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What I’m Reading – June 2015

WARNING: Lift Off closes today!

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

Better than Before, by Gretchen Rubin (it's this quarter's Starship Book Club pick!)
Eleanor + Park, by Rainbow Rowell
The Likeness, Tana French

What I read last year

What are you reading?

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies!

What I’m Reading: December 2014

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

Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, translated by Mary Jo Bang – part of my Great Books Project, more info below.
Grave Mercy, by Robin LeFevers – Ninja. Nun. Assassins. Historical fiction. That's all you really need to know – it was fun and I read it in a weekend. (Looks like it's free with Kindle Unlimited!)
Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty, by Diane Keaton – Sigh. I had hoped I would love this book as much as I love the actress, but it this collection of essays about her own relationship with her looks didn't reveal anything beyond a lifetime obsession with being “pretty”. Pretty disappointing.

Between Inferno and pretty Diane, my reading mojo was sucked dry. I'm halfway through 5 books, but I didn't get completely through any of them, so they're the first few listed below.

What I’m reading

The Happiness of Pursuit, by Chris Guillebeau
Aeneid, still slogging through
Time Warped, by Claudia Hammond
Show Your Work, by Austin Kleon
Playing Big, by Tara Mohr

The Great Books Project

After months of waffling, the Great Books Project is underway. I’m tracking it via GoodReads (my entire list is here) and holding discussions on the Facebook page, with conversations about our lists, our progress, and regular quotes from the books I love. I’ll be sharing a little update here each month, and you’re welcome to join in on your own project, either in the comments, or over on the FB page (the joy of FB is that we can all reply to each other).

This month I read Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, translated by Mary Jo Bang and although I like the translation better than others I found, this is a grim read. I mean, we know that right? And yet, so many people had told me, “Oh! You're going to love it!” that I…thought I'd like it. But I didn't. Oh sure, it's intense…but I'd rather not spend my reading time in hell, thankyouverymuch. (I am super curious to learn more about how many of modern Christianity's images of hell came from this bit of Italian poetry.) On the docket for this month: finishing the Aeneid and reading The Color Purple. See, Great Books aren't all ancient! (In fact, after I read Confessions, all books will be post-1500! Practically modern!)

What are you reading?

What I’m Reading: November 2014

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

The Magician’s Land, by Lev Grossman. I've been waiting on this book since I finished the last book and it did not disappoint. It was a great ending to the trilogy. But it did have an adverse affect – I didn't feel like picking up another book for a good week after finishing it.
Wonder Woman Unbound, by Tim Hanley. I don't remember why I picked this book up, but it's a fascinating history of of the comic book superheroine. The book dives into the motivation of her creator (a rare 1940s feminist (male) psychologist who developed the DISC personality theory and the lie detector test!) and how she's been transformed throughout the years. It serves as a great introduction to feminist cultural criticism and it was fun to read.
Looking for Alaska, by John Green. I read this in one day on the train to LA (and back) and it was delightful and devastating.

What I'm reading

The Happiness of Pursuit, by Chris Guillebeau
Inferno, by Dante
The checklist manifesto: how to get things right, by Atul Gawande.
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley (it seems like the right time of year, eh?)

The Great Books Project

After months of waffling, the Great Books Project is finally underway. I’m tracking it via GoodReads (my entire list is here) and holding discussions on the Facebook page, with conversations about our lists, our progress, and regular quotes from the books I love. I’ll be sharing a little update here each month, and you’re welcome to join in on your own project, either in the comments, or over on the FB page (the joy of FB is that we can all reply to each other).

After last month's reading glut, this month, the official beginning, kinda fizzled. I got two translations of Confessions from my library and they both were totally impossible to read. So I ordered this translation…and it didn't arrive yet. I got about halfway through Aeneid, and then it was due at the library and I was going out of town…so I'll pick it back up again this month. (I'm enjoying it much less than the Odyssey, frankly.) I got Dante's Inferno from my library, so we'll see how that goes!

What are you reading?

What I’m Reading: May 2014

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

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, by Gary Vaynerchuk.

Quilting with a Modern Slant, by Rachel May.

Devotion: A Memoir, by Dani Shapiro

Gods in Alabama, by Joshilyn Jackson

What I’m reading

FaceTime, by S.J Pajonas (interview with her here)

The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin

The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg

The Obstacle is the Way, by Ryan Holiday

How about you? What are you reading?

What I’m reading: April 2014

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

Slow Motion by Dani Shapiro. A fascinating memoir-ish book by my new favorite author.

Knowing your Value, by MikaBrzezinski. If you work for The Man, you're probably not being paid enough. This book will help you work through asking for more.

Ready Player One, by Earnest Cline. SO GOOD. I devoured it.

Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving. I went through an Irving spell several years ago and I don't know how I missed this one. A great novel, recommended by Kim.

A pile of quilt books, including Word Play, The Quilts of Tennessee,and Tula Pink’s City Sampler.

What I'm reading

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, by Gary Vaynerchuk.

Quilting with a Modern Slant, by Rachel May. So good!

The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin

Parallel Lives, by Phyllis Rose

Frankly, I've lost my reading mojo. Got a book suggestion? I'd love to hear it!

How about you? What are you reading?

Disclaimer-y Disclaimer! Or course I’m biased when my friends write a book, but I don’t mention things I don’t like. Read the usual disclaimer here.

What I’m reading: March 2014

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.

Snow days are great for reading! I got through so much during the very short February!

What I read

$100 Start-up by Chris Guillebeau. As I hoped, this is going to the top of my to-recommend list for those where-to-start questions. This is for you IF you're not sure how to get started. IF you are seriously excited to start a business. Even though I'm 8 years past “start-up”, I still learned stuff – I used the Launch Checklist while opening Pay Yourself (and had my biggest class launch ever!)

Money: A Love Story, by Kate Northrup. In preparation for leading Pay Yourself, I wanted to read up on some of the emotional side of money. This book is a good look at the emotional stuff, particularly if you're afraid to get started.

No Meat Athlete , by Matt Frazier. If you're not sure where to start with eating more healthily, this book's first half is GREAT. Not only does he give you the knowledge of nutrition you might be missing, he really focuses on habit change. Because it's not just about knowing the thing to do, it's about doing it.

If You Can Talk, You Can Write, Joes Saltzman. The title says it all! I used the prompts to keep up with my 1,000 words a day and found myself quoting it to the writing-scared.

The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert. I wasn't sure if I liked this novel, but I kept going (and it's huge!). I enjoyed it, but didn't love it.

Fuzzy Nation, by John Scalzi. Read this sci-fi classic (it is a classic right? It should be!) in one long weekend. Fun!

What I'm reading

Slow Motion by Danie Shapiro.

Knowing your Value, by MikaBrzezinski. Another Pay Yourself-inspired read, and it came just at the the perfect time -I've been helping one of my clients double her rates.

Ready Player One, by Earnest Cline.

A pile of quilt books, including Word Play, The Quilts of Tennessee,and Tula Pink's City Sampler.

How about you? What are you reading?

Disclaimer-y Disclaimer! Or course I’m biased when my friends write a book, but I don’t mention things I don’t like. Read the usual disclaimer here.

What I’m Reading: February 2014

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.

This was the month of starting and then giving up on books. Even though I'm a fan of quitting (it's one of my reading rules), it's still a bummer when I realize that the book's not getting any better.

What I read:

Ape: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur – Everything you need to know to self-publish including laying out your book + making all the different ebook formats.

Released, S.J. Pajonas – So good! And I got to interview her here!

The Nerdist Way, by Chris Hardwick – This was a Christmas gift from Jay, because it's been on my list for years and we're fans of the Nerdist podcast (the perfect road trip sidekick – something for the radio that we can both agree on). Loved that it was so in line with what I teach, especially the Map Making Guide.

Rockabye: From Wild to Child, by Rebecca Woolfe – I love this blogger's voice so when I saw the book at the library, I snatched it up. Quick, easy, entertaining.

Give and Take, by Adam Grant – Well, I got about halfway through this, then skipped around. I agree with the premise, but all the examples are a bunch of old, corporate white guys who “give” by introducing tech companies to possible investors. This got old, so I decided to give it up.

Allegiant – another book I gave up on after being annoyed. So sad, because I loved the first book in this trilogy. Oh, and I skipped ahead and read the last chapter, so I know how it ends. (Harry had it right)

What I hope to read:

$100 Start-up, so that I can recommend it to people who need it
Money: A Love Story, reading up on money in preparation for leading Pay Yourself.
No Meat Athlete , nearly finished!
If You Can Talk, You Can Write.
Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work.
The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert

How about you? What are you reading?

Disclaimer-y Disclaimer! Or course I’m biased when my friends write a book, but I don’t mention things I don’t like. Read the usual disclaimer here.

What I’m reading

Last year, after writing about reading 100 books in one year, I started sharing what I was reading each month (see them all here). I love that the project brought a lot more conversations about books (and books I never would have discovered) into my life, and I'd like to continue it into the new year, but maybe with a few changes.

Do you have suggestions? Do you want me to review my favorite book of the last month (like this)? Share more business books?
I'm open to all ideas! Leave a comment here.

Now, for this months' reads:

I'm going to be in and around airplanes a lot (TNNA!) so I'm mostly planning to read from my Kindle. I hope to get to:

Everything I Know, by Paul Jarvis
Platform, by Micheal Hyatt
Released, S.J. Pajonas (I'm interviewing her later this month!)
Your First 1,000 Copies, by Tim Grahl

I'm also hoping to read:
The Desire Map, by Danielle LaPorte
How to Deliver a TED Talk, by Jeremy Donovan
Give and Take, by Adam Grant
The Signature of All Things, by Elizabeth Gilbert

What are you reading?

Explorer Club of Book Lovers – December

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!

What I read in November

I slurped up Erika Lyremark's smart book on the 2nd day of the month! It is a collection of her stories from stripping (yes!) which she transforms into business lessons you can apply to your own work. So inspiring, I read it in one day (and came up with a whole new offering!) Best yet, you can download it free when you join her list!
Wool was so, so good. Totally gripping, and totally satisfying. If you liked the Hunger Games or Divergent, you'll love it.
Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It is short + sweet. I liked it as much as the author's BlogCastFM interview (which is what convinced me to buy it!)
I am still taking copious notes on Before Happiness, Shawn Anchor's second book (I read his first one in September). Look for a deeper discussion of his book soon!

What I'm reading in December

I happily snagged Paul Jarvis' new book (we talked about it here, remember?) and I can't wait to dive into it.
No Meat Athlete covers vegatarianism AND running!
Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work.

What are you reading this month?

What was your favorite book of November?

Disclaimer-y Disclaimer! I’m not in any way coerced into saying nice things about anyone's book. Or course I’m biased when my friends write a book, but I don’t mention things I don’t like. Read the usual disclaimer here.

Explorer Club of Book Lovers – November

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!

What I read in October

Whew! I read quite a bit this month (thanks to all that time in airports + the following Introvert Recovery days).

My favorites:

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? Recommended by just about everyone, this was the perfect airplane read!
Homeward Bound: Why Women are Embracing the New Domesticity. I wrote a lot more about this book and the topic in this post. (Don't miss the smart comments!)
Choose Yourself, by James Altucher, is a straight-forward take-down of the traditional career path and a rallying cry to choose yourself. I wrote more about what I learned from Choose Yourself, here. (Bonus: It's only $1.99 on the Kindle!)
The Art of Being Unmistakable, by Srinivas Rao (podcaster behind BlogcastFM) was a quick, easy, inspiring read. I found myself jotting notes and having ideas constantly during the reading. Have a notebook handy!

The good:

I got a good start on the ginormous Steve Jobs biography but had to return it to the library about halfway through (he's just made Toy Story with Pixar!). Whenever it comes back in, I'll pick it up again.
Turning Pro was fantastically inspiring. I'll probably be writing more about it soon, in the style of this book review.
Someday, Someday Maybe. Lauren Graham's novel is funny and tender, and felt a lot like being in my early 20's. Fun + quick!

The meh:

The Culture Code. This was interesting, if a bit reductionist. All the same, it helped me understand a little more about what drives people's buying decisions.

November's To Read List

I already slurped up Erika Lyremark's smart book on the 2nd day of the month! It is a collection of her stories from stripping (yes!) which she transforms into business lessons you can apply to your own work. So inspiring, I read it in one day (and came up with a whole new offering!) Best yet, you can download it free when you join her list!
A carry-over from last month's list, I'm hoping to get to Shawn Achor's second book soon!
Wool is the mega-successful self-published sci-fi novel. I've been hearing about it forever and I just started it last night. Gotta read anything with “Wool” in the title, right?!
If You Want to Write, by Brenda Ueland is one of my all-time favorite books. I checked it out again to get me through NaNoWriMo.
Wired for Story is another writing-fuel book.
Allegiant is the third book in the Divergent trilogy and I am on pins + needles waiting for this book to come in for me at the library!

What are you reading this month?

What was your favorite book of October?

Disclaimer-y Disclaimer! Srini sent me Turning Pro + Erika gifted Think Like A Stripper. But I’m not in any way coerced into saying nice things. Or course I’m biased when my friends write a book, but I don’t mention things I don’t like. Read the usual disclaimer here.