This year once again I have set a resolution to read 4 books throughout the year. I know that sounds like a terribly small number, but I am not a reader by any means. So I figured 4 was a safe number that I could easily achieve and take pride in the fact that I was learning something new. I do read many online articles and news stories, but I don’t always read many books which is something I would like to change slowly which is why this resolution is so important to complete.
Books Finished:
- Sea Prayer
- The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant
- What the Buddha Taught
- Old Demons, New Deities
- Burning the Sun’s Braids
- Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering
- The 5am Club
- Expecting Better
- How to Win Friends & Influence People
- It Starts with the Egg
The funny thing about the completed book list is that I finished reading, ‘The Impatient Woman’s Guide to Getting Pregnant’ and ‘It Starts with the Egg’ back in January and February, a few months before I became pregnant. I chose the books to educate myself about pregnancy, and to get rid of all the negative voices in the media and in society that kept saying this side of 35 to have a child or you will struggle to get pregnant. The books were picked to ease my worries and educate myself with facts, as well as to see what I could do to better prepare myself before getting pregnant. I’ve wanted to be a mom for a long time, but it has been pushed back many years because of how my life has turned out and I was trying to accept the fact that I would be an older mom.
So for anyone I know who hasn’t had kids yet, or for those who are older and thinking about having kids I really recommenced both of the books above, as well as, ‘Expecting Better.’ Which I decided to get after reading on reddit many people preferred it to the popular book, ‘ What to Expect When You are Expecting.’ It’s a good read filled with facts and statistics so someone thinking about becoming pregnant, or who is pregnant can make the best choices for their own body.
‘ Sea Prayer’ is a new book that came out based on the refugee crisis in Europe. The book is a short read with artwork that pulls at your heartstrings.
‘Old Demons, New Deities’ and ‘Burning the Sun’s Braids’ are books that a friend brought from Nepal for me to read. The first book are stories written by Tibetans inside and outside Tibet and translated into English. The second book is translated poetry of Tibetan poets inside Tibet into English. The book is in English and Tibetan. I finished the English part of the book, but have not started the Tibetan part as it will be very hard for me to read and understand.
‘What the Buddha Taught’ is a book I borrowed from a friend that I needed to finish and give back. It was kind of a difficult read, as there were many words I didn’t know, as well as the style it was written in which made it a book that took almost a year to finish reading.
‘Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering’ was recommended to me by my Aunt Miela, when I asked her for book recommendations at the beginning of the year to start thinking about pregnancy in the future at some point. It was an interesting read about natural birth and pregnancy.
’The 5am Club’ was okay, but really not for me. Its about a method of how to optimize your life starting from your morning routine. I just wanted to finish the book, because I started it, but I really didn’t enjoy it that much at all.
‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ is a book my husband is reading in Chinese. He kept telling me how good the book is and that I need to read it so I know how to talk to people better. I resisted for a long time, but eventually this summer I decided why not try and read the book. The book is very old and very popular. It was a good read and it was interesting to see how the language used in the book has changed since then until today. I have finished the book, he is still working on it which is fine as Chinese is his second language so it takes him longer to read books if he doesn’t know some of the words.
Books I started, but haven’t finished:
- An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life
- Fear: Understanding and Accepting the Insecurities of Life
- Dear Lama Zopa: Radical Solutions for Transforming Problems into Happiness
- And the Mountains Echoed
- Taming Tibet
Out of all these books in my unfinished pile I can only remember what the book ‘Taming Tibet ‘ is about. I haven’t quite made up my mind about the book yet and whether it plays to a certain narrative or if it is trying to straddle the middle ground in order for the author to continue to be able to come to Tibet for research. Which, I have actually met the author, I just didn’t realize it at the time. The world is a funny place and it is very very small! I’m hoping to at least finish this book by the end of the year, and eventually finish the other books in 2020.
Next year, I hope to spend more time reading books related to Tibet, whether that be Tibetan history or culture. I may eventually read books about parenting or bilingual education as well, but that is to be seen as to what I want to read! I hope everyone has read at least a few good books this year!