Karen Chiang
Thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and the refreshing writing style. Felt like I was watching a pink panther movie! I suppose it's more like human observations through a light detective plot? Heartwarming, although it did not reel me in as much as it just made me curious and want to find out how it ends.
Really more of an essay (written for PORT Magazine) but it was just the right dose of existential, traumatic inner rambling one needs in that length. Between mundane moments and intense memories, Dolan illustrates trauma through her signature writing style— which only lightly traces over plot but digs deeply into how small details of life weaves into moments and then into days.
“I never used a hairbrush. You just had to brush again the next day.”
There's a sense of emptiness and powerlessness she creates in so few words. A great bite-size Dolan read.
Perfect airplane read that captured my attention for five hours. It started off so relatable for anxious people (and so well written too) and slowly unravels into some unhinged territory - but you can't help sympathizing with the main character too. Mental health is talked about so much but this is another read that can help you FEEL it.
PS love a straight forward romantic story. Love Cliff
It was good at the beginning and then it started to feel like I'm sitting in a never ending lecture. It's like trying to learn how to play basketball by attending a blow by blow talk on how to flex your wrist joints or improve your jump steps. Unfortunately it felt repetitive, theoretical and uninspired. There are many, many great philosophers that came before him and vivid storytellers that came after. This was neither. Not that this is a judgement on the author's own journey, which is beautiful and transformative and great but a 5 hour read on meditation and the last chapter on how he wants the world to be changed (which was decidedly and unexpectedly political) is not what I signed up for.
Rounding up a 3.5 to 4. As one would expect from Mitch Albom, this book is not to be read in public because you'll cry like a baby - so full points for that.
The lessons behind the story is beautiful as always—another Albom trademark, but I thought the story itself was mediocre at best.
spoilers ahead
But...
Why would Annie get a preview of heaven when she isn't really dead? Is she gonna meet five more people when she die-dies?
Also, I just don't feel the pay-off fully, there's so much grief and hurt even after the five rounds of explanation. I really wish Annie could've been let off the hook of life instead.
A beautiful coming-of-age book fit for women going into their thirties. Indeed as relatable and poignant as the critics rave. Nina's journey feels like an arm around your shoulder, telling you that life is messy but that's what makes for a good story.
Great for people who still aren't married and are constantly peer pressured into learning about child rearing!!
It wasn't as relatable as the first book, so much like the author's own perspective while transcribing this book, there is a sense of distance even when reading her first-person dialogues.
This book is heavier, harder to wrap your head and heart around, but it's also very real. It reminds us that we don't need to justify our emotions, our depression, or even our weaknesses. We always have a choice put our focus on the greater parts of ourselves, which sit side by side to our perceived shortcomings.
I liked the premise of the book but as it got on, the intentional non-linear storytelling started to unravel and I was starting to think it was deliberately mirroring Aubrey's sanity. It was not.
I found the book dragging on and on with no satisfying gratification at the end. A lot of details were left unexplained, which made me confused and lose interest. Is this a fantasy book? How much of it is in her head? What's the premise - is it magic? Sci-Fi? A curse?
As a travel book, it fails to capture the beauty of the world, instead leaping from place to place. As a fantasy book, the “library”'s intrigue becomes a rhetorical question.
The book is a puzzle ball which frustratingly leads to a fruitless, blank piece of paper. A full circle, if intentionally done then great job.
Really interesting book that completely upends mainstream perception of food, diet, and eating. It's also beautiful that at the end of the day, we just have to eat mindfully and wholly so that our bodies can do the job it's evolved to do.
He does acknowledge that this is merely a glimpse into the roots of our cravings and obesity problem. I'd be interested to learn more about the specifics of HOW we can fix the cravings. Beautifully written and plotted so one page effortlessly leads to the next, which is rare for books on this kind of usually dry topics.
I also wonder what the author's thoughts are on veganism.
Stay away from processed food!!
Wonderful little number packed with lots of insights about how to know yourself and others deeper - in other words to keys to staying sane. There are many gems to remember as we trod along in life too.
Lots of homework, a few like the genogram can be quite daunting. I'll be referring back to this book many times.
A timely reminder for myself that we must find the middle way between control and chaos.
I stumbled into this book at the library but I'm so lucky that I did! As a yoga teacher and a self-practitioner this book held all the tools and encouragement you need to create and maintain a self-practice. Really does what it says on the can. Unlike most workout books, this one is worth keeping on your shelf and keep going back to.
Marked it as read but it's really more of a reference book - you can pretty much skim it back to back within one hour.
I was skeptical going into the book as I specially started it to see if the book really does what it says on the cover.
I was half right. While there were some inspiring moments and interesting exercises, and I truly admire Jessica's grit, I couldn't fully understand the value of this book.
It feels like one long blog post or e-book. It might have even started that way.
Like she said, you're not for everyone. So I guess this isn't for me!
I started and stopped and restarted this book, admittedly only as a shortcut towards my annual reading goal.
But the decision served me well as the latter half of the book seemed easier to get through. I skimmed many of the examples and stories (just a lot of the same thing to make his point), but enjoyed each principle and found them all very helpful.
There were instances where I thought people in the modern era would be skeptical of such “sincere” approaches. But... He said it himself. These aren't hacks, they are ways to deal with people from the heart. And it might not always work, but at least it improves your chances!
I went in not knowing the book was about the DISC system. Because I had briefly studied the system as part of my coaching training I was already familiar with the concepts. Nonetheless I thought it was a good idea to get a refresher.
Overall the book made it easy for anyone to understand the DISC system, but for all the mentions of people being most likely multicolored, I think the author didn't do enough of explaining instances of multicolor and how that affects their behavior. How does a green-blue differ from blue-green? What determines their “base” color and does a person's palette ever change? Does being aware of the colors shift people's behavior?
Overall I think the book is too superficial to give the DISC system justice, if it's worth any. The 4-grid system seemed too simplistic in this painting, and becomes too vague when everything can be explained away by “case-by-case basis”.
I learned a little, but not enough. Maybe that's proof that I'm a true blue with a dash of red.
“He hadn't wanted to admit how incredibly lonely he had been the last few weeks, tromping around by himself, looking at everything but never feeling like he was touching anything.”
An incredible little number that showed, not told. Through a breadcrumb trail of sights and senses, the book let the reader piece together how easily people come together and fall apart, how fragile the human heart is, and truly how primal our filial devotion can be.
Quickly went through it in about 3 hours give or take. Didn't really chew through her sentences in detail this time, more skimming as I wasn't too familiar with the geographic or cultural settings of Dublin and London.
The style is consistent with Exciting Times in that it explores the emotional frustration that comes with being in your twenties, exploring your sexuality and navigating adulthood. Also the need to stomach the character's flaws in failing to expressing their feelings outward and suffering the consequences of that — except this time we actually get it from their perspectives in first-person inner monologue.
If you like beautiful people where are you (I do), then this is similar but pales in comparison.
Finally, I've finished this mammoth of a book. What started as a curious peek at a social media recommendation turned into one of the most important reads of my life.
It gave me some answers regarding my worldview, and it united very beautifully some various philosophical and spiritual beliefs I found to be true.
This book and Seth is so special. I hope everyone will take the time to read it, although I sense it's really not for the skeptics who aren't ready to change their minds.
So precious. Just ordered a physical copy so I can relish it on paper.