Just Read: "Write it Down, Make It Happen"

I first heard about Write It Down, Make It Happen last year while watching TheBronzeGoddess discuss the impact it had on her life.  I picked it up from the library and jumped right in. In the beginning, I was like blah blah blah because the author seemed to be the "law of attraction" type.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not against it per say, I guess I just don't know enough about it to form an opinion.

Anyhoo, it was a great book, overall. I really enjoyed the measurable, practical strategies at the end of each chapter. 

What I plan to apply from the book:

*I started a Compliment book for recording positive compliments people say or write to me. It's meant to help appreciate my growth and help when I'm feeling down and ready to quit.

*Write my 750words each day to visualize and manifest the the life I want for myself and to work through problems I'm facing.

*Write near water every chance I get-it stimulates creativity

*I started a Dream Team with one of my good friend. We both want successful businesses, and to travel extensively, so we'll plan our goals and check in via Google Hangouts each week. We started yesterday. Woohoo!

Pretty good read.

Just Read: "We the Animals"

Have you ever read a book and wish you wrote it?  A book so poetic that you want to seek out the author and ask, "how the heck did you do it?"  Torres makes this shit look easy.

Well, that exactly how I felt after reading We the Animals by Justin Torres. Torres talks about his troubled childhood in Brooklyn to an Puerto Rican alcoholic father and mental unstable White mother, not fitting in with his 2 older brothers and dealing with homosexuality. This book isn't for everyone but I liked the author's writing style. It's written like a memoir but the author says it's a work of fiction. I don't believe him though.

This is one of those books that you would need to read a few times to appreciate (and understand) everything. I liked it.

Just Finished "The Dream Giver"

Even though I was excited the other day about starting Necole Bitchie's first book club selection, I read the synopsis and changed my mind.  I really enjoyed The Alchemist but wasn't in the mood to read another parable.  My friend, Kim who is also in the book club, sent me a few emails telling me how great the book is.

I cracked open The Dream Giver last Saturday night.

The first half of the book is a parable and the rest offers strategies for dealing with naysayers and conquering fear.

The passage from the second part that resonated with me the most is...

I remember a woman telling me that she was afraid to go ahead with her Dream.  When she let the word unworthy slip, I said, "Are you waiting until you feel worthy so you can begin?"

"Yes," she said.

My reply startled her. "Well, you aren't worthy," I said. "And you will never feel worthy.  If you continue to wait until you feel worthy, you will never live your DREAM."

Wow! I've been wanting to start virtual cooking classes for at least 6 months and that feeling of not being worthy is why I hadn't started.

That quote was very helpful to me. Just do it!

Even though this book is only 150 pages, it took me over a week to read it.  I haven't decided if it was because I didn't like it, or if it's because it competed with a lot of the other library books on my shelf. 

I did find value in it...especially that last quote about feeling worthy.  I would recommend the book on that quote alone.

Just Finished: "The Book of Awesome"

I don't remember how I found out about The Book of Awesome but it's pretty darn awesome.  I was in a funk when I cracked open this book, but found myself laughing and feeling so much better by page 18.  The author has a fun way of taking mundane daily activities and finding the awesome in them. He also talks a lot about illegal naps and being barefoot as much as possible.  Oh yeah!

This book is nearly 400 pages, but since most of the chapters are one page, I was able to finish it quickly.

Fun read. :-)

 

Have you read this one? What's on your reading list? I love collecting titles for my "wish list" :-)

Just Finished: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Wow! Oprah's book club selections tend to be a hit or miss (mostly miss) for me but I truly enjoyed this one.  It's the story of Hattie Shephard, who migrated to Philadelphia in the 1920s from Georgia to make a better life for herself after her father is murdered.  This story spans over 50 years as the author explores the lives and many hardships of Hattie and her children.

Don't expect a lot of happiness in this story. Hattie is cold and disconnected from her family, but feels she has to be that way because the world isn't loving nor forgiving.  She suffers in a loveless, penniless marriage and in so many ways never gets over the loss of twin babies from her first pregnancy. I do feel the loss of her 7 month old twins contributes heavily to how distant she is from her other children.

This story is quite depressing but so well-written.  I love Mathis' writing style.

The book reads like a lot of short stories, as Mathis discusses each child's life as an adult.  The book isn't typical at all and I appreciate literature like this. I like books that don't tie everything together perfectly because I want to draw my own conclusions and think about what I read days later.

I enjoyed The Twelve Tribes of Hattie.