In his new book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains that just by recognizing them, you can change your habits.
Personally, I have a nightly habit of a glass (or two) of wine. At first I was like, it's cool, it's European! But I've realized that as soon as Toby goes to bed—ding, that's my cue—I immediately expect that crisp glass of wine. Duhigg shows how to snap out of your routine (and this week, I've just had water).
Do you have a habit you want to break? Doesn't everyone?
(Via Swissmiss)
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
I Will Miss You, Mr. Bradbury.
Even though it will already be two years this fall since I left my job as a high school English teacher, at times it seems like yesterday I was in my classroom, teaching American Literature to 15 and 16 year olds. When I was assigned that task- teaching sophomores all about the wonderful works of so many amazing American authors- I felt excited, and a little scared too. I knew I would be tackling a novel in the spring, and it was important for me to find exactly the right one.
So I chose Fahrenheit 451 to read with my kids. Everyday for a month we would crack open our old, 1950s dog-eared copies and read. And listen to Ray Bradbury himself while we did so, hearing the novel read exactly as it was meant to be read, gruff-voiced and enthusiastic. We read about Guy Montag, and Clarisse, and made connections to that life and to this one. And so many of my kids loved it, and so many of them got it- really, really got it.
For five years I experienced Ray Bradbury's genius through so much of his beautiful writing. Along with my students we explored his novels and short stories, and got to see ourselves and society's choices, through all of the eye-opening alternate worlds he created. Hearing news that Mr. Bradbury died today made me sad and nostalgic, but also so grateful that all of the amazing things I was able to read growing up, and still enjoy today, will forever be there for Henry and anyone else who might need a little magic in their life.
I will miss you, Mr. Bradbury.
Motherhood Mondays: French Kids Eat Everything
When we were on on vacation last month, I read an eye-opening book that completely changed the way we feed Toby...Read more »
The Best Chicken Cutlets You'll Ever Have (with Corn Flakes!)
Jenny Rosenstrach writes the fantastic food blog Dinner: A Love Story and has a brilliant cookbook memoir of the same name coming out next week (yay!). She and her husband Andy are passionate about nightly family dinners with their two daughters--and swear it's possible, if you keep things simple and fun. (Fun fact: Jenny has a diary listing every single dinner she's made since 1998!) Here, she reveals her secret family recipe for the best chicken cutlets ever...Read more »
Summer Reading List: Part One
Whenever summer rolls around I am reminded of growing up, and the awesome summer reading programs our local library put together for the kids in our small town. Reading was always one of my favorite things to do, and I can still remember that magical feeling in the air listening to stories read aloud in the big domed children's room in our library, or participating in a fun book-related activity after storytime. The summer reading program was always a big deal, and my sister and I would anticipate it for months. When it finally rolled around we would go crazy picking out our books and finding a comfy spot to read and read for hours on end.
And now as an adult I still love reading. And I still LOVE the library. So I thought this year I'd put together a summer reading list of my own- a list of new-to-me books I plan on reading over the next few months- and share it with all of you too!
Let me know if you decide to read along with me, and stay tuned for part two, which will publish soon, for a total of 14 books. Happy almost-summer, and happy reading! Feel free to add any of YOUR summer book picks in the comments below.
all summaries and photos taken from amazon.com
1. Signs of Life: A Memoir
(I'm in the middle of this one and LOVE it- I'll be posting a review as soon as I finish it).Twenty-four-year-old Natalie Taylor was leading a charmed life. At the age of twenty four, she had a fulfilling job as a high school English teacher, a wonderful husband, a new house and a baby on the way. Then, while visiting her sister, she gets the news that Josh has died in a freak accident. Four months before the birth of her son, Natalie is leveled by loss.
What follows is an incredibly powerful emotional journey, as Natalie calls upon resources she didn’t even know she had in order to re-imagine and re-build a life for her and her son. In vivid and immediate detail, Natalie documents her life from the day of Josh’s death through the birth their son, Kai, as she struggles in her role as a new mother where everyone is watching her for signs of impending collapse. With honesty, raw pain, and most surprising, a wicked sense of humor, Natalie recounts the agonies and unexpected joys of her new life. There is the frustration of holidays, navigating the relationship with her in-laws, the comfort she finds and unlikely friendship she forges in support groups and the utterly breathtaking, but often overwhelming new motherhood. When she returns to the classroom, she finds that little is more healing than the honesty and egocentricity of teenagers.
2. The Age of Miracles: A Novel
On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life—the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.
At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother's death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than “an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise.” But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone.
4. How Did You Get This Number
Nine thoughtful, unfussy essays by the author of the collection I Was Told There'd Be Cake navigate around illusions of youth in the hope that by young adulthood they'll all add up to happiness. The account of Crosley's footloose adventure to Lisbon on the eve of her 30th birthday starts things off in rollicking fashion in Show Me on the Doll: without proficient language skills, getting hopelessly lost in the labyrinth of Bairro Alto, and panicking in front of the myriad QVC channels offered by her hotel, Crosley recognizes that Lisbon was a place with a painfully disproportionate self-reflection-to-experience ratio. There is the requisite essay about moving to New York and replacing her anorexic-kleptomaniac roommate with a more acceptable living arrangement: in Crosley's case, delineated in Take a Stab at It, she is interviewed by the creepily disembodied current occupier of a famous former brothel on the Bowery, McGurk's Suicide Hall.
5. Still Missing
On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.
6. Insurgent (don't read this summary if you haven't already read book one, Divergent!)
One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
7. Then Again
(Diane Keaton's memoir)
Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK.
So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years. More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.
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See you soon for Part Two!
7. Then Again
(Diane Keaton's memoir)Mom loved adages, quotes, slogans. There were always little reminders pasted on the kitchen wall. For example, the word THINK. I found THINK thumbtacked on a bulletin board in her darkroom. I saw it Scotch-taped on a pencil box she’d collaged. I even found a pamphlet titled THINK on her bedside table. Mom liked to THINK.
So begins Diane Keaton’s unforgettable memoir about her mother and herself. In it you will meet the woman known to tens of millions as Annie Hall, but you will also meet, and fall in love with, her mother, the loving, complicated, always-thinking Dorothy Hall. To write about herself, Diane realized she had to write about her mother, too, and how their bond came to define both their lives. In a remarkable act of creation, Diane not only reveals herself to us, she also lets us meet in intimate detail her mother. Over the course of her life, Dorothy kept eighty-five journals—literally thousands of pages—in which she wrote about her marriage, her children, and, most probingly, herself. Dorothy also recorded memorable stories about Diane’s grandparents. Diane has sorted through these pages to paint an unflinching portrait of her mother—a woman restless with intellectual and creative energy, struggling to find an outlet for her talents—as well as her entire family, recounting a story that spans four generations and nearly a hundred years. More than the autobiography of a legendary actress, Then Again is a book about a very American family with very American dreams. Diane will remind you of yourself, and her bonds with her family will remind you of your own relationships with those you love the most.
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See you soon for Part Two!
Mindy Kaling's new sitcom
Have you guys heard that Mindy Kaling will star in a new sitcom this fall? "The Mindy Project" is all about a quirky OB/GYN who's trying to figure out her messy dating life. As Salon points out, the premise sounds pretty typical, but Kaling is so awesome and funny (and Emmy-nominated) that the show sounds promising. Here's the trailer. Will you be watching the show?Motherhood Mondays: The Great Toy Experiment
When pregnant, I barely read any books (they freaked me out!), but happily I've stumbled upon some parenting books for toddlers that seem to have wise and down-to-earth advice. Simplicity Parenting is one of those books. Here are four enlightening tips about toddlers and toys...Read more »
About a Little Mole Who Wants to Know Who It Was that Pooped on its Head. (Seriously.)
The funniest thing we discovered in Amsterdam was definitely this classic children's book. The title? "About a Little Mole Who Wants to Know Who It Was that Pooped on its Head." Look inside...Read more »
What are you good at?
Andy Selsberg's new book, You Are Good at Things, celebrates our secret talents that are typically taken for granted. For example, maybe you have the uncanny ability to always notice when someone gets a new haircut, or make the last drop of toothpaste last for a month.
So, what's your secret talent? I'm weirdly good at knowing exactly what time it is, even if I haven't looked at a clock in hours. (Whattup.) And my little brother can ride a unicycle!
Motherhood Mondays: Letter from Roald Dahl
Back in 1989, on a rainy afternoon, seven-year-old Amy wrote a letter to Roald Dahl. Using oil, coloured water and glitter, Amy sent the author a personal gift: one of her dreams, contained in a bottle. Here's Roald Dahl's wonderful response:
P.S. Roald Dahl stamps.(Photo by Palayo Lacazette; letter from Amy herself, who is on twitter; via LettersofNote)
Motherhood Mondays: Baby Names & Faces Book
Pinhole Press has a brilliant new baby photo product: Big Book of Names & Faces. You make one with photos of your child's favorite people. My mom made us one as a gift, and it has become Toby's favorite bedtime story. Since our relatives live around the country, this book helps Toby remember them between visits (and happily recognize them when he sees them again), and I love that the book helps him learn words and names, and show him that he's part of a family that cares about him. Bravo, Pinhole Press!(Thanks to my friend Laura Ratliff for taking these photos. You might recognize Sharon Beesley's kids in a photo. Pinhole Press is my friends' company and one of my beloved sponsors. )
What I'm Reading
Right now I'm reading Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting and so far, so good. I'm definitely enjoying the author's writing style; she does a great job of mixing statistics and facts with fun anecdotes and personal stories. It's written in an entirely engaging way, and I feel like I've learned a lot, even though I wasn't reading this book as a parenting book. And I don't really think the author intended for it to be one, anyway! Bringing Up Bebe is more so a look at one woman's experience as an American mother living in France, taking us on her entire journey and sharing what she's learned along the way in a humorous, page-turning tone. It's an easy read- totally approachable, quite fascinating, and if the first three-fourths are indicative of the rest of the book, enjoyable from cover to cover. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who spends time with little ones or really anyone who's interesting in learning more about cross-cultural parenting.
So how about you- what are you reading right now?
Roald Dahl stamps
British author Roald Dahl wrote the nuttiest, wackiest, most magical children's stories, and The Royal Mail just released this rad set of stamps to celebrate him. What's your favorite Roald Dahl book? (Mine's The BFG.)
Paris vs. New York
Graphic designer Vahram Muratyan founded the rad website Paris vs. New York, where he compares the two cities in a cheeky way. Well, this week he came out with a book! I'd love to see all 100 illustrations.Whose side are you on--Paris or New York? :)
Motherhood Mondays: 5-minute game to make your child feel loved
Last night, I was reading the book Playful Parenting, when I came across an anecdote about a mother, who had just had a third child. Her older kids had gotten clingy because they felt that the new baby was taking away from their time with her. So, she made up a genius game...Read more »
Do you ever worry about your partner dying?
So, as you may know, I'm a worrier, but here's the worry always in the back of my mind...Read more »
Happy Monday to ME!
I woke up, and thanks to a few of my Facebook friends, noticed that there was a new Hunger Games trailer available to watch. And unlike the first one that barely showed anything, this one sheds light on so much, and so many characters. I am beyond excited for this, and from what I can tell, it's going to be absolutely amazing.
I read the first Hunger Games book a few years ago and since then I've persuaded almost everyone in my life to read all three of them, including most of my students. I'm such a book-pusher.
Let me know what you think! Happy Monday!
The Library & E-books
Maybe I missed the memo when this first happened, but I only just discovered via my Mom that you can check out e-books for your Kindle (or other e-reading devices) via the library! WHOA, WHAT?! Yes. It's true. It's simple too. Go ahead and visit my local library's fabulous website and then choose your reader of choice. If you're a Kindle user like me, you'll be directed to watch a very helpful video that demonstrates how easy it is...or you can just watch it right here.
I am so, so excited about this. I love to download books to my Kindle, but because I read them so quickly I often get annoyed having to pay $9.99 or so for each title. This way I can read until I'm blue in the face...for free! And what's better than supporting your local library. I still feel guilty from time to time about not buying paper copies of book (although I still buy ones I really love for our library), but this way I feel like I'm at least supporting the library, which is something I wholeheartedly believe in.
Happy reading!
Books, books, books!
{click the photo to visit original source}
I don't know what it is, but with this cooler weather comes a new and refreshed love for reading. By nature I am a total bookworm; my undergrad degree was in glorious English Literature and some of my most favorite memories from college involve fall days in one of my Lit. classes, talking about books and authors and all things reading. Because most of my classes were in the same part of campus, I would often sit out front of the liberal arts building with a book and a chai tea from the union, sipping away as I got lost in one story after another, looking up only to notice someone passing by on a bike or a lonely little fall leaf skipping down the Autumn walkway. I loved college.
But even better than college? Having an hour or two to myself in the evenings to curl up in bed with a mug of Sleepytime tea and read until my eyelids get heavy. College was great, but nothing beats the feeling of reading just for fun, with no other purpose than true curiousity and the desire to learn or be entertained.
So I ask you; what is the last great book you've read? If you could suggest one book to a friend (me!), what would you recommend? I'm looking to fill up my Kindle and bookshelves as these days get cooler, and I'd love to know what you've been reading! I like all sorts of writing, from fiction to non-fiction, memoirs to sci-fi, girly books to YA lit. I can't wait to see what you share.
xoxo
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