Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

informal book club

What I’m Reading: April 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 are YOU reading this month? I'm sharing my list of April reads on the blog, at TaraSwiger.com. Come and read my mini-reviews and leave recommendations of YOUR favorite books!

 

What I read

  • Presence, by Amy Cuddy – I really liked this! I recommend it for everyone who gets nervous and feels frozen or awkward in… any situation! If you don't read the book (which you totally should!), you can watch her TED talk.
  • The Secret History, by Donna Tartt – I'm like a decade after everyone else, but this book was great – I love the way the mystery unfolded. You know who did it, but you don't get why until the very end.
  • Year of Cozy, by Adrianna Adarme – so pretty! Totally inspired me to make my own candles.

What I’m reading

What I read last March.
And in April 2014.

What are you reading?

I could use some recommendations! What are you reading and loving right now?

 

 

 

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?

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!