Weekly Non-Fiction Reading List 12.25.23
Merry Christmas, y’all! I’ve never missed a Monday for this weekly reading list, and I ain’t starting now! We got three books on the list. One is my first book by Angela Davis, and then we have a book by the greatest relationship therapist ever. Lastly, we have a book that’s kind of lame. Enjoy!
Also, don’t forget to become a paid subscriber for the low low price of $5/month if you want to get my monthly curated lists of my favorite books. I’ll also be doing a wrap-up of my favorite books I read this year.
Each of the links to the books are affiliate links, so if you use my link to purchase any of these books, some comes back to support what I do (and it also helps fund my reading habit).
Why Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last John Gottman
I’ve heard a ton about Gottman but have never read one of his books. For those of you who don’t know, Gottman is the first guy to take a scientific research approach to why marriages succeed or fail. He did a famous study where he was able to predict with over 90% accuracy which marriages would last and which ones would end with divorce.
His work lives up to the hype, in my opinion. While a lot of this can be boiled down to “have better communication”, there’s much, much more than that. He dispels myths like “good couples never fight” and all sorts of other wisdom nuggets. The book was great, and I’ll probably read one or two more, but I’d assume a lot of them are similar. For now, definitely get this book if you want to learn more about how to make your current or future relationship better. For me, it made me realize my lovely girlfriend and I are on the right track.
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Davis
This was my first Angela Davis book, and it’s a really good, interesting book. What’s interesting is the format of this book. At first, it starts out with a sort of Q and A section where people wrote or asked her questions and she answers them. The rest of the book is basically her transcripts from talks she’s given around the world.
I learned a ton from this book because it’s not just about racism in America. There’s a lot about Palestine and the prison industrial complex on a global level. I learned a lot from this book and it’s really cool to learn about global activism and how activists from other countries help one another using social media. Angela Davis is a wise woman, and I’m glad I took the time to read this.
Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton
I apologize in advance because I know this book has great intentions and I’m sure some people get a lot out of this book, but it wasn’t for me. At its core this is a book about a Japanese way of living. Wabi Sabi is basically seeing the beauty in everything and keeping things simple. I really don’t mind when people from other races write about something from another country because sometimes it helps my western brain understand it better. But this book just wasn’t that for me.
This book really reads like the most basic white girl you could imagine who loves Japanese culture writing a book about her understanding of it. I just did not enjoy it, and I think you can find a lot better books if you’re looking for some self-help.
Subscribe to the reading list! It’s free! Although I’ve been publishing this weekly reading list for free for multiple years, consider becoming a paid subscriber for $5 to help me pay for new books and keep this list free for everyone. And we have brand new curated reading lists for paid subscribers.
If you enjoyed this post, it’d mean a lot to me if you shared it. Forward it in an email, share it on social media, or whatever suits your fancy.
To stay updated follow me on Twitter and Instagram @TheRewiredSoul and subscribe to the Substack.