The last two months marked some unusual activity in my reading habits. First, I was in a serious reading slump in August (I only finished one book all month) which carried over into the start of September. Thankfully, I’ve found my way out of it now. Second, I read a book from of the library!!!
Just so we’re clear, I’m not anti-library. I love them and I love that they exist. I just don’t use them very often because I really, really like to write in my books. But to keep my book buying at a more manageable level, I’m trying to mix in some trips to the library when I need a book fix, and last month I was happy to find something that was on my wish list!
The only book I managed to finish in August was Charlie Porter’s What Artists Wear. I was excited about this book when I first came across it, and while it had beautiful images and lots of interesting tidbits, ultimately it didn’t quite speak to me the way I had hoped, though I’m not sure why.
I switched gears in September and read Sarah Frier’s No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram. Most of this book wasn’t earth-shattering to me. I’ve been an Instagram user since 2011 and have followed the company fairly closely. Still, it confirmed a lot of the issues I’ve had with the platform since Facebook bought it. And I love how Frier took a deep dive into the ways that Instagram has impacted culture. Overall, with solid reporting and interesting storytelling, this is a good read.
If there was one book I’ve been excited to get my hands on this year, it’s Wellness for Makers by Missy Graff Ballone. I got to know Missy during Alt Summit a couple of years ago and she is an awesome person doing great work for the maker community. After anxiously awaiting the book, I can honestly say it does not disappoint. Not everything was new to me. (I’ve been following Missy’s IG and as someone who both does yoga and incorporates yoga into the high school running program where I coach, I’m well aware of the importance of understanding our bodies.) But there are still so many fantastic reminders and exercises in this book. It definitely belongs on the shelf of every artist and maker!
The book I picked up from the library last month was Ed Yong’s An Immense World. This book caught my eye a few times. Its discussion of the senses fits my wheelhouse, though the focus on animals over humans was what kept it from the top of my TBR pile. I’m so glad I grabbed it though because this book is incredibly fascinating and I feel like I gained so much insight and knowledge. I would describe it as “dense but readable,” definitely not something you’re going to get through in a weekend. But if you love learning as you read, I’d recommend this book.
I’m almost ashamed to admit that it has taken me this long to read my final book of the month – Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. After all, I love reading business autobiographies and I’ve been a runner for over 25 years. This book should be right up my alley. Still, something always made me hesitate. Maybe because Knight is a white guy who founded a company with a bunch of other white guys, and I was worried that he would come off a little douchey. (Which occasionally, he does.) And while I preferred the other book I read about Nike this year, Emotion by Design, I am still glad I decided to give Shoe Dog a chance, mostly for the honest dive into Nike’s cash flow and financial challenges during the company’s early years.
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