"What If I Don’t Know What to Read?"

The Weekly Read #7, "What If I Don’t Know What to Read?"

Last week, an anonymous subscriber reached out to me asking me to write a newsletter about what books I have read and now recommend.  I found this to be a wonderful idea.  So let’s get to it.

*This list will not be in any particular order besides the order in which I think of them.*

First up, I must start with one of my favorite books of all time: Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins.  This book was given to me by my mother for my twentieth birthday, as she has given it to my older brother around the same age and will soon do the same for my little sister.  I am most certainly a Momma’s Boy and I respect the heck out of my Mom’s taste.  So when she gifted this book, I had a feeling it was going to be good.  The author’s writing is creative, hilarious, philosophical, and whimsical. He has a strong sense of his identity and is able to beautifully project that uniqueness in his writing.  Still Life with Woodpecker is about an outlaw and a princess falling in love as they maneuver through the problems of their occupations in modern day society.  While the book stays mostly true to history and real life, it weaves in bits of magic and impracticality.  I mean it’s a fiction novel for goodness-sake! 

Next, we will go with Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins.  From the same author as Still Life with Woodpecker, this book makes you laugh, cry, and think.  It is about the story of a clumsy waitress, a king that lives to be 1000 years old, and a pair of perfumers and how their stories all soon intertwine.  The same way that Robbins mixes comedy, whimsy, philosophy, and history into one stew for Still Life,  he does in this book, too.  Matter of fact, let me recommend one more book by Robbins: Skinny Legs and All.  Skinny Legs and All is about a girl named Ellen Cherry Charles as she moves to New York and deals with inanimate objects coming to life, race wars, and the art industry.  It is full of good. All of these books by Robbins have sparked major fires in my heart and soul, creatively and intellectually.  His writing shows me there are no rules, but that you must first learn your voice and technical grammatical proficiency so that you may communicate that voice most effectively.  He bends words, phrases, and imagery to his will like a jedi wordsmith. I am grateful for his unique mind and the time and work he put into his craft.  His books also constantly have me physically cracking up which is an experience I had never had from words alone. Pretty cool.

For my third (or is this fourth?) recommendation, I will say the audiobook, Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey.  I just love his voice.  His southern roots bring light to perspectives, morals, and ways of living that I value so deeply now.  A simple life amidst all of the chaos the world/life can send your way.  I love the way he tells stories about his life and the many journeys within it.  He seems to have kept a positive perspective and lived life his own way, while taking his profession to the top level.  Of course, I don’t know this man personally, but from the stories he tells, he inspires me to do good, think good, live my own way, and remember to appreciate the real things in life.  Greenlight.

Next is the book I am currently reading: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.  I have about 25 pages left in this book and it has been a surprise to me! I started this book with the idea I probably wouldn’t like it or finish it, but I wanted to give it a shot because my friend Palm recommended it.  I had only really read self-help style books until I was 20 and since I opened the door to the world of fiction, I have seldom looked back.  However, this book has many great nuggets of wisdom with how to deal and work with people! I only like these tips because it seems to me that at the core of every bit of advice, it is essential that we must be more empathetic and caring in order for success.  I appreciate this idea because I have certainly heard people talking about success and most times they have no consideration of other people’s feelings or well-being in the pursuit of their personal success.  And I am not a fan of that. 

Finally, the last book I would recommend for right now is A Dream About Lightning Bugs by Ben Folds.  I am not sure if this book will hit as hard for you if you are not a fan of Ben Folds, but he has probably been my family’s favorite artist since I was a child.  I grew up with his album, Whatever and Ever Amen, sitting on the upright piano in my house as my older brother learned how to play every song.  His lyrical writing in music has always been unique and individualistic, so it was exciting to read his voice in a long form, non-musical setting.  Like Greenlights, this book is full of personal stories on the way to success in the entertainment industry after coming from a small town.  Folds writes about his journey, while mixing in his processes of thought and why he made the choices he made.  He carves his own path in life and that is something I aim to do in my own life.  This book inspires me to be myself, no matter how weird or stupid it seems, and ALWAYS find the comedy in it all.  It doesn’t have to be so serious all the time. 

So yeah, those are some books I’d recommend and some reasons as to why I like/would recommend them to all of your beautiful faces.  I actually really wish I could see your beautiful faces right now.  I am in need of getting the hell out of my house and into the world.  I have been working on clothes, music, and out (the gym, get it?) for a long stint now and could use a little spontaneity in my life.  I am craving some unique experiences, smells, and sights.  Maybe I will start putting together our online book club.  Could be time for the idea to come to life.  Besides that,  you may have seen the new pieces for THE UPCYCLE SERIES drop the other day.  I dig those.  Still really enjoying reworking clothes, it feels good from a sustainability standpoint.  Each piece offers a challenge as I can’t mess up and I can’t do the same thing twice.  Good thing there is no true such thing as “messing up.”  We just do.  So keep doing.  And keep being good people.  I love you all.

Read a Book!