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...