot of weight - especially since very few people are talking about this continual (and important) recurring phase of life. However, the book had way too many examples. It could easily have been half as long with half the examples shared and been just as (if not more) powerful. It seemed like for every idea, statistic, or example shared, there was a story to back it up. This broke up the pace and made some of the ideas feel disjointed from the overarching narrative of the book. I think that recognizing the recurrence of transitions is alone a powerful concept, and I will continue to think about the ideas shared as I go into my next big life transition.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything - 4 Stars. I have read a lot of books on habits, but this one takes a different tact and introduces many unique ideas and theories. Although there is a lot of great information and insight in this book, I know from my work with clients (and all those other books on habits that I have read), not all of the ideas would work for everyone. I have already started to implement some of the tools in my own life and in my work with clients, but I know some people would be resistant to the ideas shared in the book, and others may just not want to start working towards their goals in the tiniest baby steps. And some people don’t need to. But if you’re struggling to get started, tiny steps, and this book, might just help you on your way.
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer - 4 Stars. My childhood love of Nancy Drew has grown into something a bit darker, more intense, and definitely more adult. Lately, I haven’t been able to get enough of crime shows or literature, and this book is a perfect example. The real-life stories that form the basis of this book are heartbreaking and terrifying, but the undercurrents of resiliency and persistence are powerful. I already knew a bit of background on this case from a book I read last year on DNA research. Thus, I was able to approach the book with the knowledge of the resolution at the end - although the majority of it was written without that sure ending. The book is thrilling and disturbing in equal measure. It is well-written, doesn’t spending too much time on anything gratuitous, and flows well between the research and story sections. Although I have been loving reading books like this lately and I definitely plan to spend more time in this genre in the near future, I can only handle so many - so it may be a while before I pick up another. But I plan to.
Don't Keep Your Day Job: How to Turn Your Passion into Your Career - 3 Stars. This felt like a particularly appropriate read this month and actually, that’s why I chose to read it. But even though I am spending less and less time at my day job and more and more on my passion-turned-career, I didn’t find it too helpful. It was interesting, there was encouragement, the stories that were shared were inspirational, and the perspectives shared were by far the most unique and special part. There is certainly wisdom here for entrepreneurs - whether they are going to keep their day job or not - but it isn’t too much that you couldn’t find from other sources.
You're Not Enough (And That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love - 2 Stars. It may just be because I grew up in a strong Christian community, or because I read a lot of similar books growing up, but I didn’t find anything unique or special about this one. What’s more, I felt like the book was very unclear as to its audience - some things were explained in way too much detail or depth if the reader was assumed to be a fellow Christian, whereas I can see how it would come across as extremely offensive, insensitive, or offputting to anyone who doesn’t consider themselves part of that group. There were certainly things that I agreed with, and many things I did not. This was also the first book in a long time I strongly considered giving up on halfway through. I may just not be at a point in my life where I felt like this information was particularly beneficial, but if you are looking for something more than just self-love, it may give you the guidance you are looking for.
Hello, Habits: A Minimalist's Guide to a Better Life - 4 Stars. I was definitely surprised by this book. Fumio Sasaki brought many unique angles to the table to analyze and assess. And as a “minimalist’s guide,” I was even more shocked when he detailed the 50 “steps” to form a habit. Minimal? I think not. Accurate? For some people, certainly. The steps really aren’t meant to be sequential, but rather are different tools and tactics you can use to create and cultivate the habits you want. It is not my favorite habit book, but I appreciated the new angles and insight and was definitely made to think more deeply about some of the concepts shared.
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma - 3 Stars. This book was extremely focused on trauma (obviously), its long-term effects on the body, and the science and stories behind the techniques that have proved useful to heal both the mind and body together. It was a pretty technical read, and I definitely had to make a concerted effort to stay focused in parts. But while the presentation was a bit dry, it was still a very interesting topic and one that (unfortunately), still needs significantly more study and implementation. Throughout the book I was strongly reminded of It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle, except this book focused much more on how current trauma is held and processed in the body, whereas It Didn't Start with You focuses much more on how that trauma is passed on through generations. This book delved into that topic just a bit at the very end, so if understanding trauma intrigues you, these two books in conjunction will likely significantly help to deepen your knowledge.
A Place for Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order - 2 Stars. I had no idea, prior to reading this book, that there was so much to know about the alphabet and the order in which it is arranged. I had even less of an idea that someone could write a whole (long) book on that topic, and other subjects as they relate to writing and research. But, I guess since I was curious enough to pick it up and read it, there certainly must be something there. And there is a lot of something there. The book is extremely detailed, as you might imagine, and while generally interesting, I felt like it lacked any greater sense of purpose. Sure, I was curious to learn about the topic, but what will I do with what I’ve learned now? Probably nothing - except tell people I read a 350-page book on the alphabet. I also found it to be a bit disjointed, but that makes sense since the chapter titles (and subjects) were arranged in alphabetical order. Since that took precedence, sometimes topics were just fit in where they could go, rather than being discussed chronologically (or using any other of the systems of arranging items mentioned). As I learned in the book, for a long time, things were arranged in countless other orders, not alphabetically, but in this case, understandably, alphabetically won out.
This month I bought Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, and Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up (these last two felt particularly appropriate given that I also read Hello, Habits: A Minimalist's Guide to a Better Life this month - although I bought them before I knew that would be reading that book!). It has been so fun to have the goal to buy at least one of my favorite books each month. Each of these has definitely had a big impact on my life and the path that I have taken! They certainly “spark joy.”
I’m so excited for summer reading in the sun. There’s not much better than a new book and a glass of iced tea!
Until next time,