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I read a kind of a hodge-podge of books. There’s not really any rhyme or reason. It’s recommendations from friends, bloggers, or what’s new at the library. I enjoy fiction, but it’s difficult for me to find fiction that stirs me enough to read much anymore. I love non-fiction, personal development especially because I am always trying to improve myself.
I don’t know if my list of books is of interest to anyone but me, but if you’re so inclined, read on! I have linked each of these books to Amazon for purchase, but many of these books I have read from my local library, so check there first.
“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
Lemony Snicket
My biggest takeaway from this book is that fear is common, even though it manifests in different ways. I always felt alone in my fear of rejection, of being an outcast. But it is a huge relief to realize that there are many other people who feel the same way and even other people who are hugely afraid of things that don’t even bother me.
Someday Is Not a Day of the Week by Sam Horn
My big takeaway from this book is that it may be better to work on these ideas to make a better life with a group, a “Someday Salon” as the author calls it. Sometimes it is too big a project and too easy to get sidetracked and derailed without a cheering, supporting, accountability section.
Inconspicuous Consumption by Tatiana Schlossberg
There was a lot I had heard before in this, fast fashion, plastic in the water. But there were new concepts, like how much energy (and electricity, and often coal) wi-fi and the internet use. But I think the biggest idea from the book is the fact that all the small things you our I or our neighborhood or town might do are a drop in the bucket compared to what we need government and business to do to slow or mitigate climate change.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
This is a 12-week course that I am currently working through. So far, I feel like it is worthwhile. I have started with the concept of “Morning Pages” which is just 3 pages written longhand in a notebook of stream of consciousness first thing in the morning. It clears the way for all the “junk” stopping up your brain to flow out, allowing you to let creativity flow. The other concept I have implemented is the “Artist’s Date” a scheduled time to be with yourself, have fun, be creative and get to know your inner artist with no pressure. It really is like dating yourself!
The Last Astronaut by David Wellington
The Last Astronaut was an intense nailbiter of a read. It’s a near-future set science fiction novel about humanity’s first contact with an alien spacecraft headed towards earth. It was a little confusing to me when it jumped perspective at times, but I enjoyed it quite a bit and read it over the course of just a few days. I spent a lot of the book trying to figure out who “the last astronaut” was and was surprised by the answer I finally came up with. A great read for SciFi fans!
The Price We Pay by Marty Makary
This book got me kind of worked up and I intend to do a complete blog post just on this book. There was a ton of useful information in this book about getting value for our healthcare dollars and also some stomach-turning facts about different facets of the American healthcare system and where money flows (or doesn’t flow). There seem to be a lot of conflicting voices talking about whose “fault” this or that is in the healthcare crisis without a lot of actual work towards fixing the problems. This book is both a proposed solution and an owner’s manual of navigating the healthcare system as it stands. I wish everyone concerned with healthcare costs would read this book, from hospital board members, to doctors, to patients.
What are you reading this month? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you or even find my next great read!
