Can you believe it’s September already? Granted, I took a week off this month for a trip to Scotland, and it shows in both my monthly page count (1271) and the number of books I’ve finished. But, on the bright side, a month that passes quickly is usually a month well-spent:

So instead of fretting, I shall take refuge in what I did manage to accomplish this month, notably the completion of the following books:

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[/one_half] [one_half_last]I finished reading Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change by Elizabeth Kolbert on the plane to Scotland. Climate change is a subject near and dear to my heart, and this book does a great job of being both readable and informative. The book provides a great overview of some of the more concerning recent research, interviews with many prominent climate scientists, and a compelling argument for why action to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions is critically important. If you’re feeling sanguine about Earth’s future then I highly recommend you check your delusions at the door and read this book.[/one_half_last]

 

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[/one_half] [one_half_last]The second book I read this month was The Invention of Wings: A Novel by Sue Monk Kidd. I had previously read and enjoyed her earlier novel The Secret Life of Bees, but I think The Invention of Wings has the more compelling story. Set toward the beginnings of the American abolition movement in the early 1800’s, The Invention of Wings is based on the real story of two sisters, Sarah and Angelina Grimké, who were revolutionary early advocates of both abolition and women’s rights. Though based on real events, the narrative has been artfully fictionalized by Kidd, most notably in the inclusion of the perspective of a Grimké slave, Handful. Both a compelling story in its own right and a fascinating exploration of the lives of the Grimké sisters, this book would make an excellent addition to anyone’s reading list. [/one_half_last]

 

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[/one_half] [one_half_last]I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Making the Journey from “What Will People Think?” to “I Am Enough” marks the last volume in the trifecta of Brené Brown’s books. I had previously read and loved her most recent book, Daring Greatly, and then was subsequently unimpressed by her second book The Gifts of Imperfection, mostly due to it’s similarity to Daring Greatly (see my earlier review). However, I was pleasantly surprised by I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t).

The first of her published works, this book focuses more intensely on the results of her early research on shame (primarily in women), and I found the more in-depth treatment to be both fresh and insightful. Unlike The Gifts of Imperfection, I thought this was a great book and one that makes an excellent companion to Daring Greatly. FYI: the focus of the book is nearly entirely on shame in women, though brief mention of shame for men is made toward the end.[/one_half_last]

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know what you’re reading in the comments below.

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