Book 47: All Natural

This was not at all the book I was expecting, but I loved it.



I was expecting one of those 12-month-life-experiment books that seem to be everywhere these days. I thought this one would be about a guy who tried to live "all natural" for a year.

But instead, it was an investigation of the tension between modern technology and "natural" approaches in several different areas. It was a very nuanced discussion and I have a lot to think about now. The writing was also a delight to read.

Book 46: Predictably Irrational

This was so interesting!



The book describes social science experiments that reveal that humans act in unexpectedly irrational ways in lots of situations. There are also interesting applications to life, including how we can avoid some pitfalls of irrationality.

Book 45: Shouting Won't Help

Look, something else to worry about! Losing your hearing!



I heard the author interviewed on NPR and thought this sounded right up my alley, although I think I hear pretty well, so far.

This was a really interesting look at hearing, hearing loss, the experience of being hard of hearing, and the technology that is available to help. There was so much I didn't know about hearing and how isolating it must be to be unable to hear well. The information about cochlear implants was fascinating, too.

Book 44: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

I never read mysteries, but this one had been mentioned by some other 52 Books in 52 Weeks-ers and I decided to give it a try.

 

I enjoyed it. It was a fairly light, "cozy" mystery, and Flavia is quite an interesting character. It's a series, too, so there are currently five Flavia books available, with a sixth being published in 2014.

Incidentally, I began listening to the audio book, but my loan ended and it disappeared from my phone, so I had to finish reading the printed book!

Book 43: The Book of Mormon Girl

Hey, look, another religious book!



This one was great, though sometimes a little disconcerting. Joanna Brooks is just a few years older than I am, and attended BYU just before I did. True to my usual obliviousness, I was not all that aware of some of what went on during the early and mid '90s at BYU regarding feminists in the English department.

Anyway, Joanna's experiences are both similar to and different from mine. My upbringing does not seem to have been that much that of other Mormon girls who lived in the Mountain West. I suppose growing up in central Canada will do that for you. But I remember having many of the same questions and thoughts.

Book 42: The Five Books of Jesus

I don't normally read religious books of any kind other than the standard works, but this year, I challenged myself to read five in my 5/5 challenge. This is my first.



I found it surprisingly compelling. It's a retelling of the Gospels as they might have happened. I really enjoyed the imagined perspective of those who began to follow Jesus. To see them as real people, with feelings and dreams and worries, even if those traits were only imagined by the author, made the familiar story very thought-provoking.

Book 41: Freeing Yourself from Anxiety

I joked that the book I read last year called Freeing Your Child from Anxiety was really Freeing Yourself from Anxiety, but really, the same author did write that very book!



The strategies are nothing particularly startling, but it's good to be reminded. There were also some great suggestions for dealing with perfectionism, procrastination, and criticism.

Unfortunately for me, this type of subject doesn't work so well with an audio book because it's harder to look (or listen) back and review. In one ear and out the other? We shall see if any of it sticks.