WWW Wednesdays – May 27, 2020

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Joy at Work by Marie Kondo and Scott Sonenshein – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ½
The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Gilmore Girls Reading List: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey – audiobook = ♦ ♦
NetGalley ARC: Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella – ebook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ½

I have had a hard time reading this month. I have mostly been listening to audiobooks, while doing other things. I did enjoy The Ghost Map about the cholera outbreak in London back in the 1800s. I do feel like we continue to not learn from history, and I wonder how the author feels about the current pandemic. I gave another attempt at reading Marie Kondo, but this one did not hit the mark for me. Yes, I admit that I would be more productive and happy at work if I didn’t have 500 emails a day or multiple meetings. However, this book makes it sound like I can just change how the company I am employed for works. Also, there are plenty of days I am not happy with my job, but I am not in a position to just change careers if I am not happy. In fact, these days I count my blessings that I have a job. I will also say that books don’t have a time stamp, and I am surprised that this is the message she is sticking with even after all the avid readers disagreed with her on this. Marie Kondo definitely creates an inner struggle in me, because I appreciate her unique method, but I guess I just need to ignore her descriptions and interpret her method my own way.

*My full review of Ghosts of Harvard will be posted soon.*

Reading Next

Hope everyone is doing well! What have y’all been reading? Please feel free to comment on these books and/or post your WWW link below!

Stay safe and healthy and Read On!!!

Book Club Pick: Into Thin Air

Title: Into Thin Air
Author: Jon Krakauer
Genre: Nonfiction Adventure
Publisher: Villard Books
Publication Date: May 1, 1997
Pages: 368
Format Read: Paperback book
Standalone or series: Standalone
Where I got the book: Unknown
Date finished reading: May 11, 2020

Goodreads Description: A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that “suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down.” He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more–including Krakauer’s–in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air, Krakauer’s epic account of the May 1996 disaster.

My Review: When my book club voted for this book, I was thrilled to read an adventure story about Everest, especially since travel is so limited in the world right now. I had been wanting to read Jon Krakauer for a while. What better place to start than by reading about the highest point in the world from the comfort of my couch.

This story started off as an article in Outsider magazine. However, after some harsh criticism, Jon Krakauer decided to dive further into his and others’ experiences on Everest during that tragic May expedition in 1996. His interviews led to the realization that some of his memories from his time on and near the Everest summit had been inaccruate – most likely from the lack of oxygen.

Whatever the reason for writing this book, whether it be survivor’s guilt or trying to make sense of this event that costs the lives of his fellow hikers, Jon Krakauer wrote one hell of a great story. This book included a historical introduction to Everest and expeditions on Everest. The descriptions of Everest and mountaineering on Everest made you feel like you were right there with the hikers. An expedition on Everest is so much more involved that I could have ever imagined. A hiker spends days/weeks on this expedition. Much of that time is spent acclimating to the high elevation, and then the hiker gets one shot at reaching the summit, as one should not spend an extended time at that elevation.

By the time the final summit hike for Krakauer and the hikers came, I was very invested in them and their trek. That made this story even more heartbreaking. It was thrilling and terrifying. There were twists and turns and lot of moments that surprised me. The book club found lots to discuss.

Of course, we had to discuss mountaineering first and one’s motivation to climb Everest. Then we discussed the sherpas that risk their lives to pave the path for the hikers and assist them on their journey for very little money. I think Jon Krakauer tried to bring to light the mistreatment of sherpas.

Finally we discussed the actual tragic events that took place on May 10th and the following days in 1996. We debated on whether this was a natural disaster or a man-made disaster. We discussed the decisions made by everyone during the summit trek, when the storm hit, and the days afterwards.

Not only did every member of the book club read this book, but for days we have been sending each other links related to Everest. We have not run out of things to talk about when it comes to this expedition and Everest. It is surprising, based on this excitement, that everyone rated this the highest rating of all our previous reads. I personally am looking forward to reading more by Jon Krakauer.

The book club unanimously loves Beck Weathers! ♥♥♥

My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

Book Club Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

WWW Wednesdays – May 13, 2020

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

I’ve started the Bout of Books 28 readathon to jump start my reading again, but I do have a lot of work deadlines, so reading has taken a bit of a back seat. I did read Into Thin Air in 2 days though. I have no doubt that I’ll have read much more by next week.

Currently Reading

Recently Finished

Virtual Book Club: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

I’ll have a book review of this read up shortly.

Reading Next

 

Hope everyone is doing well! What have y’all been reading? Please feel free to comment on these books and/or post your WWW link below!

Stay safe and healthy and Read On!!!

Bout of Books 28 – May 2020

I’m gearing up for the Bout of Books 28! Readathons have been a blessing for my reading life during this period of quarantining and social-distancing, when things are consistently distracting me from my books. If you don’t know what the Bout of Books Readathon is, here is a description created by the hosts:

The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It’s a weeklong readathon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in YOUR time zone. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are daily challenges, Twitter chats, and exclusive Instagram challenges, but they’re all completely optional. For Bout of Books 28 information and updates, visit the Bout of Books blog. 
– From the Bout of Books team

Here are my goals for the readathon:

1. Participate in challenges.
2. Complete book for virtual book club.
3. Complete 3 additional books.
4. Read 750 pages.

Here is what I intend to be reading this week:

If any of you are interested in participating in the Bout of Books Readathon, you can sign up here. It’ll be an amazing time!!!

STAY HEALTHY AND READ ON!!!

WWW Wednesdays – May 6, 2020

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

It was a pretty light reading week for me. I think I’ll make up for it next week, when I start reading for Bout of Books 28 which begins on the 11th. Are you joining?

Currently Reading

Recently Finished

American Sherlock by Kate Winkler Dawson – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 

I didn’t read much this week, but I made good progress in Anna Karenina and hope to have a lot more read by this time next week.

Reading Next

Hope everyone is doing well! What have y’all been reading? Please feel free to comment on these books and/or post your WWW link below!

Stay safe and healthy and Read On!!!

WWW Wednesdays – April 29, 2020

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Time for another WWW Wednesdays, which is brought to you by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words. If you too want to participate, answer the above questions and post that link on Sam’s page.

Last weekend I participated in the Dewey’s 24-Hour Readathon. There really was no better time to do this with a Stay-At-Home order still in effect in my area. I might as well read with the thousands of others around the world participating in this readathon. This was the best thing for my reading life. I managed to complete seven the books and read more than 1,100 pages during that time. This included some classics, my Spring Reads and the Gilmore Girls Reading List. It was a lot of fun!

Currently Reading

Finished Reading

Gratitude Daily by Nataly Kogan – audiobook =  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Fly Girls by Keith O’Brien – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ½
Mount TBR: Murder with Mirrors by Agatha Christie – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ½
Gilmore Girls Reading List: Stuart Little by E. B. White – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Gilmore Girls Reading List: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson – audiobook = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Reading Classics: Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Harder – book = ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The Breathing Method by Stephen King – ebook = ♦ ♦ ½

Reading Next

Hope everyone is doing well! What have y’all been reading? Please feel free to comment on these books and/or post your WWW link below!

Stay safe and healthy and Read On!!!

 

Book Review: Who Moved My Cheese

Title: Who Moved My Cheese?
Author: Dr. Spencer Johnson
Genre: Self-help
Publisher: Vermilion
Publication Date: 1998
Pages: 96
Format Read: Audiobook
Standalone or series: Standalone
Where I got the book: Library Libby app
Date finished reading: April 26, 2020

Goodreads Description: Who Moved My Cheese? is a simple parable that reveals profound truths. It is an amusing and enlightening story of four characters who live in a “Maze” and look for “Cheese” to nourish them and make them happy.

Two are mice named Sniff and Scurry. And two are “Littlepeople”—beings the size of mice who look and act a lot like people. Their names are Hem and Haw.

“Cheese” is a metaphor for what you want to have in life—whether it is a good job, a loving relationship, money, a possession, health, or spiritual peace of mind.

And the “Maze” is where you look for what you want—the organization you work in, or the family or community you live in.

In the story, the characters are faced with unexpected change. Eventually, one of them deals with it successfully, and writes what he has learned from his experience on the Maze walls.

When you come to see “The Handwriting on the Wall,” you can discover for yourself how to deal with change, so that you can enjoy less stress and more success (however you define it) in your work and in your life.

Written for all ages, the story takes less than an hour to read, but its unique insights can last a lifetime.

My Review: What an appropriate book to read right now! This book is about change and how one deals with change. The story of Who Moved My Cheese? is about 4 mice who encounter change and deal with it in different ways. Sniff anticipates the change and adapts early. Scurry sees the change and embraces it immediately. Hem sees the change but finds change difficult and is reluctant to adapt. Hem finally does embrace change. Haw refuses to accept the change and stays with what is familiar.

When reading this, you immediately try to figure out which mouse you are. I admittedly share Hem’s qualities. I don’t like change very much. I do tend to eventually go with the change, but it takes me a while to adjust to it. I feel like many around the world might be having the same feelings now. The Who Moved My Cheese? story really focused on Hem’s learning to embrace change process, and so the reader can learn from this.

• Anticipate change.
• Get ready for change.
• Monitor change.
• Be aware when it is time for change.
• Let go of the old and embrace the new.

I really feel that this book helped me understand my own feelings of change and the process it takes for someone like me to embrace change. The one thing that bothered me about this book is that in the discussion about Who Moved My Cheese? no one mentioned the negative side to change. In the discussion, change is always positive. In the Who Moved My Cheese? story, the location of the food supply for the mice changed, so if they chose not to embrace change they would not be able to eat. Change, in this situation, is a necessity, but what if change is not a necessity and could potentially be more harmful than good?

Overall, this book was thought-provoking and interesting. Plus, it is a nice short read. 🙂 Which mouse are you? What are your tips to dealing with change?

“Change happens to all of us.”

My Rating: ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦