Books
As a self-identified bibliophile; I love to read! I am guilty of buying books instead of handbags or shoes. I find reading therapeutic and have been asked by several friends to share the books that I read. So I will share the books that have resonated with me and hope that they will do the same for you. Over the years; books have transformed, mentored, and challenged me. So watch this space as I share books and potentially events to meet in person to discuss books over a nice brunch.
Transformed Me.
There are countless books that have transformed me. The beauty of reading is that I have learned to appreciate other people’s perspective.
Mentored Me.
There are a few authors who became my unofficial mentors. I believe that you can learn from anyone by observing, reading, and listening.
Challenged Me.
There are so many books that have challenged me. I believe that it is so important to read books that will challenge your thought process.
How To Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair is book that I highly recommend. It was voted as one of the best memoirs in 2023 by GoodReads. It is about Safiya who was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The book is about her life being raised by a father who is strict believer in a military sect of Rastafari. Her mother did what she could to bring joy for Safiya and her siblings with books and poetry. This is a story about hope, imagination, and resilience. I cried, laughed and cheered.
Maame by Jessica George is another book that I really enjoyed reading. It was voted as one of the best non-fiction books in 2023 by GoodReads. It is about Madeline “Maddie” Wright, a young woman in London who struggles to balance her life as a caretaker of her critically ill father, her mother’s verbal tirades, and a challenging career. When her mother returns from Ghana, Maddie moves out on her own. I connected with this book because it covered several themes such as mental health; grief; dating; family dynamics; and career management.
Everyone has a book that has changed his or her life. That is how I feel about Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell. This book provides 15 steps on how to turn mistakes into stepping stones. It also highlights that the three things that block us from moving forward are paralysis, procrastination, and purposelessness. It is so important to get moving, build momentum, make mistakes, and move on. So if you need a book that will spark the fire in you to turn your mistakes into stepping stones that will propel you; then read this book. As an insecure type A; I am learning that failing and bouncing back are a part of life.
For 2024, I gave myself a challenge to read 24 books. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman was the 18th book that I read in September. This book is a friendly reminder that time is finite and while technology has afforded us with more “flexibility” we sometimes take time for granted and not spend time on the things that matter because we assume that we have time but the reality is that our time here is limited. As someone who tries to be everything to everyone; I thought that this book was a friendly reminder that there is no right or wrong decision but one has to decide how you spend your time. So while many of us do not want to accept that our time is limited; I think it is liberating to know that we have limited time here so it is important to make the most of our time and accept that we will never have the time to do everything and that is okay.