I have been a reading BEAST lately. audible.com has been my ultimate tool for digesting books. Wait right there before you start defining “reading” as with your EYES. That is nonsense. Stop that. I had maybe picked up 3 books in the last 5 years to read with my eyes. Then I found Audible and I started reading 2 books a week. A WEEK. I have 4 kids, guys. I find that when I am working (which is intensely visual for me) that flipping on a book is super manageable. The excitement of beginning a book and the high I get from finishing a book is nearly the exact same as when I read with my eyes, too. Lately, my favorite books include: 

Quiet by Susan Cain: If you have ever been categorized as an introvert this is the book for you. Maybe you even just have some introverted tendencies. Or maybe you have a kid who is "quiet." Maybe you know someone, maybe you were raised by, maybe your best friend is. This book is for everyone who wants to understand the complexities of being quiet and what quiet people have done and are doing for our society. It was a validating read for me - as someone who has felt the pressures of society to hide my quiet more introverted side. It has also helped me navigate the waters as to raising my more introverted kids in an empowering, graceful way. 

Between the World + Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: This one is a must read for everyone. It is written as a letter from a black father to his son. I was expecting it to be super hopeful, or empowering, but it was more straight talk. Like this is how it is - this is our world, and more about the dialogue of being black in America and what that means day to day. Having 3 biracial sons, myself - it was powerful, heart wrenching, and super informative. I read it with my dear friend Alissa, too. She found it equally as powerful as a mother of two sons, but also as a teacher. She is completely intuitive and I loved our discussions while reading this book. My husband also read this book with me and it was the source of some fantastic conversations. Dialogue is so important, and this book initiates it. 

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: If you haven't read this book yet - it is a page turner. I actually feel bad recommending it to people because I am like “BYE LIFE” until you finish it. It follows a relationship from conception through its demise. Its a good mystery - and let me tell you that voice on audible is creepy as hell. *chills*

The Gift of Imperfection by Brene Brown: I AM A PERFECTIONIST. Okay I said it. Not for everything - but for most everything. It is inherited (thanks family.) But this book set me straight. It might have added a couple of years to my life — or at least a couple more years of having color in my hair. I love how she describes shame and shame resilience. She also touches on things like addiction, and vices for dealing with these lives of ours. She also shows the correlation between authenticity, vices, addiction and shame. It is beautifully woven and explained. She has also written other fabulous books, but I am connected with this one because it is my first Brene Brown book. She is brilliant.

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön: Thanks so much to my girl, Melissa, for this one. She gets me. I reference it pretty much daily. (See previous book for why.) It has given me so much courage. Despite the unfortunate events that hit my life in the last 7 years I have been able to see them all as super beneficial to my character and my growth as a spiritual human being. A main take-away from this book is that we are not entitled so some sort of "complete" feeling of accomplishment. We are forever in the in-between. We don't deserve resolution in our lives. In fact the only resolution in life is death. I actually look forward to crazy negative events happening in my life - just so I can re-read this book and be like “heck yes - I AM GROWING!” How empowering is that? 

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins: This one is the perfect mystery that has you guessing until the last chapter. I consider myself quite the detective when it comes to clues and such, too. So when they got me at the end - all I wanted to do was read it from the start to watch the clue dropping all over again. Good thing the movie came out recently! It follows a story in which 4 main characters narrate through their own chapters from their own perspective. The climax of the story can not be remembered by the main character and you follow her on her journey as she pieces together a particular night in her life. It is well written and easy to follow for a mystery that goes back and forth across time lines. 

ESSENTIALISM by Greg McKeown: This book gets all caps because I pretty much referred to it “THE ESSENTIALIST” for nearly the entire time I was reading it. It made me think of myself as an essentialist and it has thus transformed my life with its super easy understanding of what it means to be an essentialist, and how to transform your life from cray cray to manageable with a couple of well constructed “nos.” I was raised to never “CLOSE DOORS” to opportunities. But this book offers a different perspective. By saying “no” it allows us to do more of what matters and what is essential to our authenticity as a human. 

Moody Bitches by Julie Holland: The Truth About the Drugs You're Taking, the Sleep You're Missing, the Sex You're Not Having, and What's Really Making You Crazy: When I was 12 my mom gave me a book called "My Body" or something like that. Although I acted weirded out - I read that thing cover to cover. This, my friends, is the updated version. Historically, women's health education has not been a priority in our society. This book fills in all the gaps and has truly set me straight about what is happening. It is full of explanation as to why women in general feel certain ways at certain times in their lives. It is validating to realize that there is a bigger thing going on than "just feeling a little off." The author also gives great recommendations as to how to attack symptoms holistically and mindfully. It is an empowering read.  

The Organized Mind by Daniel J. Levitin: Are you looking for a great book to fall asleep to? YOU’VE FOUND IT. The guy who narrates this book has the voice of a sleepy professor. It reads like a text book - going over our brains and how they work, how humans organize information, and how this has changed dramatically in the age of information technology. I truly didn't care for the book at first. I was not expecting it to be so dry. However, once you get to the middle things start clicking and it gives a wicked perspective on why and how people act around you. I read it during the election months before and after. The book talks extensively about how once you wire a certain bit of information as “fact” in your brain it is nearly impossible to rewire your brain to believe that it is indeed false. EVEN when absolutely all evidence points to the contrary of what you originally believed. Watching voters vote and knowing this information was mind blowing. 

Have you read any great books lately? Please share! xo

Claire