Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

Book Club

What I’m reading: February 2016

Join me for an informal book club! A list of all the books I've read in February, and what I plan to read next. From businessy goodness to classic lit to comics! More at TaraSwiger.com

 I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I read

  • Year of Yes, by Shonda Rhimes. This is one of those books I've been thinking about since I started it. I'll be revisiting it for sure. If you need to feel bolder to take big action in your life or biz, read this. Now.
  • Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. Laugh out loud funny. Check out The Bloggess and if you find it hilarious, read this book.
  • So You've Been Publicly Shamed, by Jon Ronson. What happens to people who are the publicly shamed by Twitter, who become “trending topics” because of their stupidity or honest mistake? Ronson finds those people and talks to them. I kinda live in fear of the internet turning on me, so I found it strangely comforting.
  • Alias, by Brian Michael Bendis. If you liked the Netflix show Jessica Jones, you gotta read this. This comic is SO much more than the one storyline in Jessica Jones and is even better (and I really loved that show!) {Note: I read the Omnibus, from my library. But if you don't want to commit to that, start with Volume 1. Better yet, request it at your library!}
  • Searching for Sunday, by Rachel Held Evans. The story of a girl who was raised Evangelical (like me) and slowly realized she needed to find a new tradition.
  • Hunger Makes me a Modern Girl, by Carrie Brownstein. Oh man, I read this book because I loved Sleater-Kinney and this book delivers. Carrie is a beautiful writer. I was totally blown away by the first few chapters.
  • Wildflower, by Drew Barrymore. I just now realized this month was full of autobiography-ish type books. As much as I love Drew, this suffered from being read right after Brownstein's book. It wasn't as beautifully written, but did manage to dig a bit deeper into specific stories. I read it in a day, so it was definitely enjoyable!

What I’m reading

What I read last February.
And in February 2014.

What are you reading?

The 8 Best Books for your Creative Business

There are so many great books for creative business owners out there, but everyone needs to read something different, depending on where they are in their business journey. Today on the podcast I'm sharing the 8 best books I can think of for every stage of business. Listen in at TaraSwiger.com/podcast90/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

What are the best books for your creative business?

Today I decided to share the best books for your specific situation. Listen in to find out what I suggest for where you are in your business journey!

 This topic was suggested by Ana on Periscope. I broadcast these podcast recordings a whole week early, on Periscope. If you’d like to get early access, follow me at Periscope.tv/TaraSwiger. I also publish a video version of this podcast on YouTube along with a new lesson every week!

 

Resources:

 

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

What I’m reading: January 2016

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I read

  • Emma, by Jane Austen
  • A Curious Mind, by Brian Grazer. So good! Brian has spent his life holding “curiosity conversations” – once a week he talks to someone interesting and is just curious about them. I love the idea and the book inspired me to be more curious with everyone I meet.
  • Knit Wear Love, by Amy Herzog. I enjoyed this book about changing your sweater pattern to match your personal style.
  • Design Mom, by Gabrielle Blair. A gorgeous book, that gave me some ideas for our new place. But I couldn't get over how she always refers to her husband by his full name (Ben Blair). Every. Time. Distracting, but beautiful!

What I’m reading

What I read last January.
And in January 2014.

What are you reading?

What I’m reading: December 2015

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

What I'm reading in December 2015

What I read

  • The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks – Oh, this book! It had been on my list forever, but when a Starship Captain started a discussion about “Upper Limit Problems”, I decided to finally read it. I'm so glad I did. If your business is growing but you feel like you struggle to keep up, or you're holding it back, read this!
  • The Little Spark, by Carrie Bloomston – Perfect for re-sparking your flagging enthusiasm or creativity.
  • The Ultimate Webinar Marketing Guide, by Lewis Howes – Read this in preparation for today's webinar.
  • The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennet – I saw this slim novella at my library and picked up. So glad I did – it resulted in a very happy afternoon of reading.

What I’m reading

 

What I read last December
And the December before that

What are you reading?

 

 

What I’m Reading: November 2015

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.
"The last of human freedoms- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." -Victor Frankl #whatimreading #airplanemode

What I read

  • Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is this quarter’s Starship Book Club pick. I LOVED it. I highlighted it like crazy. If you're a creative, get it and read it. Please.
  • Steal the Show, by Michael Port – Pre-ordered it on my Kindle, to read before my teaching gigs, and I learned a few things I implemented in my recent classes.
  • Why Not Me, by Mindy Kaling. Funny + quick!
  • You're Never Weird on the Internet, by Felicia Day. Super encouraging autobiography, for internet-nerd gals.
  • The Confidence Code by Katty Kay. This book is inspiring my current #BizConfidenceChallenge! I learned a lot, and it cleared up a lot that I've experienced with my clients (and myself)!
  • Man's Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. This is part of my #greatbooksproject (reading all the books I missed in high school and college) and it was just beyond description. It begins as the story of Frankl's experiences in the concentration camps during WWII. But it's somehow not dark, but completely hopeful. As the book continues, he begins to tease apart what pushed some people to survive and find peace during the atrocities.

The quote that will stick with me:

“The last of human freedoms – to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

-Victor Frankl

What I’m reading

 

What I read last November
And the November before that

What are you reading?

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

 

What I’m Reading: October 2015

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I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

Because I'm thinking so much about my own next book, I find myself avoiding other business-y non-fiction, and instead reading more fiction and books in a totally different genre than what I normally pick.

What I read

  • Creativity, Inc, by Ed Catmull – So GOOD. Aimed at business owners who want to create a culture of creativity and innovation, the insights into how Pixar was built and runs are totally fascinating, even if you're not managing thousands of artists.
  • Essentialism, by Greg McKeon – Eh. I strongly agree with the message of this book, and I think I live by it (as explained here!)…but after a while it felt a bit long and all of his examples are exceedingly impractical for the average person (I.e., taking time off work to heal from a disease).
  • My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante – Ignore the cover. This book is much darker than it looks. It had been recommended by just about every podcast I listen to, so I decided to try it. The author does a great job of exploring the kind of love/obsession/jealousy relationship between girls in childhood. I'm not so in love that I'm diving into the second one, though.
  • The Secret Place, by Tana French – I'm kinda crushed that I've now read all the books in this murder mystery series. I would LOVE a recommendation of something similarly well-written.
  • Y: The Last Man, by Brian K Vaughn – Super fascinating graphic novel about the, well, last man. After an unknown event wipes all men from the planet except for this one, ordinary 20 year old dude….he has adventures as the only survivors (women!) have to figure out how to run the world. This one's not for kids (in case the premise didn't inform you!), and is well-written and gripping.

 

What I’m reading

 

What I read last October

What are you reading?

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

 

What I’m Reading: September 2015

Reading September

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I read

  • Landline, by Rainbow Rowell – As you might have noticed, I've been loving Rainbow Rowell. This one is definitely not a YA book – it's a great look at what it feels like to be married for years.
  • The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin – This book has been recommended by so many (male) podcasters I listen to, and while I liked it, it was far less about how to learn, than how this particular person learned chess and martial arts. He shares a bit of his story (which is interesting!) and then  tries to break it down into something you can apply to learning anything … but with more chess and martial arts metaphors. In other words, I enjoyed it, but I would like a much more direct book about learning, or one that used metaphors I actually understood.
  • The Martian, by Andy Weir – With all the intense work and CreativeLIVE prep, August was a month full of novels! This one was fun + quick, and although heavy on the science and math, it had a propulsive force that kept me reading. Can't wait for the movie!
  • The Faithful Place, by Tana French – Still loving this series from this author. Basically what I said last month.
  • Broken Harbor, by Tana French – Ditto above.
  • Your Perfect Presentation, by Bill Hoogterp – Read this in preparation of CreativeLIVE and while I was already implementing a lot of his tips (focus on value for the audience, tell stories, ask the audience to respond), it challenged me to make my class even better.
  • Ms. Marvel – Oh man, this comic is GREAT. If you haven't been reading it, go out and grab the first volume, especially if you love empowering stories for young girls (It's totally appropriate for any girl 10+)
  • Manage Your Day to Day –  This was this quarter’s Starship Book Club pick, but I waited to read it until after I finished writing my class!

 

What I’m reading

 

What I read last September

What are you reading?

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

What I’m reading: August 2015

 I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

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Looking at the list of this month's reads made me think about why I choose to read what I read. I realized it might help you in your own choices if you understood what I'm hoping to get out of the books I read. Sometimes it's just for pure fun and relaxation (novels), sometimes it's to learn something I don't know, or because I want different perspectives on an issue I deal with/teach in my work (many of this month's reads), and sometimes it's just to learn from the structure  or style of the book. As I work on my own book proposal, I need to understand what already exists in the market so my book is different and complimentary. Often I'll read a book for my clients or students, to see if it answers their questions (and then I'll recommend it to them!).

No matter why I'm reading a book, if I find myself avoiding it or just not moving forward through it quickly, I put it down. I'm a big fan of quitting (wow, I wrote that post 5 years ago!). If I don't like a book, I don't put it on the list here (or if I do, I'll tell you why I didn't like it).

 What I read

  • Landline, by Rainbow Rowell – Oh man. This is the book that solidified my love for Rainbow Rowell. While her other books are categorized YA, this is definitely adult. It's full of moments I've recognized in my own marriage, and insights into what it's like to spend a lifetime with someone. Totally recommend.
  • Radical Self Love, by Gala Darling – This isn't available anymore, but I think it's because she got a traditional book deal to release it. Fun, sweet, full of the kind of stuff you'll find in her best blog posts … but it could definitely use an editor for structure.
  • The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield – I heard the author on a podcast, and he seemed smart (he's a multi-time best-seller author!), so I picked up the book. At its core, it talks about the same kind of thing as Gala's book (above), but in a more structured format. If you have NO idea what you want to do with your life, and you're very very stuck, I recommend it.
  • Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell – Loved it!
  • The Soul of Money, by Lynn Twist – The title turned me off, but the author worked as a fundraiser for The Hunger Project and has used her experience in the third world and the super-rich fundraising world to explore our relationship with money. The book is much more about our cultural relationship than your personal relationship, but I'll be using some of the insights I gathered in the updated version of Pay Yourself.

What I’m reading

 

What I read last year

 

What I’m Reading: July 2015

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.
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 What I read

  • Better than Before, by Gretchen Rubin – This was this quarter’s Starship Book Club pick and I learned so much I recorded a podcast episode about part of it!
  • Eleanor + Park, by Rainbow Rowell – This was my favorite novel of the year (so far). I read it one long Saturday and it had me both giggling and in tears. Eleanor's home life just hit home for me.
  • The Likeness, Tana French – I'm not much a mystery novel reader, but this author was suggested to me after I liked Gone Girl. And I'm so glad because I've loved both books (I read the first one last month). It's not just mystery, it's got a lot of good character development and insights into the human psyche. But, ya know, it's still fun 🙂
  • The Sculptor, by Scott Cloud -I loved this. It's different from the usual, because it's not a series of individual episodes collected together – it's just one cohesive story (like a normal novel, but with visual storytelling!)

What I’m reading

What I read last year

What are you reading?

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

What I’m Reading – June 2015

WARNING: Lift Off closes today!
My bedside reading stack. I've got links to everything I read in May and everything I'm currently reading, on the blog! #fridayreads

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 What I read

  • Playing Big, by Tara Mohr. This book guides you through the process of finding and stepping into the next stage in your life. Whether that's massive business growth or changing careers or starting a non-profit or..anything – this book is filled with insight into what you're going to encounter and journaling exercises to help you move past it. Considering the “guided meditations” in a few chapters, I was pleasantly surprised by how full of applicable, pragmatic advice it was. It was exactly what I needed for where I was this Spring.
  • War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy. HOLLA! I finished a big one, yo! I read this all through my trip to Oregon and although I felt self-conscious (What's that you're reading? Oh, WAR AND PEACE, no big deal.), I think it was easier to stick with when I didn't have anything else. Surprisingly – it was actually compelling and interesting (if you let yourself get sucked in and don't worry too much if you really know who is who in the beginning.) It all comes together!
  • In the Woods, by Tana French. After W+P, I needed something fun. And well, this novel isn't fun as in happy, but it's definitely engrossing and thrilling. I read it all in a day and I have the second one waiting for me this weekend.
  • The Secret History of Wonder Woman, by Jill LaPore. This is more of a history of the creators of Wonder Woman than an actual look at the comics itself. But the creators, they were colorful, so their story is an interesting one. (By the way, I was bummed by Dr. LaPore's article in the New Yorker, it just didn't provide any cultural context. I highly recommend this response if you're interested in feminism + comics.)
  • Season 8 of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I didn't love it, but I loved parts of it. I was totally over the “slayer army” in Season 7, so I waited a long time to read this. But now I'm hooked!

What I'm reading

What I read last year

What are you reading?

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

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