Reading
I like books. I like reading them and it's been obvious for years that I like having books in my hand and on my shelves. I worked in a book store during college and often put aside books each week awaiting payday. I moved boxes and boxes of books from my hometime in Colorado to my new home in Denver. Then boxed them up and moved them to Montana. Another move to Hawaii and my books came with me. My husband's books joined mine in the only air conditioned room in the house.
Though I made the hard decision to let go of most of my books as we moved from Hawaii to Pennsylvania, I gave myself permission to buy an ebook version of any book I gave away. But it's not the same. There are some books I want to hold in my hand and feel the paper and the weight of the ideas. I still read ebooks and am now listening to audiobooks while I'm exercising.
I started listening to audiobooks with my husband as we worked our way through the book list for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC established in 1878). We graduated in the Class of 2022 and continue to work our through the list achieve additional levels.
I belong to another book group to read books on organizing & productivity and another group reads books on writing. I read all of these with an eye to how they might help my clients and fellow writers and authors. Maybe you'll find a book or two that interests you.
Let's read!!
Organizing & Productivity Books
(for writers)
Topic: Photo Organizing
What's a Photo Without the Story?: How to Create Your Family Legacy by Hazel Thornton
I love that actions are broken down into low, medium, and high effort. This is an intro to photo organizing and geneology, but most of all it's reminder to write your stories!
Topic: Purpose
(reason for living)
Ikigai by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
I was disappointed in this book. It was mainly stories of individuals and how they had their purpose. Not necessarily how they found their purpose or struggled to find it. Or even stories of people who didn't have it.
I much prefer Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
Topic: Fight Distractions
Attention Span by Gloria Mark
Topic: Build Habits
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
Use this book to choose, build, and maintain the right WRITING habit for you — read my blog Unlock Your Writing Productivity: Key Lessons from Gretchen Rubin's book, Better Than Before
Topic: Working at a Human Pace
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
Books on Writing
On Writing from Steven King
The War of Art from Steven Pressfield
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
Thoughts on writing from Ray Bradbury
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury
Advice to writers of memoirs.
The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
I don't write memoir. I don't read memoir. But I was curious to learn if my nonfiction outline workshop would work for memoirists.
I came away interested in more books and writers than I have time for. This is why I read books - expand my narrow focus and gain the world.
Topic: Advice on writing and being a writer
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
CLSC Books
Currently Listening To...
Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life by Roxanne Robinson
AI is here to stay. Now the next challenge is to ensure it is used ethically.
Georgia O'Keeffe: A Life by Roxanne Robinson
Gain more from the books you read
How to Read a Book by Mortimer J.Adler. They teach us how to read as children, but that's only the beginning. The other levels of reading are left to you pick up as you may.
Key: Active Reading and reading at the Analytical Level
Topic: Pierre-Auguste Renior
Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
When I read about the artist and his life, I look for details in his paintings. I'm curious and I look deeper.
Topic: Political Action
Civil Resistance by Erica Chenoweth
Topic: Defense of science
Why Trust Science? by Naomi Oreskes
Topic: Refugee experiences
The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen
Topic: Answering ethical questions
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael J. Sandel
Topic: James Baldwin
Begin Again by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.
Other Books
Welcome to Moningers Fall from Steven L. Parker
Welcome to Moningers Fall: and other Stories by Steven L. Parker
I am so proud to edit and share these stories with the world. When they were first written, Steve called himself an itinerant engineer. He was a man who dreamed of becoming a full-time writer, of dabbling in paint and creating art—a man with more ideas than hours and, seemingly, his whole life ahead of him.
Unfortunately, like too many of us, he put off starting, doing, and finishing the things he loved most. He didn’t get the chance to complete many of these narratives himself.
A Must Read for caregivers
