July Book Round-Up
Recommended reads from the past few months
Hi friends!
This week got away from me a bit, so instead of a regular essay, I figured I’d share some of my favorite books from the past few months.
The Argonauts, Maggie Nelson
Maggie Nelson is one of my favorite essayists. My favorite aspects of this book were her stories about her and her adopted partner’s relationship. She explores queerness, gender, and built families with precision and care.
Die Wise, Stephen Jenkinson
I LOVED THIS BOOK. Jenkinson discusses “death phobia,” and how medtech industries have instilled a fear of what is ultimately natural and normal. He discusses his own work with dying and grieving people with care and compassion. The text is on the longer side, but is packed with stories, insights, and lessons that I feel make it absolutely worth the length.
The Wild Edge of Sorrow, Francis Weller
Beautiful set of grief rituals. Exceedingly kind and generous writing for difficult times. This particular book is one of a few I recommend in my game, Common Ground.
Rage Becomes Her, Soraya Chemaly
Keen readers will know that Soraya Chemaly is one of my newest favorite authors. I really liked The Resilience Myth and Rage Becomes Her—all about feminine anger and rage—was not a disappointment.
The Book of Joy, Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Carlton Abrams
This was a series of conversations between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, recorded and facilitated by Douglas Abrams (he also did The Book of Hope with Jane Goodall). It was full of kind reminders about the importance of taking things easy and making things joyful.
When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chödrön
I am fairly certain this was my first Pema Chödrön book. She excels in looking squarely at suffering through a compassionate lens. I love the way she makes the teachings accessible through story.
Kinship Medicine, Wendy Johnson, MD, MPH
I really liked this book for its take on overlapping and interconnected systems, from ecological to somatic. Recommended if you like books like Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer or Viral Justice by Ruha Benjamin.
Heartwood, Lindsay Branham
This particular text is about the healing kinship of trees. Branham writes about the relationship she has with trees and what such dignified life, with interconnected roots, might still teach us.
What books have you enjoyed recently? Have you read any of these? Let me know in the comments!
Light Hive offers embodied and engaged relational practices and dharma-inspired essays by a queer, transracial adoptee.
I had a great time catching up on my chill time on July 12th, and appreciate the term “co-chilling” offered by Anne-Marie. I’ve decided to offer this bi-weekly, so the next will be July 26th at 4PM PST.
We meditate, do a check-in, name what we’ll be doing (journaling, reading, painting have been popular so far), and then exit. There’s a nice little community space in the link below.
Thank you for reading. If you liked this (hit the heart!), check out:
Many thanks for your kind words!
thank you for this list Logan! Such a good reminder of the beautiful bodies of work that exist and like minded souls - so looking forward to the Book of Joy which was on my list and somehow I had forgotten about