What I Read in August

Here's a look at what I read in August; I was surprised to see I read so much as I was really struggling with post-concussion syndrome symptoms. It's been a month of excellent books, that's for sure!

Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World by Jason Hickel
I adored this book and want everyone to read it. It's a brilliant look at the history of capitalism and how it has led to the multiple, intersecting crises our world is currently facing. It also lay out really clearly how "degrowth" will help us not only address these crises but create a better, more beautiful, more humane world for everyone. It filled me with righteous anger and sacred hope and I can't recommend it enough.

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A new conversation about anxiety by Sarah Wilson
I've been on quite the Sarah Wilson kick recently, so when I found this book secondhand I decided to pick it up. This is a meandering sort of book that combines memoir, self-help, interviews, psychology, philosophy, and myth to explore the experience of having anxiety, how we can see the gifts it offers, manage its challenges, and live a big, bold, beautiful life with it. I think Sarah really perfected this style of book in her most recent, This One Wild and Precious Life, and this one feels a bit clunky in places. But overall, I really enjoyed it...it gave me plenty of "me too!" moments, interesting practices to try, and a new way to think about the anxiety that has accompanied me for my entire life.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I read this novel in high school and when I saw it in our local Little Free Library, I thought it would be fun to read it again. It's the love story of Henry and Clare, with the twist that the former has a genetic condition that causes him to travel through time against his will. It's a fun read and it was also interesting to reflect on things I would have found so romantic as a teenager, which as a more well-adjusted adult I can see just...aren't.

How To Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
I've read several books about digital minimalism and creating healthy boundaries with technology and this one is quite different. It's a treatise on taking control of our attention and increasing our connection to one another, weaving in philosophy, activism, history, and mythology. It's a little bit academic and quite dense in places so I found I needed to read it quite slowly to really let it sink in. It's given me a lot to think about and it's one I know I'll come back to to continue chewing on the many ideas she shares.

Food Isn’t Medicine by Dr. Joshua Wolrich
I really like following Dr. Joshua Wolrich on Instagram and was quite excited for this one. It's a quick read (I read it in a couple of hours) and I love how clearly he tears apart diet culture and weight stigma. However, I will say that he tries to tackle A LOT in this book, while keeping it a pithy, mainstream read and I think for that reason, there are places where he misses the mark or doesn't go deep enough to make a compelling case. However, I still think it's worth a read, I just didn't get as much from it as I was hoping. But if it helps even one person realise their health is not determined by their weight or prevents one person from telling a person with cancer that they can heal themselves through their diet, then it's certainly done its job.

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I was a bit late to the party reading this one but I'm glad I got there in the end! Written in the style of a rockumentary, this novel tells the story of a band's rise to the fame in the 1970s and a behind the scenes look at why they suddenly broke up. It's an absolutely delicious read that I devoured in a couple of days.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A companion book to Daisy Jones and the Six, this was another page turner that I read most of in one afternoon. Weaving family history with the story of a party that changed many people's lives, this novel was a pure joy to read. I'm itching for my hold on the third book in this series to come into the library!

I'd love to know: what's your favourite book you've read recently? What are you reading right now? I shouldn't let my to-be-read pile to get any longer but I'd still love to know!