A book a week for a year: 19 - 27
Here it is, the next instalment in my 'read a book a week for a year' challenge!
Just catching up now? Sweet! You can find the first and second instalments here and here. You'll notice that this instalment includes a couple of audio books; I initially wasn't going to include them in the challenge, but whilst I've been travelling and also a bit sick, they have been a lifesaver! So, I bent the rules. ;-) ENJOY!
19. Something Special, Something Rare / Short Story Collection
I’ve recently devoted myself to the (undoubtedly life-long) learning of the craft of the short story. This book was totally intimidating and entirely lovely. We have some fierce feminine literary talent in Australia! Of course, I had my favourites in this collection, but every story shared a glimpse into our culture with brutal and beautiful honesty, grace and skill. I loved it.
20. Three Stories / Jim Coetzee
Short and sweet: no word without a point or purpose. These delicate pieces of mini-fiction are thought-provoking, observant and a delight to read. Coetzee is a Nobel Prize winning author, so you know... it's good. I particularly liked the first story — a man examines and reflects upon his relationship with his Spanish home — and (although you shouldn't judge a book by its cover) I LOVED the sleek and compact design of the book itself.
21. Moon Time / Lucy H. Pearce
This is an easy to read, useful, gentle and honest approach to exploring the power of the menstrual cycle. I sort of lost interest about halfway, but only because I’d read a lot of the information before. For those at the very beginning of their ‘learning to understand the menstrual cycle journey’, this book would be a fantastic start! It’s filled with great practical tips, personal stories and would be excellent for for Mums or those expecting bubs.
22. The Way Of The Superior Man – David Deida (audio)
Becoming a student of David Deida’s teachings requires a very open mind. Prepare to have plenty of your curiosities about the masculine and feminine confirmed (including ones you didn’t even realise you had) and plenty of trigger points pushed and prodded as well. I personally think he’s a genius — embracing and experimenting with his ideas has worked magic in my relationship (Andrew and I both love his stuff) — and listening to his dreamy voice is meditation in itself.Deida fiercely encourages men to step the eff up, to quit with the macho bullshit, to evolve, to explore and to reclaim masculinity in a world that is confused about what that word even means anymore. I particularly like this review on Amazon: 'Finally, a guide for the noncastrated male.' Yep!
23. Eat Pray Love / Elizabeth Gilbert
I first read this book in 2011 as I was backpacking around South East Asia, India and Europe. I kind of accidentally did Liz’s trip backwards (and yes, I made it to Da Pizzeria Michele in Naples, where Liz eats the best pizza of her life in the book — I can confirm: the pizza is excellent!)I’ve always known how much I adored this book, but it wasn’t until I read it this second time that I realised just how much it impacted the 24-year old, confused and curious, drastically needing a change in perspective, me. This book inspires, comforts and challenges me all at once! It will forever be one of my favourites. (And the book is SO much better than the movie!)
24. The Optimised Woman / Miranda Gray
If you told me that this book was written by the same author of Red Moon (which I reviewed last instalment), I would not believe you! Both books focus on understanding and working with your menstrual cycle, but where Red Moon is super woo-woo and spiritually minded, this is much more success, action and goal-oriented, geared towards women working in corporate environments. Very different ends of the spectrum! This direct, somewhat emotion-less and punchy style of writing is slightly difficult for my right-brain-ness to engage with (I'd like a few more personal anecdotes and warm hugs haha), but there's no doubt that this book is PACKED with ideas, plans and practical tips for working with your menstrual cycle. The 28-day plan in particular is very useful.
25. Sweet Poison: Why Sugar Makes Us Fat / David Gillespie
I've been a Sarah Wilson and I Quit Sugar #fangirl since 2012, so I didn't expect to learn quite as much as I did from this book — which is why I hadn't read it earlier! While Gillespie has attracted criticism because he's not a medical Doctor, I in fact believe that this is one of the reasons why this book works so well: he takes your hand and walks you through his own personal, historical and biological research and investigations, some of which (honestly) went over my head, but mostly I found easy to understand. Fluff-free, it really does explain why sugar makes us fat, leaving the reader to decide what this information then means to you... An important book!
26. The Latte Years / Philippa Moore
This is an honest, inspiring memoir. In a world that is so obsessed with the 'after photo', this book tells the true story of what happens AFTER that shot is taken. As a health coach, I know how important this story is to the world right now: on the path towards greater self-awareness and self love, cultivating compassion, courage, kindness and community is so much more important than the number on the scales. As well as that powerful message, I loved this book purely for its descriptions of life in Melbourne and London and I saw a lot of my own journey mirrored in Moore's. I was sad to finish it and immediately wanted more!
27. The Language of Archetypes / Caroline Myss (audio)
Caroline Myss is boss. Let's just get that straight. She is a no-fuss, no-fluff spiritual teacher and intuitive who we are truly BLESSED to have sharing in our lifetime. My world was rocked by her book Sacred Contracts a couple of years ago and listening to this audio blew my freaking mind too — I have not been able to stop talking about it!What could be a very complicated subject (working with collective consciousness archetypal patterns and how they play out in your own personal life) is actually made fun, relatable and most importantly, applicable. Like all of Myss' work though, it's certainly not a quick-bang-for-your-buck type of audio, but rather an invitation to dive deeper into your own life, to ask the BIG questions and to devote to this work of unravelling yourself, for... well, forever.NOTE: I listened to this whilst reading Sally Kempton's Awakening Shakti (to be reviewed next time) and they complimented each other amazingly.
That's it for today folks, we're now over halfway! Still following along? Read any of these beauties? All thoughts and reflections and BOOK RECS welcome in the comments. Feel free to share this one with your fellow bookworms too! :)
Claire x