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| My final read of the year |
(oh, wow, I didn't realize I hadn't done one of these since 2020's list. What is time.)
I read 48 books in 2024, slightly off my goal of a book a week, but not too shabby over all. As always, some books that will stay with me, some that were meh-for-me, and a bit of "book candy". This list is not the complete list (you can check my Ig highlight for that) but instead, the ones I really enjoyed or meant the most to me for this time of my life. These are in chronological order to when I read them.
Memorable:
Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel This new book is a fantastic antidote to our current chicken little the sky is falling media culture (which he actually talks about it "Crazy is Normal. Calm plants the seeds of crazy.") The chapters are short, so overall a quick read, but one packed with thoughtful points. I'm pondering writing my own post about "The grass is always greener on the side fertilized with bs."
Book Phryne! Death in Daylesford and collected shorts. I LOVE show Miss Fisher, like, role model love (if I wasn't already married and had two kids and came from a titled inherited wealth family). So I wasn't certain what I would think of book Miss Fisher. And I think I love her even more, if possible. She's even more sassy and cunning and unapologetically in love with *cough*everyone and everything.
Mary Magdalene Revealed was more memoir than spiritual text but I appreciate anything that brings the Divine Feminine back into the story of Christ.
Amazons! was an older collection of strong female lead fantasy short stories that I'd had on my TBR for a few years. Excellent stuff. Just passed it along to a new friend.
There Are No Grown Ups by Pamela Druckerman was a great random library pick-up. From her website: What are the modern forties, and what do we know once we reach them? What makes someone a “grown-up” anyway? And why didn’t anyone warn us that we’d get cellulite on our arms? Part frank memoir, part hilarious investigation of daily life, There Are No Grown-Ups diagnoses the in-between decade when…
• Everyone you meet looks a little bit familiar.
• You’re matter-of-fact about chin hair.
• You become impatient while scrolling down to your year of birth.
• You don’t want to be with the cool people anymore; you want to be with your people.
• You realize that everyone is winging it, some just do it more confidently.
The Call of the Wild: somatic work. This year, overwhelmingly, has been about learning tools for nervous system healing. From breath work to Human Design to meditation (more on that in a bit) to sacral movement to restarting yoga, I'm working in more embodied healing practices to calm, center, and get creative. Now, when I do start to feel an anxiety attack or a depressive episode start, I can move my body in ways to help clear it out (some take longer than others, natch).
Rebuilding the Front Porch of America by Patrick Overton (RIP just recently, so I found out from a mutual friend). A collection of now older essays on using Arts Administration for Community Building. I don't know that I've ever felt more seen. I wish I'd read it ten years ago in my Arts Admin Masters program. I put the quotes on my blog instead of in my reading notebook, that's how much I loved it.
The PLAN, the latest book by The Lazy Genius Kendra Adachi. I'm a sucker for anything time management/ productivity/how to get it all done books. And this is that, but compassionately. Loosely. Hold things gently and take care of yourself.
The Good Mother Myth. I happened upon this Advanced Reader Copy in a bookstore in the OBX and hooboy am I glad I picked it up. Much like Emily Oster did with her books on pregnancy and infanthood (I haven't read her older kid book yet), this one looks at the underlying scientific "studies" and original "research" to determine if our current heavily-hyped recommendations for mothering are accurate. Spoiler: what we have come to think as "good mothering" (heavy on the gender norms) was highly influenced by post WWII capitalism. So, you know, keep what works for you and your family, throw out what doesn't. For me, that's letting go of the old idea that one (or even two) loving parents are enough. No. All the loving adults. Create the village. I want as many loving adults who can care for my children, show them things I can't, help them have wide varied experiences as possible.
The Menopause Brain. As I'm heading into month six with no period, and all the related body and brain changes that go along with hormonal shifts, I am very interested in the latest valid research on menopause (spoiler: there's more now, but that's still not much). Basically, our bodies and everything about them are a highly calibrated system that when one part goes kerplunk (hormones), the rest of the system also gets thrown off.
[Aside: did you know humans are one of only 3 mammals who have menopause and a significant lifespan after our childbearing years? what little research has been done on this believes that this is directly because grandmothers are necessary to the passing on of wisdom and childrearing in these species. so, yeah. hug a grandma today. ok, back to books.]
Stress Less, Accomplish More. I get why the title, but really, this is a book about adopting a daily meditation practice. Heard the author on one of the few podcasts I listen to regularly and then got the book from the library. I'd never been able to keep to a regular meditation practice because, as she said, my brain never quieted down. And I know that all the teachers say "let the thoughts come and go" but something about the way she put it clicked for me. So, yes, most days I start my day in a chair for 15 minutes of mindfulness-gratitude-manifestation. I'm still trying to find the right time for the midday 15 minutes. Is it working? Well, I don't feel quite so on the edge of anger all the time (see above menopause comment) and I'm able to reset quicker when I get off kilter. I'll take it.
The Future is Analog may be my #1 pick for 2024. Instead of rewriting, I'll just direct you to my thoughts already published.
Memorable NC Reads:
This Isn't Going to End Well by Daniel Wallace. Fascinating memoir. What is interesting now, thinking back on reading it, is Wallace's central query--how well do we really know anyone in our lives?--is all the more pertinent in today's social media culture of collapsing friend/acquaintance circles and "sharing everything" (I use this term very loosely) to everyone. Even today, how well do you really know anyone?
Paris 7AM Historical Fiction based on real life events in WWII.
Carolina Table So, because I read a lot about our authors for my day job, I feel like this kind of writing by our authors, this behind-the-scenes/childhood/what-makes-the-writing-happen sort of essays are what I like reading best. This one about NC food/foodways.
The Skin Artist with the exception of my Juvenile Fiction book candy, I'm trying to stick to NC authors for any fiction I read. This one by a new work friend still makes me think about the story and characters seven months later.
Landscapes of the Heart Elizabeth Spencer's memoir from her early days before moving to NC.
A Really Strange and Wonderful Time This one makes a strong contender for my #2 favorite read of the year. Tom Maxwell does a fantastic job charting the rise of the indy music scene in Chapel Hill during that brief 1990's time when fame and fortune came knocking... Still being in the research phase for my own book about local theater during same time period, it's blessedly nice to know that North Carolina itself is just a fertile place for all the arts. It just is.
The Good Luck Stone by another new work friend, and another historical fiction.
An Loc ok, so I actually read this as a manuscript by a friend from my theater world and it is SO GOOD and I need her to find a publisher somehow. It's based on a true story from the end of the Vietnam War and it's about this guy who does the right thing even at the cost of everything and I just need everyone to read it so we can talk about it. The writing itself is so beautiful and the characters are captivating. I want UNC Press to pick it up, stat, so if anyone has contacts there, I'd love an intro.
Amazing Place Same comment as Carolina Table, and this one is about NC places and homes.
Paul Green essays on NC's preeminent playwright, edited by Georgann Eubanks and Margaret Bauer. Did I need to read this for work? Technically, yes. And also, I know over half of the authors of the essays, so hearing their take on this North Carolinian whom has come to mean so much to me and my professional work was necessary. The key trait I'm taking away from the book is this: help. However I can, with whatever resources I have at my disposal, help others who need it. Green couldn't help everyone, of course, no one can, but he helped everyone he could. And that's powerful.
I still haven't truly discovered a reading groove yet. If I could, I think I'd hit the one-a-week goal. My creative practice of writing words HAS to happen in the morning. Afternoon is for admin/errands, and then evening is all about kids usually. So that brings us to before bed, which is definitely good reading time, just not very much of it before I'm snoozing in my recliner (oh, gods, I've turned into my father).
Final note: highly recommend taking a Bookcation! Find a few reader friends and a cozy place to get away for the weekend. Plan your meals in advance so that most of your time can be devoted to the page. Am already thinking about this year's getaway.
Ok, if you want to read anything and need more info to find it (I'm being lazy and not linking to Bookshop or publishers), let me know and I'll dig it out.
Otherwise, I need to go make my chart for this year's log and get cracking on my traditional first of the year read: Seth Godin's latest.
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