Book Talk

Right now light reading is a bit of a luxury while I'm still in school (and entertaining an active toddler). I justified picking up January First despite the hellish school schedule I have right now because it was just too compelling for me to ignore it. Child psychopathology is the focus of my academics right now so I figured at least I was learning something applicable to my classes.

___________________

Paper Towns by John Greene

January First   by Michael Shofield

January First- It’s the painful memoir of a father trying to cope with his little girl’s diagnose of childhood onset schizophrenia (COS). As a child with one of the youngest onsets and possibly severest cases of COS, January’s story is absolutely heart-wrenching. This book was at times uncomfortable for me because the narrator (Michael) is so at odds with not just his wife but the world at large. He was so desperate to understand his daughter that I feel like in some ways he tried to lose himself to her world too. I think what makes this story so compelling is that it speaks volumes to plights of many families who have to deal with mentally ill children. There is often very little support in the community or even on the national level for these parents and their sick children because mental illness isn't a "visible" issue. This was a very thought-provoking piece for sure.  

Paper Towns- And for a completely different kind of book, I have Paper Towns on my nightstand. I just started this one so verdict is still out but I have to say that I was a fan of Greene's other book Searching For Alaska so this one is promising. If you get the chance, check out his youtube channel. Trust me you won't be disappointed! I thought his opinions on The Catcher in the Rye were spot-on and clever. Actually that video was the reason why I read Greene's book in the first place.  

The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo
Wild (From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail) by Cheryl Strayed
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

The Feast Next Door Book Review

During my Costa Rica trip I brought along two books, despite the nagging voice telling me I wasn’t going to have much time to read. But the 4 hour layover in Mexico made me glad I did. One of the books that I brought and was able to finish was The Feast Next Door. It had been sitting on my bookshelf for awhile and I had almost forgotten how it got there in the first place.

The Feast Next Door was an excellent read with some interesting recipes that I am now dying to try out. Robin Mather’s collection of essays follow her journey in eating local, keeping chickens and living simply. Most impressively: she does this on 40 dollars a week.

I felt a tug of pride in her descriptions of Michigan life and it took me back to all my fond memories of hanging out on a lake. (The essays about winter, however, reminded just how damn cold it gets there.) In particular, Mather’s voice resonated with me because her story was so compelling. Her life in shambles, she chose happiness over despair and reconnected with her roots. The Feast Next Door is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the simple things.

Mather’s piece has actually been a major inspiration for me recently to look into the locavore movement. I strongly recommend this book not just for her personal story which will touch your heart but for her insightful observations on the food industry. 

The Blue and Green Book

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Tania Rodríguez-Arias about her lovely children’s book, The Blue and Green Book. When I read it myself, I knew it was going to definitely be a favorite in our house. The Green and Blue book is a collection of 9 short stories about spirituality and environmentalism, all told in a way that even a young child will appreciate it. My personal favorite was the story “Tomatoes Meet at the Market Stall” in which an organic tomato meets a genetically modified one. In a very basic and amusing way the author illustrates to children the difference between GMO and organic food.

Tania is a naturopath practitioner with a specialization in pediatric care.  I recommend checking out her website if you get a chance. She provides sessions on natural home healthcare, herbal remedies, vegetarian nutrition and all sorts of other information.

____________________

*copy of The Blue and Green Book c/o Tania Rodríguez-Arias

Book Review: The Dirty Life

The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love

By Kristin Kimball

This is a charming memoir about one city girl’s transition into a full-fledged farmer. I wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy reading this when I started but I am definitely glad I gave it a chance. At first I wondered if Kimball was going to be Carrie Bradshaw-Skips-Through-The-Barn-in-Stilettos but instead what I got was the story of a down-to-earth journalist who although hailed from NYC, found her true calling in building a farm alongside her husband. She doesn’t hold back from the gory details of the grueling and challenging work that comes with farm life and that’s probably what I loved the most.

I think this is a good book for anyone who is even remotely curious about what life on a farm is like. I appreciated Kimball’s honesty and the way she captured both the beauty and the struggles of such a lifestyle. 

Book Review: Cinderella Ate My Daughter

I read this book awhile back and it's been in the back of my mind for sometime now to write a review. I've recommended it to several friends and even loaned it out to a fellow feminist friend (wohoo for alliteration) of mine. It's an absolute must read for parents raising girls but also enjoyable for those who are interested in examining America's marketing obsession with girly girl culture.

I know the saying about not judging a book by its cover but I will be honest that it was the title of this one that caught my attention initially. Cinderella Ate My Daughter. How intriguing. I've written in the past about my thoughts on what it means to raise a girl, on cultivating a healthy sense of femininity and what exactly that entails.

This book, by Peggy Orenstein, tries to address the surge in products geared towards little girls and the pinkifying of everything. In short, she says, companies know that if they make a product for a boy then families will buy the same product for their daughter in pink. Orenstein also addressed Disney's multi-million dollar enterprise with their princess line. One tidbit I found a little eery was when she talked about how Walt Disney's brother did not initially want for the company to go in that direction, insisting that the stories of each Disney princess (Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, etc) was not meant to overlap. This is why, according to Orenstein, whenever you see a product with all the princesses together they are never interacting with one another---never making eye contact. Since then, it's all I have been able to notice when I see the stuff!

I enjoyed this book even though Orenstein's perspective is that of a journalist. She makes good points but admits that there hasn't been a great deal of studies done in the realm of child development to see how all of these observations hold up. And for that reason I would like to see something written on this subject from the perspective of someone in the human development community.

Regardless of whether one chooses to indulge their daughter in this "girly girl culture" I think it is important to be mindful of one's decisions and find a balance. My daughter wears pink but it certainly isn't the only color in her wardrobe. I love Disney for sure but when she gets older I would like her to be exposed to all sorts of characters....not just the "princesses".  At the end of the day, it's all about moderation.


Peace and love,
Nicci

Sleeping Naked is Green

If you haven’t read Sleeping Naked is Green yet, I recommend checking it out for no other reason than Vanessa Farquharson’s sensible attitude about the green movement and her struggle to tackle every day environmental issues is probably something we call all relate to.

It seems that in the last few years everyone's gone green (not a bad thing!). Flip open any magazine and there will probably be some reference to how “you too can greenify your life!” and the suggestions are always the same: recycle, buy organic and use CFL lights.

That’s fine and dandy but as Vanessa shows us, trying to walk the walk isn’t that easy. Choosing to buy organic food for instance, may mean your apples come from Colombia—so they aren’t sprayed with pesticides but they had to be flown in a cargo jet (so much for lessening one’s carbon footprint!)What I love most about Vanessa’s story is that she doesn’t take herself (or others) too serious.

She’s honest about the inherent hypocrisy in environmentalism and accepts that we as humans simply can’t do everything right. That trying to do good to mother earth sometimes means choosing the lesser of two evils. For those who try to live a more crunchy-lifestyle, we have all been there at some point, whether it be in the grocery store trying to discern whether the product labelled "organic" really is organic to carpooling because you quite honestly can't bike to work in 120 degree heat.

So go pick up a copy and tell me what you think, and while you're at it check out her blog too!