I Read: Little Box of Happiness

Little Box of Happiness by Meik Wiking
contains: 

The Little Book of Hygge

The Little Book of Lykke

The Art of Making Memories

There truly is happiness to be had in this little box set. Written by researcher and founder of the Happiness Research Institute, Wiking manages to make the reader feel as if it's truly possible to find more happiness in simple, everyday things and actions, without spending money. 

I Read; Travel Guide to Port Charles

 Travel Guide to Port Charles - no attributed author

According to the show, General Hospital, this book was written by Lucy Coe. And it is written as if it's somewhat of a remembrance, or memoir for her. I had intended to buy this when it was first available, but I lost my chance and it became unavailable, so when it showed up again earlier this year, I snagged it. I was truly interested in how they had chosen to write it. 

Unfortunately, while this is cute, and creatively written, it doesn't really tell the stories that it should. It repeats itself, and shares only surface details about specific characters and storylines. I know it would be difficult to cram everything about all the major stories over the show's history into one book, but any long-time fan of the show is going to be left wanting more with this effort. 

#65-2020

I Read: Howard's End

Howard's End by E.M. Forster

I was prompted to finally read this because of the mini-series on PBS. I haven't watched it yet, even though it aired months ago, because I was trying to finish the book first. Maybe I'll watch it this weekend. 

As of now, my impressions of Howard's End. The clearest things about this are it's evaluation of the class system, and how or when people should be thinking for themselves. The main characters are women who in the designated time frame should really not be running their own lives. But they are and are managing to do a decent job of it. They get caught up in weird fascinations, and strange human situations due to their unique take on human nature. 

Money is an abstract concept to them sometimes, but in others, they are very clear that without money people are nothing. The entire story centers around a house that the main characters don't even own. We don't even find the house until partway through the story, and then it features only in fairly minor ways except to skim along in the background until nearly the end. We know details about it that the main characters do not, and it is fairly significant to some of the actions of some characters but the home at Howard's End is never really a very major part of the story until the very end. 

It's an interesting story, and I was intrigued to find out where it was going, but I found myself having to read passages over and over in order to fully grasp what the story was trying to tell me. Sometimes the logical was quite flawed, and in order to understand the actions, you needed to have a handle on the thought process that wasn't necessarily clear. 

I can't say I didn't enjoy the story though when all is said and done. It''s not something that I will ever endeavour to read again, I think but it wasn't wasted time. 

#64-2020

I Read: Make Room for Joy

 Make Room for Joy by Vanessa Joy Walker

I am no stranger to books that try to explain a better way to deal with the struggles and concerns of life. Anxiety, depression, grief, shame - I've read about all of them. Some of them resonate more than others. This one is a great book for anyone looking for a way to lean into faith for the answers. 

When I began, I wondered if I would find it a bit too "preachy" because it is very much faith-based. But I found myself intrigued by the choice of passages and how they related to things in my own life. Knowing someone else's perspective on particular Bible verses can sometimes open your eyes to new interpretations and meanings.

I Read: The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell

 The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian by W. Kamau Bell

I know W. Kamau Bell from his television series, United Shades of America on CNN. I consider it one of my favourite television programs. If you haven't seen it, please do: Sundays at 10:00pm. Currently in its third season. 

If you have seen the show, you know that Bell is funny, but also blunt and knowledgeable in a lot of situations that you wouldn't necessarily expect him to put himself in. The CNN description of the show is "'United Shades of America' follows comedian and political provocateur W. Kamau Bell as he explores communities across America to understand the unique challenges they face." The book is really no different.

I Read: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

I don't know what I can say about this book that hasn't already been said. It's unique, and profound, and simple but complicated and really so easy to follow and understand that everyone should read it to get a little bit of perspective. 

This is not fiction, Maya Angelou did not make this up. It was her life. She's sharing her experiences. She led an amazing life and managed to spin extreme situations into something that elevated her and motivated her without being bitter or angry about anything. She learned from her experience and chose to share those experiences with others to expand other people's knowledge. 

The version I read has an introduction written by Oprah - another voice with similar experiences to Angelou. While my own experiences are not at all similar, the way that each of them expressed their feeling and experience makes it easy to relate to. To understand why they chose their paths, and to admire their willingness to share those experiences.

If you haven't already, read this. It's the beginning of the story of a remarkable woman. 

#59-2020