Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book, “Braiding Sweetgrass,” has a healing effect that I was not expecting. It is a necessary blending of indigenous and scientific knowledge about plant life on this earth. Her writing style is warm and inviting, even when she is discussing the more technical side of botany and nature observation. This book is…
Tag: Reading
A method to help you have difficult conversations about what’s happening in the world: the Brave Community approach
Unless you live under a rock, we are all well aware that the world seems in extreme disarray these days. What’s worse, most of what’s happening has become polarized and politicized in public discussion, even climate change, which you’d hope would be the least controversial of all the challenges the world is facing. Sadly, politicians…
Two children travelling around the world on a boat with their parents for 10 years: an adventure, or abuse of power?
Children are sometimes listened to, their desires granted by their parents, but most of the time, everyone knows that a household is generally not a democracy. Parents have the final say. What if that final say means sailing around the world for 10 years during your prime childhood years against your will? That is exactly…
After a long summer hiatus, back in the swing of things with Naomi Klein’s latest book
I have always found Naomi Klein’s work urgent, necessary, and surprisingly easy to grasp for non-fiction. She has always been a fresh voice to listen to and read regarding anything in the climate and social justice sphere. In her latest book, she is at it again, but this time from an unexpected angle: the doppelgänger….
The future of baby-making
The majority of people I know that are having babies are doing so late into their thirties. It’s an obvious trend, in my opinion. Work-life balance, for the most part, doesn’t make it easy for any parent. In addition, life in general has simply gotten more expensive. And lastly, maybe more people are actually sitting…
Animals have superpowers!
When you share a home with an animal, you learn how to communicate with them, read their moods, and understand their needs through observation. You also get a glimpse into how they exist in this world and what stimulates their interest and why. Interspecies relationships are so special that I feel sorry for people who…
Series alert: Kindred
I am a huge Octavia Butler fan, and I recently learned that her book, Kindred, has been made into a series. I could not resist watching it. The series has some modifications, but none that don’t ring true. It is part horror story, part historical fiction, all suspense! I personally feel it has done Octavia…
The misdiagnosis of ‘imposter syndrome’
Have you heard of it before? Imposter syndrome? Have you ‘suffered’ from it? If I’m really honest, I don’t actually think that I have. I feel as though I’ve spent most of my life trying to prove myself more than anything else. However, there are plenty of people, especially women, who have experienced it throughout…
Deconstructing white supremacy culture
I recently listened to a podcast episode where the guest being interviewed was Tema Okun. I learned from the interview that back in 1999, while facilitating workshops about racial equity in the workplace, Tema Okun wrote an article where she listed the ways in which white supremacy culture is manifested at work. That article has…
The Power: a feminist fantasy or a wannabe?
This book was given to me as a gift and a priori, it seemed right up my alley: sci-fi, fantasy, feminist. But, I’ll be honest, I struggled with it. Evidently, it has been a huge success, and I’ve recently learned that it’s being made into a TV series. I will be giving the series a…