Reading Roundup: December 2023

Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.

Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can’t Avoid

Happy New Year Everyone!

Well, the last month flew by and I did not get any writing done. However, I managed to squeeze in quite a bit of reading so I’m going to go ahead and call that a win.

I couldn’t help but choose the Lemony Snicket quote above to kick off my first post of the year as one of my main hopes for 2024 is to finally wrest myself from the persistent phone addiction that has had me in a chokehold since the pandemic. Part of my strategy to achieve this includes bringing a book everywhere I go to get out of the habit of pulling out my phone whenever I need to wait even 5 minutes for something. Another change I’ll be making is no more phone in the bathroom (don’t lie, you do it too). Hopefully these small changes will lead to even more reading this year…one can only hope!

But, without further ado, let’s take a look at all the wonderful things I managed to read in December, shall we? Who knows, maybe you’ll find your next great inspiration here. I certainly took something away from each and every one of these articles, blogs and books; do let me know if you do too, it’s the reason I write these posts in the first place. Happy Reading!

Articles

The big idea: what my grandmother’s lipstick taught me about the past. By Annabelle Hirsch

Maybe it’s partially because I am a woman myself, and a historian of sorts, but I have always been fascinated by the history of those whose existence has been shoved to the margins. Basically everyone but powerful (and even not-so-powerful) white men. Sure, I’m as interested as anyone else in Henry VIII and his proclivity for collecting (and disposing of) young wives but even when it comes to his story I want to know more about how the aforementioned wives felt about the whole experience. What did they think of his notorious lechery? How did his kids feel about their mothers being divorced or beheaded? What about his mistresses? What did they think about their lot in life? All these people lived, breathed, thought and felt as much (if not more so) than the big man himself and yet we know so little about what their lives were like. This article rightly points out that women’s history (and I would argue children’s history as well) is often only told through objects as if they are equated to mere “things” present in the lives of men. But oh the stories these objects can tell. This is exactly my kind of history and I want more of it!

We keep the past and the people who lived in it, who dreamed, laughed, suffered, hoped and loved at a strangely abstract remove.

Annabelle Hirsch

UK music projects aim to transform lives of people with dementia. By Amelia Hill

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, a hundred times, until everyone realizes the truth in these words: music is an unbelievably powerful force for good in this world. From bringing back cherished childhood memories of loved ones no longer with us to calming one’s heartbeat during a time of intense stress and panic…There is almost no human experience that cannot be improved and enhanced by music. This article brought another use for music’s magic to the fore by explaining how music therapy can immensely improve the lives of those living with dementia. The stories told in this article are beautiful and heartwarming. A perfect reminder of why the arts are so crucial and why we must never cease to support their existence.

Catherine has lived with dementia for five years. She can no longer find the words to talk to her children, but when she sings with her dementia choir she remembers the lyrics to songs from her childhood and joins in with word-perfect gusto.

Amelia Hill

Experience: I play piano for rescued elephants. By Paul Barton

What a beautiful, beautiful, story. Seriously, if you need a pick-me-up, do yourself a favour and go have a read. Also, do not skip the accompanying video. I will never get tired of watching animals just…exist. Let’s hope that we don’t screw up our planet so much that they cease to do so.

But as soon as I started playing, one elephant, who was blind, stopped eating and listened. We realised that this elephant, trapped in a world of darkness, loved music. From that day, there was never any concern about disturbing their peace, and that was the beginning of it all.

Paul Barton

‘I am here, get used to me’: in India, a woman out running is about more than just exercise. By Sohini Chattopadhyay

I will never forget the day when my history professor explained to me why some historians believe wealthy women’s gowns went from enormous skirts supported by wire cages to slim-fitting, billowy numbers. Simple. The men in society felt women in large dresses were taking up too much space. Taking up too much space? More than the obscenely large palaces built by those self-same men? Well, of course it’s not comparable. Because large buildings are manly and important while women are well…women. Though I’m referring to a shift which happened hundreds of years ago now, Sohini Chattopadhyay writes about a very similar incident happening to her not to long ago in Kolkata when a man urges her to put away her umbrella (which she was using to shade herself from the blistering sun) because she is taking up too much space. Because, as a woman, she should be as accommodating and invisible as possible. How is this happening in this day and age? Well…gender disparity is still very much a thing (even if some people will tell you that feminism is no longer necessary) and its severity differs from country to country. In India, the problem is apparently severe. Having never lived in, or even visited, India I can’t give you more detail than this about the situation but Ms. Chattopadhyay certainly can and does. Seriously, give this a read. It will light a fire in your belly like nothing else as she explains how she is fighting back. Bravery at its finest.

I chose running because it is a solitary, minimal sport: you don’t need a team, you barely need equipment. Running puts bodies on view. In that sense, it is a more direct claim to citizenship – and a more defiant challenge to patriarchy.

Sohini Chattopadhyay

A new start after 60: I lost my husband, spoke my mind – and became an Instagram star at 97. By Ammar Kalia

Having dealt with some challenging (though, thankfully, not too serious) health issues in the past few years I can’t help but worry about what my later years will look and feel like – not to mention how late my later years will be. I’m lucky in that I’m still young and I’ve got lots of time to turn things around. I hope that I’ll reach 97 feeling as spry and youthful as Mrs. Dorothy Wiggins. What an inspiration! Seriously, these “A New Start after 60” stories are the best kick-in-the-butt (if you need such a thing) to take better care of oneself. Getting older can be a pleasant experience and that is a wonderful thought indeed.

I think cellphones are a great invention and have made life much easier for everybody but I think social media is stupid…People telling things about their lives to strangers is just a jerky thing to do. I’m not a bit interested in it.

Dorothy Wiggins

‘It was smart to write when I was so angry’: Bonnie Garmus on the winning formula behind Lessons in Chemistry. By Lisa Allardice

Ask any woman and I bet she can tell you a story when she was made to feel less-valuable because of her gender. Ask any woman who is part of a minority community and they will likely have dozens if not hundreds such examples. Not all of us have an opportunity to use the rage we feel at being so dismissed to turn our lives around, but Bonnie Garmus did. And, damn, did she ever turn things around in a big way with an international best-selling novel which has since been turned into a television show. Not bad for someone whose male colleagues thought was not worth listening to… I haven’t had a chance yet to read her book but I’m looking forward to doing so soon!

Chemistry is very precise. It’s not forgiving: any slight imbalance causes explosions…As soon as you ignore those laws of chemistry, you get imbalance, and you get racism, sexism, even ageism. Men and women in the workplace have problems because there’s this gender imbalance. It’s not natural. We created that.

Bonnie Garmus

‘Food is a tool for change’: the Turkish chef who empowers women, helps refugees – and serves a mean dobo. By Joshua Levkowitz

One of the most inspiring things to read about is talented people using their passion and skill to improve life for everyone where they live. It is especially incredible to read about this kind of leadership occurring in small towns which may otherwise be neglected by the centers of power. Having moved to a small town myself 4 years ago, it is truly amazing to see the difference people can make when they use their individual talents to find solutions for local challenges instead of relying on the powers-that-be to come in and fix things. And, lets be honest, often politicians make local issues, well, political and end up coming up with solutions that are either meant to appease certain demographics or save money rather than going with what might actually be best for the community. The chef featured in this article decided not only to use her passion for food to open a restaurant but to also transform her community by helping women and refugees to take their rightful place. If you’re looking for a reminder that not all is doom and gloom when it comes to humanity, definitely give this piece a read.

Twenty years ago, these women couldn’t get permission from their husbands to work outside. Now they have their freedom.

Ebru Baybara Demir

Blogs

How To Find Hope in the Face of Climate Despair. By Transatlantic Notes

I don’t know about you but Climate Anxiety is certainly part of my daily life – especially since I had kids. It was bad enough when I was younger and I was looking at our burning planet despairing what my own life would look like 20 years down the line but now that I’ve brought new humans into the world? I’m even more worried about what kind of life they will have after I’m gone. Will the planet still be spiraling towards its own destruction? Or will humanity have managed to turn things around at the 11th hour and they will witness our beautiful home finally in recovery? I don’t know the answer but I do know that being anxious about something I largely can’t control on a daily basis is neither healthy nor helpful. This blog post by the ever-thoughtful Molly went a long way towards helping me quell my anxiety and start feeling more positive about the difference I can make in ensuring a healthy future for us humans. Well, if not positive per say at least a bit more hopeful. And that, my friends, is something indeed. So, if you’re like me and worrying about what the future has in store…give this a read and start taking small steps towards making a difference. Your mental health, and the planet as a whole, will thank you.

Instead of focusing on what we are not doing, we should concentrate on achievable actions that we can embrace and execute to the best of our abilities.

Molly, Transatlantic Notes

Books

After November’s poor showing, I wasn’t sure what to expect of my reading for December. Sure, the holidays are a great time to curl up with a good book but the holidays with young kids is a totally different beast. In all the well-intentioned efforts to make the Christmas season magical for the littles we sure do tire ourselves out…which means fewer nights are spent staying up late with a good book in the interest of catching a few extra Zzzs.

Unfortunately, the month started off with a particularly heavy book: Actress by Anne Enright. This one has been on my To Read list forever and while it wasn’t a bad book by any means it was…hard to get through. I should know by now that Irish fiction often leans towards melancholy. Not the right mood for Christmas if you ask me! So, having finally finished that one I leaned in to my cozy era and finished off the year strong with two cozy mysteries back to back: Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala and Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto, both of which were exactly what I was looking for in a book. I should know by now to choose my next read based on what I need most: it always makes the reading experience so much more enjoyable.

That’s it from me for this week! Here’s to a wonderful new year filled with reading, writing and relaxation. We deserve it.

And, remember, especially when you choose the right book…Life is Beautiful.

xo Erin