Happy November! Between mid-October and now my reading life has actually been quite active. I have quit a number of books, but found a few I actually enjoyed. The first one is pregnancy specific, but the rest aren't. I realized this month I need to read things just because I love them not solely to prepare myself for life with a newborn or the birthing process.
Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better by Siobhan Miller
When I first got pregnant I had hear of hypnobirthing, but if I was honest I really did not think it would be for me. To be fair I put down quite a few books about hypnobirthing, but this one I thoroughly appreciated. I felt it was approached as a more practical book about birth, dealing more with the science of what is going on than any sort of hypnosis, which I appreciated. I would recommend this to someone who is skeptical, but wants to arm themselves with tools and tips for coping with birth.
Book Rating: 4/5 Second Nature by Michael Pollan
If you have been reading this blog for a while you will know I most of the time love the works of Michael Pollan. He makes me want to garden, grow my own food, and get out into nature in a way that is practical. This book fulfilled that niche and expectation. I found myself reading about his trials in the garden and the larger context of gardening and I appreciated his writing and his point of view. I love that he is able to point out his flaws and to situate himself in relation to his family and the world at large.
Book Rating: 4/5 Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
I got this book for Christmas of last year and wasn't sure if I would enjoy it. I did find that in reading it there are parts that feel dated, specifically gender roles, but for being written in 1955, I found it to be understandable. I really appreciated how this felt like a book about being present in the world around you. I found the knowledge to still be quite wise and I appreciated the fact that this was a quick read and enjoyed the wisdom within.
Book Rating: 4/5 The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick
I found this book to be wonderful. It fits in the old man genre that I tend to love and have written about here. I listened to this on audio and appreciated the narration. I also found this to just be a charming story of exploring the world to come back and find yourself. Arthur is coping with his wife's death and seeks to learn about her life and in doing so discovers more about himself.
Book Rating: 5/5
I have loved finding my stride in reading. What are you reading lately? Any suggestions?
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This last month was actually a good reading month for me. In order for me to actually enjoy what I was reading though I quit a number of books. I am learning that that is sometimes what is required in order to find the books I actually enjoyed.
I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel
This was one of the first books I read that I just enjoyed. I loved how Anne writes about reading and makes you remember what you loved about it in the first place. This book is a short read, but I really just was reminded of why I read and it made me more dedicated to picking up books this month.
Book Rating: 4/5 The Sh!t No One Tells You: A Guide to Surviving Your Baby's First Year by Dawn Dais
I was a little nervous with the title, because I am not one who typically enjoys cursing in books. This book though I found to be one of the best books on parenting, not for your typical run of the mill advice, but because it made me laugh out loud until I cried a few times. I read parts of it with my husband and I found we were both laughing. I have found during pregnancy the need to laugh is something that is not talked about enough. I love how she describes children's books and that at the beginning your baby may not be as cute as you think. Overall I really enjoyed this book and read it quite quickly.
Book Rating: 4/5 Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie
I have been listening to these on audio with my husband. We have found them to be a good series to listen to in a similar vein to Sherlock Holmes, which we have listen in entirety. I particularly liked this collection on audio because it is short stories, so you are able to listen to one and not feel the need to finish the whole audiobook at once because they are not connected. I also find myself growing to love the detective and I can effectively never guess the ending. I also appreciate that they are not gruesome in the way a modern detective story can be. Overall I am excited to continue reading the next Poirot book and glad we have a new audiobook series.
Book Rating: 4/5 Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for literally years. I have wanted to pick it up and have started it and stopped it many times, not because it was bad but usually because my reading life was not as consistent as it has been recently. This is a detective story of sorts and the protagonist is Maisie Dobbs. I appreciated how this wove her backstory into the actual story so we got to know her better and the best part of enjoying this book is that it is part of a series so I can actually pick up another for a long while. I found this to be similar to Poirot in that it was not gruesome and has a similar feel to Sherlock Holmes. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to picking up the next one in the series.
Book Rating: 4/5
My books this month have a clear detective or mystery theme to them, but I am glad that I found books I enjoyed. What are you reading lately? Any suggestions for me? Please share them below!
In the past month I read a few books, but this book was the one remarkable one. This is a nonfiction book where the author looks at how women spend their time. Specifically she looks at women who make over $100,000 and have kids. She divides their time into work, family, and self. Within each category she makes observations and notes what she realized was unique or important about those who utilized their time "well". I found her analysis to be interesting. I did not agree with everything she wrote, but I found insight in most of it. I also found it gave me hope that if I want to return to the workforce I can do so and find ways to best utilize my time. I did find the ending to be a bit abrupt, but enjoyed the book as a whole.
Book Rating: 4/5
From time to time I notice my books have themes. Recently the books I have been choosing or a few of them have been following the theme of being fairy tale adjacent. They are not genuine fairytales, there is a series of modern retellings and a book that is connected to a fictional set of fairytales.
In general I have been drawn to stories that are not based in reality. I find a fictional world allows me to recognize it as removed from my day to day life and allows me to suspend fear. I have typically been able to handle these stories better because I know they aren't real and in this stage of my life I think I appreciate the distance they offer.
On a side note, I listened to all of these books on audio and they are all read by the same narrator, Rebecca Soler, who I happen to love.
This book is a story about fictional fairytales. The protagonist's mother goes missing and in order to figure out what happened she must explore the stories that her grandmother wrote, a book of grim fairytales. The book has mystery surrounding it that she needs to learn about in order to find her mom. I appreciated that this book created it's own lore and I loved how fast paced it was and I found myself engaged wanting to know what happened next.
These 4 books form a series that I would say falls into the modern retelling genre. These books connect and intertwine so it makes sense to read them in order, top to bottom. The first is a modern retelling of Cinderella in a dystopian setting, the second is a modern retelling of Red Riding Hood, the third is a modern retelling of Rapunzel, and the final is a modern retelling of Snow White. These books are not simply retellings, but also develop a new storyline in response to the modern dystopian setting. I also appreciated that the author intentionally tried to tie the stories to places where they are thought to have originated or settings relevant to the fairytales themselves. I enjoyed the pace of these novels, but my one critique was that the main characters mostly tended to pair off in a predictable manner and I wished she had used the modern setting to give their endings a bit more nuance.
Any suggestions for more fairytale adjacent books? Any suggestions for ones I am missing or other recommendations would be much appreciated in the comments.
This month my reading came back on track I know last month reading tended to be a struggle, but this week I was more willing to and dedicated to try more books, which meant abandoning many books as well as eventually finding a few I loved.
Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman
I started reading parenting books before I knew I was pregnant. One of the pieces of advice that I found in looking for books to read was to only read books that make you feel more sane. This was the first book I started reading and I found this book to be a delight. I devoured it and appreciated how it gave me confidence to trust myself and not feel overwhelmed by the sea of information and I found I was able to trust myself and my instincts more. This book is a mix of memoir and advice. I would describe her style as less is more. I also love that she describes not only things she does well, but also missteps, failures and how she rectifies these things. I really appreciated her perspective and through this lens I was able to continue my journey into books.
Book Rating: 4/5 Cress by Marissa Meyer
One of the themes you may have noticed in my fiction books as of late is that I am loving fairytale retellings or fairytale related books. This book falls into that category. This book is the third in a series called the Lunar Chronicles. This book continues the story incorporating the fairytale of Rapunzel into the dystopian universe that the storyline contains. I have to say I really enjoyed this and I find this young adult novel has a fast pace and keeps me engaged. My one critique is that I found the characters to be pairing up in expected ways and I wish that there was more diversity of relationships and that some of the characters did not end up in romances.
Book Rating: 4/5 Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole
This I started reading when I found out I was pregnant. I was not sure how to eat while pregnant when I am not dieting. I had been wanting to read this book for a while and I was glad I used that as the impetus to start reading it. As I read this I found myself making the changes it suggests and it just makes more and more sense. For me I found that listening to my body and not losing my mind over trying to be healthy has been a welcomed change. I feel like even if I am not ever going to be the thinnest person on the world there are many other goals I care about more and my mental health and physical health are both important factors, one should not dominate the other. This is a nonfiction book that describes a way of eating that is sustainable and long lasting through listening to your body and trusting yourself with food and enjoying the food you eat rather than being filled with shame and guilt.
Book Rating: 4/5 The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
This is a book I have been meaning to read for a while. I have even had it on my shelf. My mom gave it to me because she thought I would enjoy it. This book is adjacent to books on old men. The main character is not as old as most of the characters in those books, but his attitude is similarly curmudgeonly. This is a novel about a bookstore owner who is quite grumpy and it shows how his life changes over the course of many years. I loved the scope of this novel and I found it to be quite detailed and nuanced. I appreciated how realistic it was and how the character's stories were not tied up in a neat bow, but still ended in a satisfying way. I loved this book so much I read it in a single day.
Book Rating: 5/5 The Science of Mom by Alice Callahan
This book is another parenting book. I have found that some of the parenting books I have appreciated the most are ones that are science based and that do not preach what to do. I really have found that these books give me the information that is scientifically based but in a way that is not written to incite fear or to preach what to do. This book falls into that category and describes many decisions to be made over the first year of your child's life.
Book Rating: 4/5 Pride and Prejudice
This is a book I was supposed to read in high school, but honestly never did. I know I read parts, but I did not read it in its entirety. I was quite familiar with the story having watched the film and the miniseries. I have to say I think that made quite the difference in reading this book. I did not feel like the language was a barrier, because I had an idea of the basic plot line I really did not struggle with following the story. I have to say I did find that because it had been a while and because this was a book not a film adaptation I really wanted to know how it ended and stayed up late to try to find out how it ended. I noticed that there were a number of differences in the format because it allowed you more of an omniscient viewpoint. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it and really loved reading this book.
Book Rating: 5/5 Winter by Marissa Meyer
This is the final book in the Lunar Chronicles series. This book adds the fairytale of Snow White to the dystopian world, and wraps up the variety of plot lines from all the characters. I found this to be quite satisfying read, but I also wanted a little more nuance, which again for a young adult book is not always present.
Book Rating: 4/5
What have you been reading recently? Any recommendations or books you have loved?
One of the books everyone told me to read when my husband and I first got married was The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. I had never heard of it before, but both my husband and I listened to it on audio. The book presents the idea that as individuals there are different ways to feel and give love and we might not have the same ones. Since reading the book, I have also heard of people whose love languages change over time. The five love languages he suggests are as follows:
Like with any other typing system, no language is better or worse than another, but they are all different. Reading this book was revolutionary in that I gained language for discussing something I previously was at a loss for how to discuss. Within each love language there are huge levels of variance. For example my husband and I both value quality time as one of our top love languages, but for me that looks like conversation over dinner, on a walk or just sitting on the couch talking, and for him it looks more like proximity, us doing things next to each other feels like quality time for him. The book makes a lightbulb go off in your head and you start trying to type others you know. In some sense, that can be useful, but it's not always accurate. People do not always express themselves clearly in that way.
This book gave me language to feel seen. I find seen when I am ten thousand feet deep into a conversation with another person, when I am analyzing and researching and considering all the minutia.
One of the parts of being human I think is most valuable is being seen just as you are. I think it is quite affirming to just let go of the pretense and the walls and simply exist next to someone else. I find the value of this to be immeasurable. My husband and I have that type of relationship, where I can tell him anything and I know he will still love me anyways, even if I share an unkind thought or something I struggle with he simply accepts me as I am. I hope I am able to give him that same sense of feeling seen.
In life, I feel like it is important to have places and spaces where you can be yourself and you know you are loved wholeheartedly by those around you. When I was young I found this in religion. As I have been reading through past journals, which for clarity's sake I only wrote in during times of distress, I noticed when I felt that no one loved me, I knew God did. I found comfort in knowing no matter how much I was selfish or alienating myself from those around me God still was there. The calm of feeling loved and accepted gives us the courage to be ourselves more and in the effort find out more of who we are and how to be our true selves.
As you go through your life, I hope you have opportunities to be seen and to see others, for who they are and love them anyways.
I have written before to share a list of books that I have read that fall into this category, but today I thought I would share with you my favorites and a bit more about them. When I consider a self growth book, I consider it to be a book that changed my thinking and forced me to re-examine the world in a new light that made me a better person and made me feel less alone.
What are your favorite self growth books? Any books that have made you who you are today? I am always on the lookout for new books.
I have officially been meditating a bit over a year. I have meditated twice a day for this entire period of time. Meditation is an odd thing to talk about, because it does not work in a linear fashion. Meditating is not like reading a book. You do not start here and get there. I have found meditation to be more winding and complex than that. There are certain things I have found no longer seem to occur during meditation, but then there are others that repeat again and again. I am hoping by sharing some of my journey I will be able to slightly demystify meditation and encourage anyone else who is doing it as well to keep going.
When I started meditating, I initially would be filled with panic. I was only meditating for five minutes each time, but I was overwhelmed with the feeling I had left the stove on or the door unlocked and something would happen. After a week, that subsided for the most part, it comes back only rarely. I realized that in my life nothing is so important it cannot wait 1, 5, 10 or 30 minutes. I have found my distraction level comes and goes, sometimes I feel utterly distracted and sometimes my mind seems clearer. I know that is just how it is, but I also know that spending time, focusing on meditation helps me to be present with myself. When I resort to shorter meditations because I "don't have time" I am the only one who is suffering. I have gained calm and peace from meditating and a greater awareness that our thoughts dramatically influence our lives to a larger degree than I realized before. In a moment I can think one thing and immediately think it's opposite. In a way meditation helped me to realize that my thoughts are just thoughts, not facts that cannot be questioned. I also learned that my brain loves to get creative in finding ways to distract me, creating stories, planning and thinking about the future usually are the main distractors.
When I look at me now and who I was before I started meditating, I see a dramatic amount of change and awareness. I am not sure they are connected, but I know the calm and awareness I have gained from meditation has been life changing. I approach life from a less overwhelmed and stressed place, but from an understanding that it is okay. Everything is okay.
When I started meditating, I went to a Zen Center and one of the directions was to hold your hands to create the shape of a circle. The idea being that all is accepted, everyone, every thought all of it is allowed and accepted. I love that, the belief that no matter what occurs during meditation, whether I sneeze or am laying down or am sitting upright, whether I am distracted or focused all of it is allowed. I am accepted in meditation and I am practicing accepting myself through meditation exactly as I am.
If you want to get started with meditation here are some resources that might be helpful.
Jon Kabat-Zinn's audiobook, Mindfulness for Beginners- This book contains guided meditations that can be helpful in garnering awareness when just starting out.
Kabat-Zinn created Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), also known as scientific meditation. These classes are available in many locations. I took a class in Iowa and I was glad I did. It was nice to have support of meditating with others and intentional mindfulness week to week.
Robert Wright's book, Why Buddhism is True- If you want more of a scientific approach to meditation and the science behind a bit of how it works. This book also discusses Wright's personal journey with meditation.
Janwillem van de Wetering's book, The Empty Mirror-This is more of an experiential book on meditation.
William Hart's The Art of Living- This book discusses the how and why of Vipassana meditation.
In conjunction with above there is a ten day discussion of Vipassana on Youtube here. I found while I was getting used to Goenka's speech, it was helpful to start with captions. This is ten hour long discussions on the how and why of Vipassana meditation techniques.
The Book of Joy by the 14th Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. I found this book to be an interesting look at meditation and prayer. I also found it to have practical exercises to help.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's The Joy of Living- Discusses meditation and mindfulness in daily life.
Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's work has also been cultivated on a Youtube Channel here. I like to watch some of his videos for meditation practices and inspiration.
One other tool I use daily is my meditation application Insight Timer. This application is free and contains many free guided meditations. I mostly use it for the timer function, where I can set bells at intervals.
Now looking at this list I realize it is a bit daunting. I want to say. All of this took me at least a year if not more. Start slow where you are. I started with 5 minutes in the morning and the evening, then bumped up to 10 then 25 then 30. Now I aim for 30 except if I am sleepy, then I shorten the meditation accordingly. I have fallen asleep meditating and woken up and thought I had to continue meditating because I did not hear the final bell. My feeling on sleeping during meditation is, if you fall asleep you probably needed the sleep more than meditation, so do not be upset about it.
If you meditate, do you have any other resources to share? I am always on the lookout for others that I have not heard of.
This past month I have felt my reading slump come back. I abandoned a number of books and finished nothing remarkable. I have decided to update my reading challenge and rather than doing the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge-with specific categories that honestly I did not want to read books about. I have gone back to the tried and true Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge. I have to say I am impressed with how much I have already completed and all I have left is a book in translation. Any suggestions for books in translation please leave below.
I have decided to use this slump as motivation for a new perspective and to start again with books I love. I find that reframe to be helpful and encourage me to keep going. Also any suggestions in general because I want to read more this year and it is just not happening.
Earlier this year I read, Me Before You and experienced something I have never felt before, what can only be described as a book hangover. I felt hollow and lost and I had no desire to read anything else. I wanted to talk but I had no words. Nothing to say. I was absorbed and I saw the ending coming eventually but oh my gosh. I felt everything and nothing at once.
This feeling did end. A few days later I was willing to read something else. I even started the sequel (to almost immediately put down, because I do not want to tarnish my experience of the other book). I am in awe of the power of a good book. The power it has to make you feel things you never knew a book could make you feel. I am excited about my goal to ditch more books this year in the hopes that I can have moments like this where I find books that I will truly treasure.
Have you ever experienced a book hangover? If so which book? How have you worked through it?
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About MeI'm Sarah; a wife, traveler, foodie, and adventurer. Archives
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