New Year and Some Old Books
Hey- Happy New Year!
This year I have been 10000% over the long-drawn out, deep-and-meaningful farewells to the year we left behind. Mostly, because 2017 was kind of shitty for me…
That’s neither here nor there.
Something cool I saw though is people are sharing their reading lists from the past year. I am inviting myself to share the 15 books I can remember reading from 2017. (Occasionally with a brief opinion and a link to buying them just in case any of these strike your interest…) Get ready to get to know me on a weirder level!
Okay, here we go… in the order of remembering them:
Don Miguel Ruiz shares his knowledge on handling life and love with some serious wisdom that comes from the Toltec tradition that his family still intimately shares. Some amazing, simple and profound stuff fa sho.
3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F–k by Mark Manson
Been on a BIG Mark Manson kick recently, he has a well known blog that spews modern day wisdom. This was just a delightful little biddy that was mostly about making sure we reserve our F–ks for the things we decide mean the most to us.
4. Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
I like to mix non-fiction books with fun stories. I think there’s always something very elegant in reviewing some of the classics… Plus Hemingway and I both have this weird affinity for Bull Fighters- I dunno. Just go with it.
5. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
I bought this for my mom last Christmas and successfully stole it from her this summer. Great, easy read on manifesting all the things you would want for yourself and having a little faith and a little belief in the magic of the universe.
Okay so this book is in Argentine Castellano. So Spanish speakers/readers this is a delight. It’s about this painter artist dude who like goes full on stalker of a woman he sees at one of his gallery showings and there’s some treachery that ensues from all of that Latin Passion. A lot of references to the city of Buenos Aires which always makes me feel a happy kind of nostalgia.
7. Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness
“Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, And Thrive With The New Science of Success” These guys came to my former training facility to present their research and findings on what helps produce a solid-ass performance both on and off of the track. It is really insightful and applies to all sorts of life situations.
8. Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
This is a book on mental resiliency written by Sheryl Sandberg’s perspective and personal account from the sudden loss of her husband. Backed up with some sweet and sexy qualitative data from Adam Grant.
9. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
A book you should just read. Kind of like a feminine “Catcher In The Rye…” Good, simple, clean prose with a touch of a spiraling mental disorder. It’s a fantastic read.
10. The Sparrow Mary Doria Russel
This book for some reason has taken me ages to finish BUT it’s an interesting story with aliens, alternate universes and Jesuit priests… I’ll just leave it there for you to do more research on it if any of that seems interesting to you.
11. The Familiar Vol 1: One Rainy Day in May by Mark Z. Danielewski
I had the pleasure of meeting my FAVORITE author in the whole world in 2016 from his work “House of Leaves.” His style is unconventional and kind of science-fiction without it being cheesy…. but his way with words expressing serious emotion is nothing short of poetry.
12. Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
Okay, I am so embarrassed by this but a coach recommended I read it YEARS ago and my ego was way too inflated to read it up until recently. Since I’ve thrown my pride away in the trash, it has been a good way to be mindful of maybe some not so healthy relationships in my life and their dynamics.
13. A Grief Out of Season by Noel Fintushel
Another embarrassing-ish self-help (and shockingly expensive) book that looks like it came directly from the funding of PBS (“and viewers like you…”) but it was helpful. Dealing with my parents divorce as an adult has been a weirdly alienating experience and this book is for grown-up-babies like me to help make sense of and help get through it.
14. The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Frankly, this book was just aiight. It’s about being present with sprinkled with some spirituality and magic of the universe. Never a bad time to remind yourself.
15. Mans Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
This is one of those books that I’m going to have to read at least once a year. Frankl is a psychologist that also survived Auschwitz and he basically has a non-emotional way of describing the horror of that experience and what he learned. An academic the sharing psychology of what satiates us as human emotion machines despite going through some seriously upsetting shit.
When I was home in Denver, I recently met up with an old friend who I initially met at the LAX Airport in 2011. We became friends because we were reading the EXACT SAME BOOK. (Note: said book will be updated as soon as either of us can remember what the hell we were reading 6 years ago…) isn’t that a cool way to make friends through reading tho?
BOOKS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER THIS IS MAGIC
Anywho, I read a lot still and already have a healthy list of reading on deck for 2018.
Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give A F*ck
This is a cookbook. I’ve been interested in trying better to eat just *food* (not scary chemical stuff) and also have been doing a little research on the benefits of vegetarianism/veganism and it’s anti-inflammatory properties (like, doing it the right with actual vegetables) obviously Thug Kitchen is not short on sass or profanity- I’m all about it.
Conscious Coaching by Brett Bartholomew
Brett was a coach at a facility I trained at in Phoenix and he has some amazing insight that applies to coaching, being an athlete, but most importantly being a human being who has to interact with other human beings on a regular basis.
Originals: How Non Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant
Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success by Adam Grant
My psychologist brought up Adam Grant to me about 3 years ago and I fell in love with his research on the psychology of social interactions. I won those books in a contest (nerd alert!) so I have these sweet little gems waiting for me sometime soon for consumption.
50 Physics Ideas You Should Really Know by Joanne Baker
No joke; it took me 1.5 hours to get through 20 pages of this book. I spent my whole life avoiding hard math and science classes just to enjoy it now. Physics explains the world as we experience it… and also helps me make sense of long jump sometimes. This book covers all the big and important ideas for simple folk like me.
Ishmael: A Novel by Daniel Quinn
I had read the Story of B which is the prequel to this and it was pretty tight. That book covers the Anti-Christ and Agricultural revolutions so I’m assuming this one also has some interesting, weird concepts that are beautifully wrapped up in good story telling.
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Really into this physics kick right now and figure I should read another classic. I bet these books on my list are the equivalent of “Pat The Bunny” of science, but whatever, I like the way it makes my brain feel.
The Game of Life and How To Play It by Florence Shovel Shinn
A psychic recommended this book to me while I was playing around in Sedona and who I am to ignore a psychic, right??! Homegirl wrote this book somewhere around 1920 I think and it will be interesting to see where this wisdom draws parallels in our lives almost 100 years later.
Why You’re Not A Track Star by Tianna Bartoletta
Tianna Bartoletta is the 2017 IAAF World Championship Gold Medalist after surviving domestic abuse, divorce AND homelessness. Her athleticism is outstanding and I have a feeling her mindset is pretty rockin’ too. I am a seriously huge fan of hers and love seeing other athlete’s perspectives and how it helps shape their successes.
If anyone would be interested in starting a book club/read these along with me, PLEASE do not hesitate to let me know in the comments!
Lacey Henderson 