I jinxed myself. Contrary to May’s introduction post, this month was more hectic than the last few. I should’ve seen that coming- birthdays and warm weekends make for a packed planner. It made me glad to have chosen In The Watchful City as the Book of the Month. Short, easy, and physically small enough to…
Exercise, in any form, goes hand-in-hand with rest. No bodybuilder lifts billion-pound dumbbells seven days a week. No marathon runner runs twenty miles every day. Proper exercise involves planning days of lighter exercise between the days when your muscles get put to the test. These rest days are critical for preventing injury and building muscle…
I’ve developed a process for writing my book reflections. Once I’ve read the book, I go back through any notes I took and look up unfamiliar concepts or questions I might have. I delve into reviews to give myself some background about what other people thought. When I’ve decided I’ve read and learned enough, I’ll…
Morality is the backbone of many popular stories. Heroes are Good, Villains are Bad. The former embodies current societal values and ideas, while the latter represents less acceptable, or extreme value systems. Tests of moral strength are given to the Heroes to ensure their inherent Goodness before they defeat the Villains and triumph. Everyone throws…
The adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” is rarely followed. I mean, let’s be real- when you scroll through Libby or Kindle, do you pick an unknown book solely because of its blurb? I know I don’t. Covers that catch my eye get a longer look and more grace if it ends up…
“I would not have you descend into your own dream. I would have you be a conscious citizen of this terrible and beautiful world.” - Ta-Nehisi Coates There are books that change the way you read. Jane Eyre opened me up to Victorian-era classics. All Creatures Great and Small and The Tipping Point broke me…
February is a mixed month. While the cold and snow continue to buffet us from the north, the sun hangs in the sky a little longer each day, reminding us that the winter is nearly done. A groundhog is hoisted above crowds as a clairvoyant of springtime. Valentine’s Day shows up halfway through to pelt…
I love being wrong about a book. Reading a book so completely outside your expectations is like going on an adventure in an unknown land. Piecing together clues and foreshadowing felt like charting a course on a map. Revelations near the end were landmarks, rewarding you for picking out the trail from the weeds. If…
When I originally sat down to work on this project, I knew the first and most important thing for me to do was research books. Specifically, newer books, not just the classics and the rereads on my shelf. I’d already been reading outside my comfort zone in 2021 thanks to a commitment to stop being…
Tea Reads 