Originally written November 2022
I was a major bookworm as a kid. I lived in and loved books. But by young adulthood, it became increasingly difficult for me to read novels. It felt like work and not pleasure. Indeed, for years I have read for work but still struggled and felt shame around my seeming inability to read. This year I reconnected with reading, mainly, it turns out, by having more time and space to myself. It also helped that I leaned strongly towards nonfiction and therapy books! Here are brief summaries in order of what I read starting fall 2021, plus a few notes worth sharing:
We Both Laughed in Pleasure: The Selected Diaries of Lou Sullivan - edited diaries of gay man and trans icon who wasn’t widely celebrated in his own lifetime, full of horniness and heartbreak and humanity and history. Thank you to David for sharing your love of Lou for so many years! (bonus playlist I made while/after reading)
Healing Rage: Women Making Inner Peace Possible by Ruth King - an author I deeply respect, a book I didn’t think was for me, and I am so very grateful finally picked it up. A unique combination of therapist wisdom, accessible mindfulness techniques, personal stories, and constructive reflection questions.
[Image description - notes and drawings related to the book “The Narcissistic Family”, including these headings: revisiting, mourning loss of fantasy, recognition, evaluation, and responsibility for change. Drawings include a circular cycle, tears, boxes, molten gold, muscles, a poison well, and growing flowers.]
The Narcissistic Family: Diagnosis and Treatment by Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman and Robert M. Pressman - this book isn’t actually about narcissism, but rather focuses on healing from the impacts of growing up with a parent or parental dynamic that centered caregivers over children. Thanks to ASB for the recommendation!
Specimen Days: A Novel by Michael Cunningham - an old favorite from the years I only read queer books/authors. This trio of stories - past, present, and future - are loosely connected and each infused with Walt Whitman.
The Anxious Perfectionist: How to Manage Perfectionism-Driven Anxiety Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Clarissa W. Ong and Michael P. Twohig - this book makes ACT techniques super accessible and it felt fresh enough to keep me engaged, even as a longtime therapy patient.
[Image description - notes and drawing related to the book “4,000 Weeks” including these core points: decide what to fail at, novelty in the mundane, adopt an attitude of curiosity with relationships, cultivate instantaneous generosity. Drawings include a train, a cathedral in construction, hay, a baby crawling, one of the great pyramids, the Mona Lisa, and a heart.]
4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman - more helpful than I expected in addressing the dilemmas of modern life (and lifespan). Visual notes above.
We Meant to Bring it Home Alive by Armin Tolentino - a few years late, I finally read my friend’s incredible debut poetry collection. One of my favorite reads of the year, an immersive blend of science fiction/fantasy and down-to-earth emotional landscapes.
A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett - another belated reading of a book by an old friend, this short story collection offers trans women's stories that are salient and intimate and challenging and lovely.
Love after the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead - a beautiful and powerful anthology of short stories, spanning worlds and styles, all connected by indigenous ways of knowing from across Turtle Island/North America.
Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings by Joy Harjo - a poetry collection gifted to me many times in many ways. I finally read it from cover to cover, mostly in the woods near Mount Adams, WA (the mountain was originally named Pahto and Kilckitat.)
Care Work by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - another one I’ve read parts of and finally did cover to cover. This put into words many things I’ve wanted to express as a disabled person, and is anchored by a critical intersectional analysis centering the experiences of disabled queer femmes of color.