What I read in July

Plus, musings on life lately.

Hello, hello! When this hits your inbox, I’ll be in the Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands. I decided to go on a girls’ weekend getaway with a good friend of mine to celebrate my mom’s birthday, which is today! She would have been 73, so we’ll enjoy a nice dinner tonight and toast on her behalf. 🥂

I read an article the other day about “grief travel” and how it can help transform an aching heart, but that “griefcation” shouldn’t be used as a form of avoidance or escapism. I’m not sure what I think. Travel always helps me shake things up and snap out of my often rigid routine. If it helps you feel better, I say, go for it. There’s nothing wrong with escaping every now and then.

Books are also a great escape, at least I think so. So here’s a quick list of what I read in July, in case you’re looking for some recs. If you read Yesteryear, please share your thoughts in the comments. As you can see from my summary below, I didn’t love it, but I also can’t stop thinking about it…

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Essentialism by Greg McKeown

In a nutshell, this book is about doing less in life and work, but doing it better. It argues that by separating the vital few things from the trivial many, you can make your highest possible contribution. It’s the second time I’ve read it, and I’m sure it won’t be the last!

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

I wanted to like this book, especially because I wanted to support a first-time author, and because some described it as a “cathartic takedown of the patriarchy”, but I was often confused about which time period I was in... and many other details of the story. Maybe I’m just not the right audience, though. I read somewhere that it wasn’t about actual time travel and that the main character, Natalie, was just delusional and stopped acknowledging the modern world—and believed she was living in the 1800s—while having a mental breakdown. I struggled to get through it, but at the same time I was intrigued by the trad wife influencer archetype. The ending also felt abrupt and perhaps like an afterthought, which left me scratching my head. I’ve contemplated whether I should try reading it again, but life’s too short for that! I’ll wait for the movie.

One by One by Freida McFadden

This might be my eighth Freida McFadden read. I love her mystery novels when I’m looking for something light and entertaining that I can breeze through. This one’s about a married couple that hates each other until the experience of nearly getting murdered in a forest makes them realize they’ve had something good all along. Oh, the drama! The only downside is that I usually stay up all night devouring her books because of the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter. Worth it, though!

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

I will definitely be reading this surreal story again! Gregor Samsa is a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Unable to work or communicate, he becomes a burden to his family, leading to their growing resentment and his eventual isolation and death. That’s the story, but I want to read it again in the morning instead of while I’m in bed dozing off because all the metaphors and symbolism about alienation, roles and identity, and love didn’t really sink in.

The Grieving Brain by Mary-Frances O’Connor

I’ve read numerous grief-related memoirs since January, so this was a nice science-backed addition to better understand what’s actually happening in your brain while you’re grieving. Essentially, even if you’re not in denial about someone’s death, your brain needs time to catch up and learn to comprehend that your loved one no longer exists in the dimensions—here, now, and close—that you were previously accustomed to locating them in. 🤯

Life After Ambition by Amil Niazi

I do not have or want kids, but still, I relate to feeling torn by what feels like opposing identities and having to choose one or the other. I love that, in the end, Amil finds a way to choose both her career and raising a family while staying true to herself (i.e., doing it in a way that’s sustainable for her). Inspiring memoir for overachievers looking to drill down to what’s truly essential to them without feeling guilty for it!

What have you read recently? What’s on your TBR list? Please share in the comments!

Take care,

Alexis

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