Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

This book has gained a lot of speed and recognition since it's publication at the beginning of this year.  It has been on everyone's reading list from Oprah, to Barack Obama, to Bill Gates.  Amazon even selected "Educated" as their best book of the year.  With all the hype surrounding the book, I knew I had to get my hands on it.  My library had two copies going around and even still the wait was estimated at 66 weeks.  So I went on a hunt for this highly sought after book to see if it was all it was cracked up to be.

Educated's writing style is able to span two genres to help draw in the readers.  Westover is able to write an almost dystopian-like opening dealing with poverty, doomsday prepping, and a disconnect from the rest of modern day society.  Coincidentally, it is also a generic coming of age story about a young girl finding her identity, spreading her wings, and leaving the nest to go to college.  Westover grows up in a heavily sheltered Mormon household living off the grid.  She has never been to school or to the doctor.  We get to read anecdotes varying from her sibling's leg catching on fire to exploits in pursuing her education.

I thought the first half of the book was fabulous.  I loved reading the stories about her family, working in the junkyard with her brothers and dad, and all of the horror medical stories.  I think there may have been other readers who experienced more of a shock factor reading the details of her upbringing.  I wasn't necessarily shocked by those things, but I did think they were interesting to read.  The second half, when she goes to school, started to lose me a little.  Small spoiler ahead **  She would talk about how she was struggling in class and going to fail any second, and then miraculously she would get an academic scholarship and end up passing with flying colors. **  And that was the reoccurring theme of her academic years.  So, the second half was so-so for me.  I'm not lessening her achievements at all!  Just saying that I wasn't into that part of the book as much.  Nevertheless, she's a captivating storyteller.  It's a world that many of us have no knowledge of, and we follow her journey with intrigue.

I'm glad I ended the year out on a strong note!  I'm hoping that if you have not yet read this book, that it is on your to-read list soon!  Happy New Year to everyone, and best wishes on your 2019 reading goals!!


Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Positives: Loved the first half of the book.
Negatives: Her schooling years weren't as believable.  She would flip flop between being a bad student and excelling too quickly for me.

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

I was having a conversation with a co-worker of mine about our most recent reads, and I mentioned that this was my newest book.  When I started to explain the concept behind Dr. Levitin's book, she told me that the books I read are too smart.  Well Laura, buckle up for this one!  Reading "This Is Your Brain on Music" felt like I was reading a textbook most of the time.  

I had been in a reading slump for a few weeks.  Nothing was grabbing my attention, and I had started and stopped multiple books.  I knew I was going to be in trouble if I couldn't find something quickly.  I started looking for topics that I knew I had an interest in.  The front flap of the book pitches a mix of neuroscience, the study of structure or function of the nervous system and brain, and music.  Those two subjects immediately peaked my interest.  I love learning about why we do (or like) the things we do.  And everyone likes music.  When I picked the book up from my library, the librarian gushed about how amazing this book was.  He even told me that he had put in a hold to receive it after me because he wanted to read it again.  I was excited to get started on this book.

The first two chapters immediately made me nervous.  It was like a Music 101 class that I had not signed up for.  It was explaining things like pitch, tempo, melody vs harmony, tritones, and dissonance just to name a few.  Not only would it give a definition of these terms, but it would break it down to explain how the brain interprets them.  To give you an idea of what to expect, Dr. Levitin writes, "pitch is a purely psychological phenomenon related to the frequency of vibrating air molecules."  It felt like the book was getting a bit above my head at some parts, even with a few years of piano lessons during my elementary school years under my belt.  I decided that I would continue reading but cautiously.  It became more enjoyable as it started moving away from music theory and more into the psychology  and neuroscience of music.  I would just have a few moments of "huh, never knew that before" as I continued on but rarely had mind-blowing WOW moments.  By the end of the book, I wasn't sure if I had really developed a deeper appreciation for music or the science behind it.

About a week or so later, I went to a funeral to support a friend's family.  The son sang and played the piano in tribute to his mom.  While listening to his music, I thought about the book I had just read and could pin-point specific moments that the author had referred to throughout the book.  It was helpful to see those theories laid out in front of me after reading about them.  But even in that moment, I don't think that meant I now had a deeper connection to that music because I could understand the scientific and psychological impact the music was creating.  I'm sure everyone in that room felt the emotions and the effect of his music.  If anything, I wasn't able to enjoy it for it's simplicity and be in the moment.  The book had taken me to a place where I was dissecting the music rather than enjoying it.

I think Dr. Levitin is brilliant, and the amount of effort, time, and thought that he put into the book is evident.  I just wouldn't be surprised if people use it as a recommended read on a course syllabus.  It certainly isn't a casual read.  (I'm starting to understand that I don't really read casual books at this point!)  I'd say that people who are aspiring musicians, music producers, or like music history would appreciate this book the most.  Other than that, I don't think run of the mill music listeners need to understand or know how to dissect their music interests.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5
* Positives: The material was informative and a lot was covered.
* Negatives: As much as they tried to write it in layman's terms, it still felt too academic and brainy.

10% Happier :How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works by Dan Harris

For those of you who do not know, I work for PA's Department of Education issuing teacher certifications.  Our peak season is usually from college graduation in May (new graduates who want to become teachers) until the start of school in September (schools trying to get their staff situated) each year.  As May approaches, I start to feel a cloud of anxiety hovering over the office.  Before you have time to realize it, you're already drowning in work.  In preparation for this year's busy season, I thought this book might be the perfect thing to help get me in the right mind set.  I mean, who wouldn't want to be 10% happier?  Especially if I could hone into that right before chaos rains down at work.

Dan Harris, the author, talks about his rise through the ranks as a news anchor from a small town local station in Maine to shows like Good Morning America and Nightline.  Throughout the book he covers the fears he faced like receding hair lines or the subject matter of his stories.  He talks about the competitiveness of the job and the need to stay relevant to the public.  In 2004, Dan has a panic attack on live TV.  Since he is still trying to climb the ladder to bigger and better stories, he doesn't tell his coworkers exactly what happened to him and instead starts a quest to calm his panic attacks.  He used his current assignment, covering faith and religion, to seek out influencers and self-help gurus to interview.  Dan uses his journalism connections to meet with Deepak Chopra, Ekhart Tolle, and Ted Haggard to name a few.  Through those connections he starts to resonate with Buddhism and specifically mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness meditation is bringing awareness to the present moment versus the older ideas of clearing your mind completely.  Most mindfulness practices guide you to find acceptance, peace, and non-judgement in the present moment, your current circumstances, and any struggles or pain you're currently experiencing.  The initial concept is the same to the stereotypical meditation.  You can sit or lie down, close your eyes, and concentrate on your breathing.  From that point, you have to focus your thoughts on the present moment.  This is the hardest part for most people.  It's pretty easy to think about your grocery list, the 500 things you have to clean in your house, or your screaming kids down the hall.  It is a lot harder to really focus in and continually redirect your mind to this exact moment.  Not the future, not the past, but this exact moment right now.  Some guided practices will have you think about things like the feeling of your breath as it expands your chest or the feeling of your clothing on your skin to help keep you in the present moment.  In moments of chaos or stress, mindfulness meditation can help bring you back to reality.  So many of us focus on our growing to-do list, deadlines, or past failures.  Instead, we can take a moment to remember that in this present moment I'm breathing, I'm capable, and I'm okay.  Then you can start to tackle your to-do lists with a clearer mind-set and less panic.

I know there are other books specific to mindfulness meditation and guided meditation out there.  The only other one I've personally read is "You Are Not Your Pain" by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman, which is specific to chronic pain meditation.  It comes with a CD with guided meditation practices.  The book explains the concepts and idea of mindfulness as well as an overview of the guided meditation that will be covered on the CD.  I strongly encourage you to look into the other books and CDs available if you are looking for a more guided practice to mindfulness meditation.  Mindfulness can be a huge game changer when it comes to stress relief, but it is a learned skill.  It takes practice and patience to work it into your every day life.

In regards to Dan Harris's book though, I found it more so an ode to journalism or a memoir rather than a self-help book.  To me, it felt like he wanted to outline his self-help journey.  So while it did explain how mindfulness meditation was the end result that worked for him personally, it isn't necessarily a book that I would recommend for someone who is interested in the basics on meditation.  But as a memoir, you can really see Harris's journalism background strongly at work.  He includes enough of his first-world drama to make you feel sympathetic at times, but doesn't forget to name drop all of his friends to even out your sympathies.  He explains his thought process to try and resolve his rising panic problems, and how he used his journalism ties and connections to his advantage in finding solutions.

While I'm glad I read the book, it was more so a general reminder to me that I need to start back up on my meditation practices this summer.  Dan Harris's book isn't something I can pick up and flip to if I need help focusing or tips on meditation.  Dan's goal is to break the stigma of meditation being a bunch of robed men sitting in a zen garden chanting to a statue.  You can practice meditation to help you fall asleep at night, right after you get home from work to help clear your mind from the day's stress, or even in a moment of gratitude.  It's a beautiful practice to help you remember that you need to live in the present and accept where you are and what you have with no reservations.  If you decide to skip Dan's book, I at least suggest you start practicing mindfulness meditation.


Rating: 2 out of 5
* Positives: Reminded me to start meditating again!  Why did I ever stop?

* Negatives: Name dropping was a bit of a turn-off.  Also expected it to be more so a self-help book and less of a memoir.

Stanyan Street & Other Sorrows by Rod McKuen

My grandmother had a box of books, none of which initially interested me, that have been sitting on the bottom of my bookshelf.  Shamefully, I'll admit that I was looking for the shortest book I could find, when I stumbled across Stanyan Street.  The inside of the dust jacket said that the author, Rod McKuen, was one of the best contemporary song writers of the current time.  A list of fifteen records were all outlined on the back flap of the book.  I then noticed my great grandmother's signature and date on the first page - Peg Phelps 1967.  Intrigued, I decided to start reading.

Before I give my opinion on his collection, I have to say that I'm not the biggest fan of poetry as a genre.  I probably appreciate it more than the average person, but I certainly do not go out of my way to read it.  I find that most poets feel the need to play up an aesthetic doused in melancholy, angst, and futile relationships.  Mr. McKuen followed that trend.  What may come across as sensitive and introspective to some just seems despondent and woe-is-me personally.  He starts out the book diving straight into his father-son abandonment issues.  Then seems to point out multiple times that he won't even give a romantic relationships a real chance because he knows they will eventually fail.  It reminds me a little of "The Catcher in the Rye."  Some people can read that book and feel empathetic and relate to Holden, while other readers just want him to get over his attitude and grow up.  In the same vein, I just wanted Rod McKuen to get over his depressive drama and realize there is more to life.  As a positive, I think his poetry stands the test of time.  I think that a lot of poetry lovers would still appreciate his work today.  I don't think there is anything wrong with his style of writing, the expressiveness, or his skill level.  I just think he needs to cheer up and get over himself a little!

My great grandmother had bookmarked a poem called "Spring Song", but that one was still a little too depressing for me.  The one that seemed to peak my interest was called "Camera."  I've copied it down below for you all to read.  I hope you enjoy!

I stand just so.

Your camera winks me into permanence

acne scars

               tired eyes

wrinkles on my forehead

more naked than I have ever been

               (especially to one

               I love so very much).

I used to be afraid to look completely real

the sun was just my friend sometimes

when brown from sea and sky made things all right --

always afraid to be anything but young

and envying beauty

               even on the face of strangers

Is this what growing up means

the reality of lighting over public mirrors?

Or is my confidence in love so great

that I worry not

to let you see me at my worst?

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown

Brene Brown is one of my go-to authors for self-help and non fiction books.  Rather than covering the classic self-help topics like weight loss or anxiety, her research covers vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy.  Brene helps shine a light on common humanity, a concept that we are all experiencing and suffering with the same issues, to remind the reader that we are all working on bettering ourselves rather than suffering through embarrassment alone.

This book in particular was supposed to cover themes on fitting in and authenticity.  This is something that I've really been focusing on in my own life, so I was highly anticipating this read.  Unfortunately, I wasn't really that blown away by the book.  It was certainly well written, and it's okay as a stand alone book, but I feel like her other books are stronger.

I felt like Brene continued to revert back to politics when trying to describe things.  As an example, she talks about how fitting in can feel difficult when you are surrounded by people with different political ideals than you.  It's true.  We can be a very divided country in this day and age.  But.... politics, in general, can be a very touchy subject.  I can tell that she feels very passionate about the political vibe of our country, but I just didn't appreciate how she continued to tie it into all of her subject matter.  I also saw a different review on Goodreads from someone outside of America who said she couldn't follow all of the political references.

To be entirely honest, I think this would have made a better master class or TED talk than a brand new book.  I don't think she had enough new content for a $28 book.

A lot of the concepts or ideas she brings to the table are valid and thought provoking.  Truly, she is a fabulous researcher.  It just wasn't enough new data, her views were a little biased, and it wasn't always in the right context to constitute the book.  It was a strike for me.  I would highly recommend her other works like "Daring Greatly" or "Rising Strong" if you're going to pick up one of her books.