From time to time I feel I am sitting on information that I absolutely MUST share, and after texting all of my friends about it, the itch remains. Today was one of those times, and I remembered that my website has a blog function!
The list of books that I would have tattooed in their entirety on my skin is ever-growing, and since I am limited to one body (and one paycheck LOL), I have created this blog post instead.
In addition to listing out the books and authors, I also aim to give you a taste of each book - an understanding of why it might be worth your while. I will be adding these delicious tidbits over time as individual posts, so if you want to get started on this reading list you can, and if you want to wait to see what I have to say about these books, you can do that, too.
Every single one of these books changed my life, and I mean that in no uncertain terms.
Before I begin, a few disclaimers:
Nearly all of these books will be non-fiction, because that is what I like to read
Many of these books are from a queer, intersectional, feminist, inclusive perspective. This framework is close to my heart, and still there are some books on this list which, in one way or another, fall short of that goal. It is my opinion that they remain worth reading, and I invite you to form your own opinions
Some of these books are about topics that are considered a little woo-woo-y, I’ve certainly heard the word “pseudo-science” thrown around. The books are true to my lived experience, and the lived experience of the people I have learned from (anthro-ontological truths, if you will ;)
To each their own, I hope you enjoy these books and it’s okay if you don’t
In any case, what follows is a little insight into my mind and my life. Below is the list of books:
More Than Two by Franklin Veaux
The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy
The Color Code by Dr. Taylor Hartman
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera
Lost Connections by Johann Hari
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph. D
One by Richard Bach
2150 by Thea Alexander
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Deep Economy by Bill McKibben
all about love by bell hooks
The Wander Society by Keri Smith
Before I get into the breakdown of each of these books, let me take a quick moment to share my experience with the reading tracker The Story Graph. Not sponsored, I just like to shout from the rooftops when I find something really awesome.
The Story Graph is a Goodreads competitor and replacement. What I like better about it: the user interface is more dynamic, the statistics are easier to access, it is Black-owned, and your use of this site does not benefit Amazon (owner of Goodreads)! The app also uses algorithms and data from your reading history to recommend books to you.
Finally, you can easily export all of your reading data from Goodreads to do a one-time import to The Story Graph, making it easy to switch and never look back :)
To keep up to date on what I am reading at any given time (a veritable library of piles of books in all corners of my apartment), you can follow me by clicking this link to my profile.
Over time I will add links to the list below, so check back for updates to new blog posts about each of the books on this reading list, and for new additions to the list as I read more life changing books!
Books on Polyamory
More Than Two by Franklin Veaux
The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy
Books on Psychology, Self-improvement, and/or Personality
The Color Code by Dr. Taylor Hartman
The Color Code is the most underrated, and most important theory of personality I have ever come across; it is both deceptively simple and immediately accessible. It presents a way to see yourself that can illuminate your most frustrating limitations, and a way to engage with others that allows you to be more compassionate, understanding, and ultimately more helpful as they face the pieces of being human that are most challenging for them.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera
Lost Connections by Johann Hari
Books on Communication and Relationships
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg, Ph. D
Books on Spirituality and the Nature of the Universe
One by Richard Bach
2150 by Thea Alexander
Books on Social Issues
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Deep Economy by Bill McKibben
Books on Love, Community, Society
all about love by bell hooks
The Wander Society by Keri Smith
Happy reading!