Reviews with TLC

On Freedom by Timothy Snyder offers interesting insight into the concept of freedom and how people perceive freedom. It took me several pages to really get into the book, so be patient, particularly if you're expecting, as I was, it to be similar to Snyder's book, On Tyranny . I enjoyed the play between the personal and the universal demonstrating that all of life is interconnected. He talks about how myriad people view freedom. I wanted more his mentions of his classes with prisoners. There were moments where the things that have changed since he wrote On Freedom loomed above the page teasing the words Snyder wrote. I particularly liked the concept of viewing freedom as "freedom to" rather than "freedom from" because it felt more hopeful. On Freedom argues for five forms of freedom, Sovereignty, Unpredictability, Mobility, Factuality, and Solidarity. All of which raised my skepticism a few times. Snyder is mostly convincing in his arguments and his suppo...

Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye weaves the experience of being human in an often inhumane world through poems that entice, invite, and challenge the reader to think and to feel. Nye writes for and about people, both those who are well-known and those who aren't, with equal intimacy and universality. Nye transports the reader to myriad places around the world including Palestine connecting places and people through their similarities and their differences. Voices in the Air whispers through place, time, and life with reminders of how connected we all are making our interactions all the more important in their ability to impact the world we inhabit. Currently Reading: On Freedom   by Timothy Snyder Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. If you'd like to follow what I'm reading in real time, please follow/friend me on  Bookbub ,  The...

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn challenged me before I even opened it. The length seemed daunting and yet when I finished it also seemed liked it could've been much longer, perhaps even multiple volumes. I took my time with A People's History of the United States . I even listened to part of it as an audiobook but also read those same parts in the paper copy. Zinn tells the history of the United States that gets left out of the official history books by telling the story of the people instead of the elite. A People's History of the United States made me think about how lacking all my history classes were. It's fascinating to study the actions and interactions of regular people, especially when those actions dispel the myths of the romanticized history that offers people the excuse to ignore the parts they don't like. Zinn demonstrates repeatedly how change comes when the general population gets tired of being trodden on by the rich and u...

Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel offers an interesting perspective on the relationship between capitalism and the destruction of the Earth, societies, and even our connections to one another and the planet itself. Less is More explores the history and evolution of capitalism in the world without making excuses for it. Hickel exposes the damage of treating the planet as a place for resources rather than as the home we all share. Hickel writes in an engaging, informative way that explains and dissects the problem while offering reasons for hope. Less is More demonstrates possible paths toward degrowth that feel plausible but left me wondering if it's too late for some of the incremental changes proposed. Hickel does a really good job demonstrating why degrowth is a viable option for creating a more equitable society that holds the potential to save the world for all.  Less is More is a call to all of us to connect with the world on a deeper level and...

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go. I tend to steer away from dystopian type books, but Butler might have just convinced me to open my mind to the genre. Parable of the Sower introduces a concept that tears down accepted perceptions of the world and where it might be headed in a way that feels both  fantastical  and  all too real  at the same time. The destructive nature of politics and religion bubble to the surface without ever pointing a finger at any particular group exposing assumptions and attitudes that come into conflict. Through a large cast of characters, Butler exposes biases, family dysfunction, and the importance of community. Parable of the Sower doesn't fear killing off a character in service of the story. Butler's depiction of domesticated animals gone feral was, at times, as painful as the depiction of humans gone feral. Her presentation of the creation of a possible new religion and definition of god ...

Dear Future by Jennifer Richter took me on an unexpected journey. Many of the poems felt like I was delving into a stream of thought but somehow that unsettling feeling felt like it was intentional and part of the theme. Given the personal nature of many of the poems, there were many times when I felt voyeuristic while reading Dear Future . There seemed to be a message about accepting the moment and not expecting more than the moment offered even when that moment was laden with expectations. Richter made me stop and re-evaluate my perception and understanding of both the poems and human nature more than once. Dear Future is an interesting if somewhat elusive book of poetry. Currently Reading: A People's History of the United States  by Howard Zinn   Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World  by Jason Hickel Parable of the Sower  by Octavia E. Butler Disclosure: This blog contains affiliate links meaning if you click on those links and make a purchase, I earn a...

Disarming the Narcissist: Surviving & Thriving with the Self-Absorbed, Third Edition by Wendy T. Behary, LCSW is an interesting book. Behary approaches narcissism in a way that surprised me. The first surprise was to see her refer to narcissism as a kind of spectrum ranging from healthy to damaging narcissism. I had never considered the possibility of healthy narcissism. I had to stop at that point and really think about what she was saying before moving on. The examination of schemas and the encouragement to examine one's own schemas as well as those of the narcissist in one's life was interesting and at times a little uncomfortable, especially when it came to examining the other person's schemas. The techniques in Disarming the Narcissist often feel like, as Behary acknowledges more than once, they cater to the narcissist. It feels like many of the techniques described could work better for communication in general, but also I could see them backfiring, especially w...

Verseweavers: the Oregon Poetry Association Anthology of Prize-winning Poems Number 29/2024 is an enjoyable collection of the poems that won the OPA's 2024 poetry contests. The book is divided by contest category and includes comments from the judges. I enjoyed the vast majority of the poems and found the commentary of the judges interesting. The thought-provoking and emotion-provoking poems reminded me how our life experiences can serve to bring us together or drive us apart depending on how we interact with both our experiences and each other. I look forward to receiving my copy of Verseweavers every year because the poems are always an interesting compilation of thoughts, attitudes, emotions, and experiences. Currently Reading: A People's History of the United States  by Howard Zinn   Disarming the Narcissist: Surviving & Thriving with the Self-Absorbed  by Wendy T. Behary Parable of the Sower  by Octavia E. Butler Dear Future  by Jennifer Richter Discl...

If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose by Refaat Alareer starts its emotional impact with the cover and continues it page after page. Alareer weaves emotion with intellect through beautiful phrasing whether writing poetry or prose. If I Must Die examines the experience of Gazans through the eyes of a family man, poet, and scholar. The prose takes the reader into the moments of despair, moments of hope, and moments of resilience while living under bombardment and occupation. The poetry dips into the reader's heart and lifts humanity a little higher like a kite flying above inhumanity. Alareer consistently reminds the reader that history is the present and the present is history by demonstrating the connections of family and land that reach through generations. If I Must Die is a stark but inspirational reminder that holding on to hope isn't a luxury but a necessity in the struggle for liberation. Currently Reading: A People's History of the United States  by Howard Zinn   Disarm...

The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman is a sweet story that focuses on Violet, the daughter of Sophie from the previous books. When the story started, I felt a twinge of trepidation about how a grown up Violet would be. I soon settled into the story liking Violet more with each paragraph. Throughout Violet's time in Paris, I was torn between my heart cheering for Violet to go home and pushing for her to build a life in Paris. When she finally feels like she's making a connection, the call that finally pushes her home comes. Hoffman writes Violet's story in a way that had me rooting for her and wishing for her to have both home and adventure. At home, she reconnects with her family and community and even the connection she left behind. The Bookstore Family is a beautiful short story that feels almost magical about love, connection, exploration, and family. Currently Reading: A People's History of the United States  by Howard Zinn   If I Must Die: Poetry and Prose  by R...

How To Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking by Sönke Ahrens read like a college dissertation. I first listened to (or at least started) How To Take Smart Notes as an audiobook while on a road trip. I didn't feel like I quite got it, so I immediately read the paperback version when I arrived home. While I understood Ahrens's point about the slip-box and its potential usefulness, I kept waiting for a depth into the process that never seemed to develop. How To Take Smart Notes felt repetitive beyond simply being consistent. Ahrens does a decent job of explaining his point, but I never felt excited about what the slip-box or its potential to change my productivity. Having read many, many books about writing techniques, this certainly felt like an option among many options including ones that already work for me. Ahrens claims that the slip-box is the only way to be productive several times and alludes to it even more putting my skepticism...

Pretty Is As Pretty Does by Alison Clement took me on an unexpected journey. Clement lured me into what I thought was going to be a light read only to deftly weave in some heavy issues after I'd gotten comfortable. The main character, Lucy is hard to like, but she's also intriguing enough that I wanted to like her more than I did. At times, her attitude towards other people was infuriating but her seeming naiveté about life, especially beyond her small town, was refreshing in an unexpected way while at the same time being disturbing. I often wondered if Lucy was really as oblivious as she seemed to be because she could certainly be manipulative. Still, my heart often ached for her as she navigated the circumstances of her life and longed for something different. Lucy's family was all too reminiscent of small town families I've known all my life, and I found myself wincing at harmful attitudes, words, and actions. Lucy's seeming detachment from the consequences her ...

We The Gathered Heat: Asian American and Pacific Islander Poetry, Performance, and Spoken Word edited by Fanny Choi, Bao Phi No'u Revilla, and Terisa Siagatonu is a beautifully diverse collection of poetic works that stretched the imagination and grounds the emotions. We The Gathered Heat weaves together differences and commonalities in a tapestry of humanity that serves as a reminder that both our diversity and our commonality offer us the opportunity to build a stronger society and a better world. We The Gathered Heat celebrates both the diversity and the unity of the human experience by sharing myriad voices, points of view, and cultures. Throughout the works by a wide variety of authors, the common thread of humanity never frays. We The Gathered Heat covers human experiences that feel like a trip around the world and back again often exploring the role of colonialization from the point of view of the colonized. Currently Reading: A People's History of the United States ...

Combating Cult Mind Control: The Guide to Protection, Rescue and Recovery from Destructive Cults by Steven Hassan is an interesting and somewhat disturbing book. I rarely listen to audiobooks and even more rarely review books I listen to as audiobooks because I often don't feel like I can do an audiobook justice. However, Combating Cult Mind Control stuck with me. Hassan's story of becoming indoctrinated into a cult, the Moonies, his experience in the cult, and his eventual deprogramming is fascinating. Combating Cult Mind Control offers insight into the methods cults use while seeming to miss similarities to some groups not considered cults. Hassan tells his story and the story of helping others with a level of compassion and insight that reminded me of the fear of cults and the lack of compassion for the indoctrinated during my teenage years. I had never questioned where those fears or the lack of compassion came from, but Combating Cult Mind Control pushed me to revisit ...