Four books to help you reemerge and restart
Hi ,
I feel like people are starting to reemerge. I went to a great in-person networking event on Friday evening here in Melbourne which involved some top-notch-human interaction. The Whatsapp groups I'm part of with friends and family in the UK have started to show sunny (albeit chilly) outdoor gatherings and colourful spring flowers. And friends in the US are starting to venture outside a little more, filling my Instagram feed with street photography and signs of life.
At the same time, we're confronted with constant news of botched vaccine roll-outs (I'm looking at you Australia), uncertainty on when we can travel overseas to see friends and family, and images of the heartbreaking situation in India (SBS has a good list of donation options here, if you want to provide financial help). It's hard to know whether to feel hopeful or hopeless at the moment.
Whether you're also grappling with some of these mixed feelings, or you're starting to feel more like yourself again with some intentional life-redesign, in this bookmark, I'm sharing four books that are great thought-provokers for when you're re-imagining life.
In books we trust,
Steph
PS. To borrow from Austin Kleon (and everyone else who borrows this from Austin Kleon), this newsletter and the podcast are 'free but not cheap'. You can support their creation by purchasing your next book through my affiliate stores with Book Depository (global) or Bookshop (US), buying me a coffee or leaving a podcast review on the website. Thanks!
Five books for re-imagining life
The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile
This book is full of joy. A secular look at connection and community in the 21st century, and how we can take the ideas from the rituals and religions of yester-year and turn them into something that connects us with ourselves, each other, nature, and even the transcendent. Essential reading if you want to add intentional connection into life after lockdown.
Lost Connections by Johan Hari
Not a light read, but such an important one, and even more so right now. Johan Hari looks at the other pandemics of loneliness and depression, and how as a modern society, we need to connect more and medicate less.
The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
I still come back to the ideas I read in this book over ten years ago. Russ Harris tackles the myth that 'happiness' is what we should constantly be striving for, and gives helpful techniques for managing less-helpful thought patterns we might all into.
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
With a bit more focus on the 'work' element of life, this book dismisses the idea that you need to 'follow your passion', and instead puts a design thinking and experiment-focused approach to life and work design. A fun and practical read, with lots of great activities and conversation starters.
PS. if you'd like to take better book notes this year, you can enjoy a 15% discount on your very own copy of the Archley's Book of Books book journal, here^.
Ear food
Free Time with Jenny Blake - I enjoyed this podcast interview with Cal Newport about A World Without Email *A LOT* more than the book, which I'm still slogging through. If you're interested in the idea, save yourself some pain and listen to this (and to my upcoming episode about the book of course, coming in the next few weeks). (Spotify / Apple)
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso - Sam interviews Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to register and run the Boston marathon in 1967. You might have seen this famous photo of her being chased down by the race director, who was aghast at the race being brought into disrepute by a *woman* running. Now in her 70s, it was such an inspiring conversation about small acts of rebellion and creating change. (Spotify / Apple)
Meanwhile, on the bookshelf
Recent Steph's Business Bookshelf podcast episodes, in case you missed them...
1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
(Listen)
Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
(Listen)