Book 27: All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood

If you were in my presence during the time that I was reading this, you undoubtedly heard me excitedly telling you all about it.

So much of it rang true to my experience as a parent. I loved the first section about parenting preschool children and the challenges that poses to individuals and their relationships. Senior has some theories as to why parenting sometimes feels like 99% boredom and 1% panic. She does this by presenting several case studies of families in each stage of parenting: those parenting the very young, those with elementary school age children, and families with teenagers. The case studies are presented with empathy and without unnecessary judgment. 

I think most parents will see some aspect of themselves in it, no matter what "type" of parent you are. It helped me understand myself and my stage of life in different ways.

Book 26: A Tale for the Time Being

Oh, what a delight this was!

Sometimes it was mind-bending, sometimes it was disturbing, but overall, it was wonderful to listen to. Ruth Ozeki reads her own book in this audio version and it is remarkable.

If you like Haruki Murakami, you'll probably enjoy this as well.

Oh, and that is book 26 for 2014! I've met my goal!

Book 25: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast

This is a quick read (or listen) that has the potential to help you make better use of your time.

At first I was a little put off, thinking I am not really trying to be "successful." But Vanderkam doesn't define success; she enumerates some broad categories, but leaves most of the defining and identifying of success up to her readers. Then, she discusses how to make sure you're moving toward those goals in the first hours of the day.

Now if only I were doing any of the things Vanderkam suggests.

Book 24: What to Look for in Winter

I found myself asking, "What is this book about?" quite frequently. That doesn't seem like such a good sign.

Candia McWilliams began to lose her sight when she lost the ability to hold her eyes open for most of the day, a condition called blepharospasm. Her memoir is an attempt to explain to herself and others how that might have happened. There were some compelling parts of this book, but much of it left me scratching my head.

Book 23: Prague Winter

Madeleine Albright only discovered her family's Jewish heritage 50 years after World War II, when she became Secretary of State for the Clinton administration. She then learned that a number of her relatives had died in Jewish internment camps in Czechoslovakia.

This book is a mixture of personal remembrance, family history, and the history of the Czech people and Czechoslovakia, focusing particularly on the years leading up to and including World War II. There was much that was new to me.

The writing was lovely. The reading was done by Albright herself, which was nice in a way, but sometimes the pausing was odd or confusing.

Book 22: Notes from a Blue Bike

Tsh Oxenrider runs a great website called The Art of Simple. She also has a new book out this year. In it, Oxenrider gives ideas and poses questions to help readers make more intentional choices in there family lives.

In it, Oxenrider gives ideas and poses questions to help readers make more intentional choices in there family lives.

I really wanted to love this. I even joined the associated online book club, but the book just did not speak to me. There wasn't anything particularly thought-provoking or new to me. The blue bike only made two appearances: in the prologue and the epilogue. As Lance Armstrong said, It's Not About the Bike. That's a shame, because I'm really drawn to the idea of living simply and cruising around with my kids on a bike. Oxenrider's writing style isn't my favorite, either.

Book 21: 10% Happier

I'm always astonished to read about how smart, capable adults do really crazy, irresponsible things, like take drugs or participate in smuggling rings.

Dan Harris was a TV news correspondent who began using drugs as he adjusted to returning from covering the war in Afghanistan. After he had a panic attack on the air, he discovered mindfulness meditation to manage his anxiety.

This is a very readable introduction to mindfulness meditation, including simple instructions to get started, if you've never explored the topic before. I've read a bit written by Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the earliest and best-known mindfulness meditation teachers and researchers in the U.S., so early on in the book, I recognized where Harris was going. Experienced meditators may find it a bit too basic and  his journey tedious.

Book 20: David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

This was a guilty pleasure read for me. Read by Malcolm Gladwell himself! He's Canadian! It includes a story from Manitoba (albeit a rather gruesome one)! Really, what's not to love?

Oh, Malcolm Gladwell, how I wanted to embrace your "insight porn."

Unfortunately, I have come to the conclusion that most stories can't possibly be as simple (or even complicatedly tidy) as Gladwell makes them sound. But the stories are interesting, and I do feel like I have learned something.

Book 19: My Dyslexia

Philip Schultz has dyslexia, and he's also a poet. He only discovered his dyslexia when his young son was diagnosed with the condition. This book describes some of his experiences with an undiagnosed learning disability.

In my ignorance, I expected a bit more of a nonfiction expository feel to this. Instead, it's much more poetic descriptions and images of his experiences learning to read and struggling in school. I enjoyed the descriptions and yet was appalled at the way he was treated in school.

Book 18: Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Why do some changes "stick" and some don't? This book aims to explain that.

Chip and Dan Heath use a memorable metaphor to explain what it's like to make a change in one's personal life or in an organization's behavior. The authors elaborate on their metaphor (riding an elephant) in three ways: examining the rider, the elephant, and the path that the elephant is on. In real life, those elements overlap somewhat, so the metaphor is not so tidy, and I sometimes found myself wondering which element a particular section was discussing.

Though not perfect, it was definitely worth reading, and I've thought about riding an elephant as I've thought about change.

Book 17: The Rent Collector

This book is apparently a fictional account based on true events. I found some parts of it hard to believe, though it was a good read.

Sometimes I felt that the reasoning displayed by the illiterate garbage picker was so deep that it was hard to suspend my disbelief. However, there were some really lovely parts that seem like they were more likely the factual aspects of the story.