Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

fiction

What I’m Reading: December 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 with me on Facebook and find all the posts here.

(The usual disclaimer applies.)

What I'm reading this month

I have a complex process for deciding what to read on a trip. It has to be light enough (in tone) that I can jump into and out of it easily, but gripping enough that it will keep my attention through turbulence and noisy neighbors. And it must be a book I own and don't mind leaving behind, or on the Kindle (I have carted library books around the country, and there's nothing as annoying as losing precious luggage space to a book you finished a week ago.)

What I read

  • Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman (not the whole thing, but bits of it, and all of Song of Myself)
  • The last three Harry Potter books! Ahhhhh! Free on Kindle Unlimited, so they were the perfect thing to keep me busy on trains and planes, without having to cart around the books. But then I left my Kindle on the plane, and so I bought the 5th and 6th (and just left them behind).
  • Woman in Cabin 10, by Ruth Ware – I got it as part of my Book of the Month club membership and brought it along on my trip. (And left it in the airport for someone else to find!) Totally kept me on the edge of my seat, but not as satisfying as Girl on the Train or Dark Matter (both recent BOTM choices that I loved).
  • The Royal We, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan – a fun, modern romantic comedy. My entire reason for reading it is that I was going to England and I know nothing about the royal family and it looked like fun.

What I’m reading

I need some more recommendations! Tell me on Twitter or Facebook!

  Here’s to another great month of reading!

What I read last December.

And in December 2014. And in December 2013!

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?