Let's Talk About Books Baby!

August

Books Bought:

Books Read:

Food Rules: An Eater's Manual: by Michael Pollan

Persuasion: by Jane Austen

Hard Choices (audio): by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Orange is the New Black: by Piper Kerman

Goodness, I'm behind!  Well... August was a pretty balanced reading month I'd say: a book that's good for me, a classic, a current event/relevant nonfiction book, and an entertaining non-fiction book also with it's own claim to relevancy.

Let's just start at the top... Food Rules... this was a super quick read!  While it didn't have anything earth shattering in it, it was still one of my favorite health books I've ever read.  It just laid out the rules we should try to follow and really it's all very do-able.  I don't own this book, but I can't imagine it would cost much, might be something that I pick up later just to use as a reference or a refresher.  Seriously, you can read it within an hour and then feel a sense of rejuvenation and re-commitment to the betterment of yourself.

Miss Austen, oh Jane, how you slay us!  I seriously don't know how people can claim that they read all of Austen in middle school and loved her!  What?!?!  They must be far superior readers than I!  I'm not trying to boast, but I do consider myself a fairly intelligent reader and I try to imagine myself drinking up Austen at an early age of 12 and I just can't picture it!  Yes, Austen's themes are immature in nature, but with a more serious look her books are actually quite complex,  Yes, there are the grand romantic gestures... but there are heavy topics too, like missed opportunities, regret, and there are definitely glimpses of the ugliness in some people.  Of course it's all made to be quite charming through stories filled with fiddling, neighborly gossip, and love unrequited.  What can I say?  I may be late to the game, but I am a fan of Austen!

Future President Clinton (fingers crossed), as I mentioned in a previous post I bought this book for a book signing with the one and the only Hillary Clinton.  Since my copy is signed, I did buy and audio book too so that I could take a break from NPR and listen to the book on my drives to and from work.  It was delightful!  I love this book for many reasons:  one, it is obviously the lead in to her announcing her run for President; two, she talked at length about the country Burma/Myanmar and the leader  Aung San Suu Kyi (who I had been wanting to learn more about); and three, her chapter on Libya was flawless.  Why people insist on beating that sad event to death is beyond me!?  I also loved her opening (which was read by Hillary herself), it started with the Democratic primaries and a strong candidate from New York pitted against a strong candidate from Illinois (a la Seward-Lincoln); the comparison between Obama and Lincoln in their selection of a "Team of Rivals" has been thrown around so much but I hadn't even thought of the comparison between Lincoln & Seward and that of Obama & Clinton.  So great, the way she weaved history and her momentous decision to accept the position of Secretary of State offered to her by her then political foe.  God!  This is the stuff Washington is made of!  History, Politics, Power!  I love it!

So, I love the show Orange is the new Black so I was hesitant to read the book.  But the opportunity to try out a new book club arised with this book and so I figured what the heck, two seasons in I figured the show has to be taking some civil liberties with the story and so I didn't think the book would ruin my viewer watching pleasure so I delved in.  The book came highly recommended on the cover by NPR, and two authors that I love: Dave Eggers and Elizabeth Gilbert.  I have to say, I like real life Piper a lot more than the TV version.  Also, it is nice to see what her experience was really like and to see that she was a person that made mistakes and that she learned from them and acknowledged how her role affected the bigger picture in society.  I also like that she is actively trying to make people aware of how desperately we need a criminal/justice reform in this country.  It's not a topic that I'm passionate about and so I do feel like I learned a lot and it gave me lots to think about.  I'm not sure where I stand on every issue when it comes to these matters but at least I feel a little more informed that there is a broader conversation that needs to be had.

So, that's August... now that September is practically over... I'll be writing again in just a few days!
Toodles!

Namaste!

Wow!  What an amazing morning I just had!  I can't believe that when I got home at 12:30 last night I contemplated skipping this event!  I laid there in my bed and decided that I in fact wanted to set that alarm and I wanted to get up and be the kind of person I want to be.  When the alarm went off at 5am, I didn't even fear for a second that I would turn it off and roll back over and go back to sleep.  I felt like a little kid!  I was so excited to get up and get on the road.  I put on some baggy clothes that I wouldn't feel self conscious in, threw my hair up in a messy knot, grabbed my ticket... and almost forgot my yoga mat!  It was rolled up in a corner of my room and I literally had to dust cobwebs off of it!  Got my keys, and I was on the road!  I decided to take the back roads so that I could see the beautiful sunrise, I quickly realized even with waking up at 5 I wasn't going to make it to the rocks on time for when those first little rays of light peek over the horizon to wake Colorado up.  (My darling nephew always has the cutest greeting when he wakes us in the morning, he says, "Wake up, the sun's up!")

I decided to stop in Boulder and get a latte, I was greeting the morning after only 4 hours of sleep after all.  :-)  Even though I wasn't going too far, I'd forgotten how good it can feel to be on the road with nothing but your coffee, your mellow tunes, and the sunrise.

I arrived in Morrison at the beautiful Red Rocks Amphitheater with only about 20 minutes to spare! Luckily there was still enough room on the upper parking lot so I only had to climb a few sets of stairs! I quickly decided that I wanted to be in the very back row, and there was one spot left in it.  The people around me said good morning.  The sun was shining down below over Denver and everyone looked so relaxed waiting for the class to start.

Once the class started, I instantly had feelings that I might be in over my head.  My arms were shaking so hard in that first downward dog.  But I told myself that I was going to stick with it and do what I could do even if that meant improvising or focusing on my breathing or not holding the poses for as long as everyone else.  I also started regretting being in the back row as directly behind the rail there were a lot of onlookers, people hiking through, taking pictures, and giving their running commentaries. I heard two men talking about how they would gladly be sex slaves.  They got quite a few nasty glances from some yogis and eventually they moved on.  I told myself that the onlookers didn't matter, I was here to do my thing and if people wanted to post a picture of me in some embarrassing pose or whatever then that is there business and I would never know anyway.  Mostly I focused on how everyone around me was friendly and into their own practice and their own thoughts, and that gave me the encouragement to do the same.

I loved the way the teacher would say things like, "And if you couldn't do that pose a moment ago just the way you would like to, that's ok, let it go, be in this pose right now."  It was a good reminder to be present and not to get up into the, "I'm not good at this, I'll never be able to do this" type of mentality and get into the, "I'm here, I showed up, I'm doing this, I'm being kind to myself" mentality.  There was a moment a little over half way through the hour when we were all in upward facing dog where the teacher said, "Give gratitude to all those around you and to all those people and circumstances in your life that brought you to this moment right now".  I swear I could feel the gratitude just emanating off of everyone.  I sent gratitude to people I love who've never hurt me.  My mind just felt so peaceful and for the first time in a long time I sent gratitude and love to my dad, and to Dave (my ex-husband), and just the power of stretching into this pose and feeling how good it felt to send love to the people who I've let hurt me the most and who I carry the most baggage around was so overwhelming!  Tears instantly began swelling in my eyes, I realized the extreme hurt I carry around with me and I felt so much love for myself, and compassion, and forgiveness.   Luckily, everyone was so into their own thoughts and breaths and poses that no one noticed and I could just easily grab my little hand towel and wipe away my tears.   It just felt so good to let go!

When the class ended, I felt so peaceful.   I took my time driving home, I didn't feel any road rage, I opened the windows and felt the fresh morning August air!  I am so incredibly grateful for this experience and definitely want to work to learn how to cultivate these kind of feelings in my life daily!

Namaste my friends!

Let's Talk About Books Baby!

JULY

Books Bought:

Orange is the New Black: My year in a Women's Prison- by Piper Kerman

Books Read:

The Goldfinch- by Donna Tartt

Orphan Train- by Christina Baker Kline

The Lowland- by Jhumpa Lahiri

Add More Ing to Your Life: A Hip Guide to Happiness- by Gabrielle Bernstein

How We Are Hungry- by Dave Eggers

Rosie Dunne- by Cecelia Ahern

Wow!  What a month!  The combination of it being too hot to move and being extremely broke led to some pretty intense reading sessions!  I'm not going to lie, I read some of the best books I've read in a long time this past month!

As for the one book I bought, I've been hesitating to read this one because I like the show so much... but I've joined a few book clubs in Boulder and one of them is doing this one so I figured I'll give it a go next month (as in August).

Books read, I won't go into detail here about The Goldfinch since I already had a post about it, but I'll just re-iterate that it is reminiscent of Salinger and I freaking love it.

Orphan Train was a quick read and I was exposed to a part of our history that I've never been aware of, that being that with orphan children in the big eastern cities in the early 20th century, the government decided to put them all on trains and send them out west.  Some children found good homes, but many children were adopted so that they could be used for labour.  The story itself is fictional, and flipped flopped between an older story of one girl, and then a girl in the modern day who is an acquaintance of an older woman (who coincidentally is the girl from the older story).  The writing is pretty elementary so the reading is quick, and the story is gripping enough that this makes for a book that can be easily finished in one sitting.

Jhumpa Lahiri, I have long wanted to read.  Why I started with her most recent book?  After reading Donna Tartt's masterpiece, I was craving another Pulitzer Prize winner and this one was sitting on the "Lucky Day" cart at the library!  How could I resist?  It did not disappoint!  The story takes place in India and Rhode Island pre-dominantly.  It is the story of two brothers, one obsessed with Revolution and Rebellion, and the other who goes off to America and dedicates his life to learning and later to the care of those his brother leaves behind.  It is a beautiful book, and I have a strong desire to learn more about the history of India than I ever have before.  I will DEFINITELY be reading more books written by this enchanting author!

Gabby Bernstein, the meditation guru for a new generation.  I'm not sure completely that I'm drinking the Kool-aid yet.  The jury's still out on this one.  But I definitely will listen to some more podcasts and read a couple more of her books.  Even if I'm not completely sold, it doesn't hurt to be reminded to move more, to sit in silence with myself, to practice breathing, and to be more mindful with my thoughts and my intentions.

Eggers, my boyfriend, the love affair continues.  I had been told by another Eggers fan that this is a MUST read, and so I FINALLY took it off my shelf, dusted it off and gave it a go!  Of course, it did not disappoint!  How can one man be so brilliant?!?!  This book is a bunch of short stories, some of course were way better than others.  I love this man's scope.  I love how in one second I'm with a woman who is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and letting go of some pretty heavy shit, and the next moment I'm in Nicaragua with a girl scheming to sleep with one of her oldest friends.  Some stories I could do without, but the ones that I love more than make up for the others that were not my favorites.

Cecilia Ahern, I'm not going to lie, I loved the movie P.S. I Love You, but I'm not sure that I love the author as much.  Maybe it was just this book.  It's my first I've read by her, and it was very teenager-ish.  I already have Emily Giffin and Candace Bushnell to fill this void in my life, not sure I'm looking to add another author to this list, not when there are so many brilliant books out there to read before I die.  The nice thing about books like this is they take a day and a half or less to get through, so they don't waste too much time.

I'll ask, as I always do, what have you read lately?  Anything that you loved?

Extremely Flawed Characters

I know... I know... I've hinted in my last book post that I bought The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and I was perfectly fine with waiting until the end of the month to recap.... UNTIL... I went to the most amazing book club meetup tonight!

First, let me backup by saying that I had met with this group a year and a half to two years ago and kind of wrote it off as not being for me, plus I got super busy at work, and broke due to the holidays... blah blah blah.

Well, one of my oldest friends, Eden, asked me to join an online book club with her that was reading this book.  I happened to look at the Boulder meetup group and found they were also reading it, so I took it as a sign.

The online meeting group did not really get much of a discussion going outside of "I like this book", or "I didn't because the characters are shitty people".

I have to state that I personally, LOVE this book!  And after tonight's meeting I realized why!  I am completely head over heels in love with characters who have bad things happen to them and they spend their lifetime trying to get over it, they make mistakes, they make their situations worse by the choices they make, and in the end they've finally come to terms and they've accepted their lot in life and then the story just ends.  No pretty bow.  No riding off into the sunset.  It's realistic and it's raw and I LOVE IT!

I also, have to say there were two pretty amazing realizations I had at this meeting.  Someone asked, "What did you guys think of the mother in the book?"  Of course, everyone loves this character, if you read it you know what I'm talking about.  How could you not?  She is the main character's world and since it's written from his perspective, of course you too, will love his mom!  Then someone asks, "What do you think about his dad?"  I was one of the most firm responders, "I hated him, there's no excuse to be that kind of person, ugh!"  And some people were trying to show sympathy, be empathetic!  What?!?!?!?  The man is a raging alcoholic, his kid goes through his life walking on pins and needles never knowing what's going to set his dad off next, what kind of mood is he coming home in?  Even the reader feels this anxiety.  Or is that just me and my own daddy issues?!?  Someone even stated how they thought it was unrealistic that this woman would stay with this man.  Hello!  You must have never been the receiver of an alcoholic's apologies and how they guilt you in to loving them more, or giving them one more chance, or how they sway you to believe they want to change.  I thought the author handled this relationship between an alcoholic parent and a child flawlessly... so good!  All the emotions that come with a relationship like that, goodness.

Some of these people in this book club just could not get over why Theo (the kid, the main character) has such a hard time being a good person, getting his act together, making the right choices.  It's called ADVERSITY!!!!  And I don't expect people who have had smooth sailing lives to get it.

I mean, I get that we all have "stuff", we all have "baggage" or "ghosts in our closets", but let's be real... some people get dealt a way shittier hand in life... and it's frigging hard to surmount.  It's hard to grapple with.  And sometimes the best a person can come up with is just accepting all the bullshit for what it is.  And sometimes that is the happy ending.  The moment when the character is doing the best they can, while keeping every finger and toe crossed that some other huge event isn't just waiting around the corner to knock them on their ass again.

*I know this post probably doesn't make much sense... but in a world where we are sold happiness in every way possible, in a world where we are constantly told "to fake it till we make it" or that "God never gives us more than we can handle" or that "Your life will change, when you change the way you tell your story to yourself, stop playing the victim"... If you just meditate more, work out more, keep pushing... it will all get better.  It's exhausting.  And I love those characters that force the beautiful, positive people of the world to be uncomfortable.  The character that looks you straight in the eye, and the sheer amount of wounds and brokenness makes most want to look away.  I relish those empty, dark, sad parts of people.  That is where the meat is.  Most people are afraid to go there.

I love these people (even the fictional ones).  The broken and downtrodden.  I get them.  I celebrate them.

Let's Talk About Books Baby!

June

Books Bought:

Hard Choices- Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Goldfinch- Donna Tartt

Books Read:

Suite Francaise- Irene Nemirovsky

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Fire and Ice #2) (audiobook)- George R.R. Martin

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life- Thich Nhat Hahn

Greenwich Village Stories: A Collection of Memories- various contributors

Ok... let's start with the amazing fact that I bought and got my copy signed by the one and only SECRETARY HILLARY CLINTON!  Wow!  Some of you may know that I just adore meeting powerful political people at book signings (in the past I've met President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and Secretary Albright), I am now seeing Hillary as the link that will lead me from the Clinton Administration into the Obama era of book signings!  Plus, I can say that I met the future first woman President (hopefully)!

As for The Goldfinch, I finished that one in July so stay tuned!

Suite Francaise actually took me awhile to finish reading (actually June may as well be called "loose ends" month... I was tying up a few books that I couldn't wait to be done with).  Nemirovsky's book is amazing!  The first few pages I found myself thinking I was in for a masterpiece of a treat.  But the book did start to lag for me in places.  First, one cannot discuss this book without touching on the history behind it.  Nemirovsky was from the Ukraine, and was a Jew.  Nemirovsky's family fled during the Russian Revolution and ultimately settled in France where she converted to Roman Catholicism.  As the Nazi occupation of France was happening, Nemirovsky began what was ultimately going to be a sweeping novel about the very history that the citizens of France were living through.  However, her Jewish roots caught up with her and Nemirovsky was taken into custody only to die a brief time later in Auschwitz.  Knowing the author's own story which is placed out in the appendices of the book is what makes Suite Francaisse that much richer.  The story (at least the part that was told and later preserved by her daughters) has only two sections (though many more were outlined).  The first is a hodge podge of many Parisians who have fled to the countryside, they encounter bombings, and shortage of food, gasoline, and places to sleep.  Some of the characters are likable but most I found to be either not that interesting or kind of disdainful.  However in this section, it was the descriptions that kept me hooked.  The second section depicts a town where the Germans are staying in the homes of the local people.  This story I liked much more, you got to really know the people more.  Ultimately, it would have been interesting to see how the various sections were all going to tie together, but due to the author's sad ending we will never know... and even THAT leaves what we do have of the book with a much deeper meaning.

A Clash of Kings- Oy!  I have never been so happy for a book to come to an end.  I think I'm going to leave it to the TV show from here on out.  Enough said.

Savor was a nice book with a few little gems that I highlighted (gasp- yes, the only books I highlight are diet books!)  And just like all the other books, most of the information I already know, which leads me to think I'm going to these books for motivation or inspiration... but I'm beginning to learn that I'm not going to get what I need from a diet book.

Greenwich Village Stories- Loved this!  It featured many contributors, all residents of the village at one time or another and it really painted a picture of what the village means.  It's probably one of the most culturally significant neighborhoods in our nation's history.  The people that have flocked to it are always looking for something more, and they always find it... there!  

All in all, June was good, I got to put some books to bed and do a little more research.  July is shaping up to be most excellent... so tune back in then! Toodles!

Let's Talk About Books Baby!

May

Books Bought:

The One & Only- by Emily Giffin

Allegiant (ebook)- by Veronica Roth

Books Read:

Insurgent (ebook)- by Veronica Roth

A Game of Thrones (audiobook)- by George R.R. Martin

The One & Only- by Emily Giffin

Ok... So let's just be real and call a spade a spade... This month was pop culture on steroids as far as the book choices I made! I feel like I need to get into something more substantial and meatier for the next few months to make up for this pop binge!

 

So I pressed on with the Divergent series and book 2 still had my interest piqued. I like the main characters and am weary to press on because friends that I know who have read the whole series say that the third book ruins it... I may have to take a while before I get around to the third one, however it is downloaded and waiting on my nook!

Onto Game of Thrones... Last summer I watched the first season with my sister after she had listened to the first book. I was hooked on the show instantly! I wanted to watch the second season but my sister said we had to wait until she listens to the second book which she let me know she wouldn't get around to for awhile what with working full time and being in the final year of her bachelor's degree. So throughout the past year... I've debated... Do I hurry and read the books too? Do I just press on with the show without her? Friends lent me the first book and it sat on my shelf for months before I returned it to them chalking it up to the fact that I just might not want to read them. Then the new season premiered on tv and social media was all a flutter with excitement... So I checked out the audiobook from the library and listened to it everyday. I'm just going to say I like the show WAY more. I don't know if it's because I've never been an audio book type of girl or if it's because I saw the show first or what? We'll see, stay tuned. 

Now for Miss Giffin's new one! Let me just say Lauren Conrad and Candace Bushnell aside, Emily Giffin is my most chick-lit-y author I read and so obviously feelings of it being a guilty pleasure book accompany my excitement and giddy-ness!  This one was all about a girl working at a University and she is obsessed with football! Needless to say, I breezed through this one and 💜'd it! 

What about you? Are you reading anything good? Have any guilty pleasure reads? What do you think of the show vs  books in regards to Game of Thrones?

Let's Talk About Books Baby!

April

Books Bought

No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

The Other Story by Tatiana De Rosnay

Portraits and Observations by Truman Capote

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Greenwich Village Stories Published by Greenwich Village Society for Historical Preservation

Add more 'ing to your life by Gabrielle Bernstein

Insurgent (ebook) by Veronica Roth

Books Read

NW by Zadie Smith

No Matter the Wreckage by Sarah Kay

The Other Story by Tatiana De Rosnay


As the weather gets warmer like all the flowers that are blooming I seem to be coming out of my winter hibernation... that means... less reading.  However, based on my books bought list I seem to have not lost my gusto for throwing down some dollars for the love of literature!

Onto books read...

In true 2014 form, I read another book by the incomparable Zadie Smith.  While this one still does not top On Beauty, (will anything ever?) I still can see the greatness in this book.  A friend of mine phrased it perfectly when he said that she writes books that are syllabus ready.  They are books for the now, books full of heavy topics... where we stand socially, politically, racially, financially and how our place in the world affects our humanity.  Gotta love a conscientious writer!

April being poetry month I figured I'd delve into a poet that is new to me but is a sensation on youtube with her spoken word performances, and a true all star at TED talks.  I first heard of Sarah Kay when a favorite singer of mine instagram'd a picture of herself with the poet and my favorite author Liz Gilbert. I thought... "shoot if my favorite singer and author are hanging with this poet she must be somebody worth looking into".  Of course I watched her TED talks and then without any hesitation I ordered her book that was due to come out the following week.  I devoured this poetry book.  Who knew that poetry could be so hip?  It spoke to me, and yes, I've had modern poets speak to me before, none more so than Rebecca Lindenberg; but now I have another one to add to my list.  I look forward to more collections of poetry from this amazing poet!

And lastly, the newly published in America, The Other Story.  Ever since Sarah's Key, I wait for the next translated book of Tatiana De Rosnay's.  They are always entertaining.  While this main character was something of an arse, I still liked this story and wanted to see the way things would play out.  The book was interesting in the fact that social media and our ego-centric lives was a main theme and in a sense this story holds a mirror up to our (society's) behaviour and shows us how truly ugly it can be when we become obsessed with our phones in our palms more than the we care for the actual people in our lives.  Yet here I am blogging about it.  Will we ever learn?

Well I don't know how many or what books the month of May will bring, but I do know I'm looking forward to my little sister's college graduation, helping my parents with their yard, and welcoming family visitors from out of state!  What about you?  What is May bringing you?  What have your read lately?