Hey Delights!
Apparently today is Book Lovers Day and as a book lover I thought I would share with you five books that I have loved recently. And while I have had a life long love affair with physical books, I haven't physically read a book in quite some time because the way my life is set up it has just been easier to listen to them via audio books.
And yes I miss those days when I would draw a bath filled with bubbles, grab a drink and a book and get lost in the pages but I've gotten so many more books in because of Audible. It is akin to me using Texture for reading my magazines, it is a trade off I have been willing to make because I would not otherwise be able to enjoy nearly as many books. {More about Texture here}.
Oprah Winfrey's What I Know for Sure The Big O released this book in 2014 and I had it in my library since last Fall and finally listened to it last month and I have listened to it at least 4 times now. Yeah, it's one of those books, where the lessons are so good that you want to engrave them in your brain and spirit.
So here are five books that I have listened to this year that have truly left an impression on me and that I truly love.
Gabourey Sidibe's This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare was really hilarious and gives you lots of insight into Gabi's early life and a bit of her post "Precious" life and career thus far. I talked about it during this episode of The CurvaCast.
Jodi Picoult's Small Great Things: A Novel - This book took me on such a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions. I have never been so upset reading, well listening to a book. And I definitely think that this one and the autobiographies in my list just LIVE more for me because of the fact that they are being read with emotion and this one in particular, the voices of the characters really enhance the story. And what story it is, wrought with racism and so many of the things that humans inflict upon one another. I finished listening to this on my birthday and I will never forget it.
Gabourey Sidibe's This Is Just My Face: Try Not to Stare was really hilarious and gives you lots of insight into Gabi's early life and a bit of her post "Precious" life and career thus far. I talked about it during this episode of The CurvaCast.
Jodi Picoult's Small Great Things: A Novel - This book took me on such a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions. I have never been so upset reading, well listening to a book. And I definitely think that this one and the autobiographies in my list just LIVE more for me because of the fact that they are being read with emotion and this one in particular, the voices of the characters really enhance the story. And what story it is, wrought with racism and so many of the things that humans inflict upon one another. I finished listening to this on my birthday and I will never forget it.
Trevor Noah's Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood sealed my adoration for the comedian. His life has truly been amazing in good and really unfortunate ways, like the time his performance group went to a Jewish School to perform. As I wrote here, his mother is a warrior and I am sure the reason why he is the man that he is.
I purchased Shonda Rhimes' Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person on November 15, 2015. I started it soon after and only got through some of the first chapter and went on to something else.
Why you ask?
At the time there was just something about her voice that wasn't working for me. Which honestly is something that I have experienced with a few audio books but thankfully I got over myself about 2 months ago and listened to it and LOVED IT.
Like really connected with it, her, the entire premise of saying yes and getting out of our own way. And I highly recommend it for anyone who isn't sure if they are on the path that they want for their lives. Or even if you are pretty confident that you are, which is the category that I fall into, there is still lots to take in and potentially apply to your own life. This is also a book that I will listen to again.
And there you have it. I have listened to lots of books but these 5 in particular have definitely stayed with me and I find myself thinking about them from time to time and even applying some of the lessons from them in my daily life.
p.s. I also want to also give a shout out to Taraji P Henson, I am probably half way through her book, Around The Way Girl: A Memoir and she is hilarious and it is really inspiring to read her story. I am also currently over half finished with Kevin Hart's I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons and OH MY GAWD. We know Kevin is funny but there has been some seriously tragic ish in his life, especially surrounding his father that is like WOAH.