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THE NEW YEAR: Books to read in 2015.

1/8/2015

2 Comments

 
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I entered 2015 exactly the way I entered 2014: sick with the flu and in bed recovering. Instead of my coworkers last year asking me, "Do you think you could be..... pregnant?" as I was leaving my shift at the coffee shop I worked at, (which, to clear the air: I was NOT pregnant, nor am I this year) I was being asked by my sweet family this year:

"Can you please REST so we can have mommy BACK??!!"

We had a wonderful Christmas and were hoping for a great New Year celebration at the house of some of our wonderful friends, then that Monday before New Years, I got sidelined with my first ever migraine. 

Yes. I was a migraine virgin, and let me just say: 

MIGRAINES ARE FROM HELL.

There is no other simple way of stating it. To all my friends who have battled migraines: I lift my glass of water with a side of extra-strength Tylenol to you. You are warriors.

I digress.

One of the things I was looking forward to going into 2015 was reading some great books. My husband bought me a few that I've been wanting for Christmas and it's everything in me to hold back and not to read them all at the same time. You see, I have this horrible habit of starting more that one book at once, then it overwhelms me too much to finish them all, then I just give up. Horrible, I know. I guess there are worse habits to have, like killing baby rabbits or something. 

here are some books I have on my list to read going into 2015~

Crash the Chatterbox: Steven Furtick
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"The voice you believe will determine the future you experience." ~Steven Furtick

I kind of got this book by default. My husband received an advanced readers copy in his Catalyst book box about a year ago. What is Catalyst you ask? It's a community & conference for change makers. You can find out more on Catalyst HERE. Confession: I am already 8 chapters into this book. It's very good. Steven Furtick is a lead pastor of a church called Elevation Church in North Carolina and his book really delves into how our beliefs of God and ourselves can be very broken. He's got a great sense of humor, throwing in plenty of pop culture references yet really hits the target on hearing God's voice above all others. In his book, Steven Furtick says the chatterbox is that voice that says:

"you sounded really stupid when....."
"why would anybody want to be around a person like you, who...."
"God must be awfully disappointed in the way you...."

He uses examples of what "truth" is, what God says about you & I, and how God views us, as His own:

"I want YOU."
"You're Mine. I've chosen you."
"You belong. To me."
"You can know that you always will, because you always have."
"Before you were ever born, I knew you."


Daring Greatly: Brene Brown
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I discovered Brene Brown and her pioneering research on vulnerability, authenticity, courage & shame through two TED talks I watched about a year ago. You can find them HERE. She's authored six books and has been featured on PBS, CNN & NPR. After I listened to her TED talks, I was in awe and thought: 

"This is what our daughters will be studying about, researching, and talking about in college. It's what women need to be talking about today. It's revolutionary. It's life changing."

Daring Greatly, received its title from Theodore Roosevelt's speech, "Citizenship in the Republic" given at the Sorbonne in Paris in 1910 that's sometimes referred to as "The Man in the Arena" speech.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

On the inside cover, the book issues that Brene dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and argues that in truth: vulnerability is our most accurate measure of courage. 

I've already read her books, The Gifts of Imperfection & I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't) both which were life changing and I've saved this one for 2015. 

The War of Art: Steven Pressfield
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Last but not at ALL least......

I've been hearing Steven Pressfield's name resonating for the past year. In publications, through his blog and through people mentioning his work to me. He's a screenwriter, visionary, author, blogger and weekly he inspires others who are striving to write books & writing screenplays; something I'm currently pursuing.  The Legend of Bagger Vance took him 30 years to get published and he's been a struggling writer, who at one time was homeless & lived out of the back of his car. He is an inspiring person and writer on the creative process. This book has been on the top of my list to read for the last 6 months. 

What books are on your list this year? I would love to hear! 

2 Comments
Bo Lane link
1/8/2015 01:31:09 pm

Interesting. Good post. I went into 2015 with the motto "read more, eat less."

I'm hoping to read a bunch of bios and fiction. I have already read Alan Cumming's Not My Father's Son. I'm almost done with Multiple by Francis Chan and Anthony Doerr's All the Things We Cannot See. Next up is Amy Poehler's book, Yes Please.

I'm not sure what's next with that's what I have so far.

Reply
Violet link
1/19/2015 02:47:49 pm

thanks for reading, Bo. Great list of books. I've really enjoyed reading Frances Chan in the past, I need to check out Multiple. I've heard Amy Poehlers book is great, also Tina Fey's BossyPants.....I've been meaning to read that one.

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    Violet Conner

    writer from the pacific northwest. mother of 2. lover of books. 
    film. chocolate.
    I sprinkle magic pixie dust on words.

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