📚 What I've read in August
Hi ,
How are you doing?
(Really).
I've done it again with my reading habit. Pesky case numbers, despairing at the actions of some people / the general state of the world, feeling a bit sad about the untimely death of Sean Lock (at a time that we need all the laughs we can get), and getting sucked into watching wombat videos, has thrown my reading out of the window this month. Who knew that staying consistent with good habits would be hard during a pandemic? 🤷🏻♀️
Anyway, as I like to look on the bright side, this means there's only room to improve. I switched books mid-month (keep reading to find out more) and I'm back into a better reading zone through reading something I'm really enjoying. I'm planning to take a day (or so) off at the end of this week to; 1) celebrate getting my second vaccine dose on Wednesday (that's right, I'll be Pfully Pfizered), and 2) mark the fact that I should have actually been going away this week, a trip that was clearly destined to never happen. So I'm definitely looking forward to kicking back with some books in a couple of days.
I've also earmarked a couple of books off of this great list by author coach Kelly Irving. I've already downloaded Breath by James Nestor, and I've added What Doesn't Kill Us and Survivor to my 'want to read' list. Maybe they'll even make me get back into cold showers / cold dips in the bay...
(I wouldn't count on it though).
Finally, in nice news, big congratulations to my pals at Major Street Publishing who picked up three awards at the Living Now Book Awards last week 🎉
In looking for the glimmers,
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 ongoing creation by buying me a coffee (now with a credit card payment option), purchasing a card from the Good Press card store or leaving a podcast review on the website. Thanks!
What I read in August
After a bumper reading month in July, I've taken it a little easier in August. I also had my first DNF (did not finish) book of the year. Read on for more...
If Then by Jill Lepore (DNF)
This book is both very interesting and very scary. It's a history of behaviour analytics, how early algorithms were developed in the middle of the last century to predict US election voting patterns based on other behaviours / preferences, and how the creeping influence of 'ad men' into politics has changed the political, and social landscape forever.
However! I've taken a bit of a pause on the book because whilst it was interesting, I just wasn't rushing to pick it up. So I replaced it with...
How I Built This by Guy Raz (In progress)
If you love the podcast by the same name, you'll love this book. Unlike the podcast, which focuses on one particular startup story, the book combines multiple stories into the lessons of building a successful brand. Complete with the highs, the lows, the scandals, the billion dollar funding rounds, the complete failures, the lawsuits, the aha moments, and the break ups.
It's also real joy to read. Guy's style we've grown to love on the podcast comes through really nicely in his writing. It's also another very good example of 'great book written by a journalist' (journalists tend to be my favourite type of non-fiction writers).
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
I've been enjoying two brand new podcasts in the last couple of weeks...
🎙Podcast: Maintenance Phase - A recommendation I picked up after someone shared on Instagram, this podcast debunks the myths, pseudo-science, and just plain junk behind various health fads, wellness trends, and nutrition nonsense... plus the odd cult for good measure. A fun and informative listen. (Spotify | Apple)
🎙Podcast: Reply All (The Test Kitchen Revisited episode) - Ok, a quick recap ICYMI... Early this year there was A LOT of drama about this podcast (Reply All) and their series about the racism, bullying, and general poor behaviour at Bon Appétit. Reply All 'exposed' this in their mini series The Test Kitchen. However, what quickly transpired was that the culture at Reply All was... the same!
Cue media storm, senior people leaving, a pause of the podcast and general drama. A couple of months later, Reply All put this episode out. Part confessional, and part clean-up operation, it's an interesting example of an organisation trying to move forward and get better after being called out on the same thing you're holding other people to account for. (Spotify)
🎵Music: Reprise by Moby - when I work in the evening, I have a very specific musical requirements. Moby's latest release of orchestral and acoustic arrangements of 14 of his back catalogue, perfectly ticks these boxes. The first track, Everlong, is stunning.
Meanwhile, on the bookshelf
Recent Steph's Business Bookshelf podcast episodes, in case you missed them...
Permission to Feel by Professor Marc Brackett
(Listen)
How to Write Short by Roy Peter Clark
(Listen)