Tag Archive for: Non-Fiction

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Broken (In The Best Possible Way)

Broken (In The Best Possible Way)Title: Broken (in the Best Possible Way)
Author: Jenny Lawson
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 304
Reason Read: Reading Challenge
Rating:

My Thoughts

Back in 2017, I read FURIOUSLY HAPPY and loved it. It actually kind of changed my life. I realized in a very profound way that I’m not alone. And, even when I’m in the depths of depression, it’s okay to laugh and enjoy life. I’ve wanted to read more of her books so I read her newest one, BROKEN (IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY).

Even though this book didn’t have as profound of an effect on me as FURIOUSLY HAPPY did, I still appreciated Lawson’s candor and openness with her struggles with mental and chronic illness. I find the way she describes things to be a very raw, honest, unique look at how someone deals with their pain. At times, I felt like she was stealing parts from my own life as she described hers. I feel like she and I are kindred spirits. Her humor and writing are definitely not for everyone. In fact, if you’re easily offended, then I wouldn’t even attempt to read her books. I’m glad I found her, though, and I’ll keep reading what she has to write.

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How To

How ToTitle: How To
Author: Randall Munroe
Genre: Humor, Non-Fiction, Comics
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 320
Reason Read: Play Book Tag
Rating:

My Thoughts

Corey turned me onto the xkcd webcomic about a decade ago. I’m not the most religious follower, but I do like his humor. I was really excited to read HOW TO and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved it!

I loved all the crazy things Munroe thought of doing using absurd, over-the-top scientific methods. Accompanied by his typical stylistic stick figure drawings made it a delight to read. I also loved that since I was in a physics class last semester, a lot of the physics he used and talked about were things I had just learned, albeit on a much simpler level. One of my favorite chapters was “How to Throw Things” because he has an interactive element on his website with the physics built in. I think it’s hilarious that Thor and Chris Hemsworth are available throwers.

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Keep Moving

Keep MovingTitle: Keep Moving
Author: Maggie Smith
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 215
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

KEEP MOVING was really quick read because it’s mostly pages of affirmations. I liked a lot of the affirmations, but my favorite parts of the book were the parts where Smith went into more detail, where she talked about her losses from losing her grandmother, two miscarriages, and divorce. Those were the times I felt a kinship toward her. Even if I hadn’t experienced loss quite the same way she had, I could still empathize with her and think of ways to apply her advice to my own life.

I really liked her perspective on things, especially when she talked about serotinous pine cones and how they only open and spread their seeds in the midst of fire. Or, how she likened trauma and loss to kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing ceramics with gold. The ceramic piece is beautiful because of its brokenness instead of in spite of it.

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They Called Us Enemy

They Called Us EnemyTitle: They Called Us Enemy
Author: George Takei
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: Kindle
Pages: 212
Reason Read: Book Club
Rating:

My Thoughts

I’ve only ever read one other book about the Japanese Internment Camps during World War II. I don’t remember what it was called but I know it was fiction. I was in middle school when I read it and it was how my teacher taught our class about this part of U.S. history. Reading about Takei and his family’s experience in THEY CALLED US ENEMY was very eye-opening and heart-wrenching. Even with what I was “taught” or read about, I didn’t know most of what Japanese Americans went through in these camps. It’s so disheartening that humans are capable of treating other humans like this simply because of their race and nationality.

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Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black Man

Uncomfortable Conversations With A Black ManTitle: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
Author: Emmanuel Acho
Genre: Informative, Non-Fiction
Format: Hard Cover
Pages: 295
Reason Read: Recommended
Rating:

My Thoughts

Emmanuel Acho is the son of Nigerian immigrants. After the death of George Floyd, he wanted to help white people understand why Black Lives Matter and other systemic racism issues are a problem in the U.S. “You cannot fix a problem you do not know you have.” He started a video series with the same name answering questions from his white viewers and then decided to write a book to go along with his series.

I’m glad I read UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK MAN. Acho doesn’t pull any punches as he discusses race, Black culture, and racism in a very open and sometimes uncomfortable conversation with his readers. I thought Acho’s words were eye-opening and they gave me a lot to think about. If more white people were willing to sit down and read his words, maybe we could actually learn from our mistakes and end racism and bias once and for all.