What are Humans Doing?

I read 100 books in the last three months, bringing the count for this year to 200. These eight books are the standouts for their ability to prompt thoughtful reflection about the role of the observant human in powerful systems. 

"A Different Kind of Power" by Jacinda Ardern stands apart as a memoir because of its precise balance of personal and professional narrative. Ardern credits working her editor to transfer her speech-writing skills into this format and the skillful handing of the prose is truly what makes this memoir distinct. 

"Death of the Author" by Nnedi Okorafor splices the protagonists life with excerpts from the book they are writing creating overlapping narratives that amplify and question each other. Every Okorafor book prompts different reflections about the role of technology, belief, and human suffering. This one continues exploring and pushing further discussion on these themes.

"The Book of Alchemy" (by) Suleika Jaouad. A collection of creative prompts with keen insights from a variety of authors. If you are uncertain about where your work is going next, I recommend working thru some of these prompts for some space. 

"The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue" by Mike Tidwell utilizes the hyperspecific locale of the authors home avenue to discuss climate change, illness, knowledge, and community action. 

While I fervently disagree with some of the examples used in "The Third Perspective" by Africa Brooke, that precisely gets to to the import of books like this which encourage varied response in the face of opinions that are counter to your worldview. 

I frequently run from devotionals, as they often contain theological points that are problematic. And while navigating that nuance is a useful skill in public discourse, private practice can have distinct boundaries. I found "God Didn't Make Us to Hate Us" by The Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail to be a notable encouraging exception. Progressive, and anchored in the biblical text, this devotional is a breath of fresh air. 

"Holy Hurt" by Hillary McBride PhD. is required reading for any woman in the church, anyone who loves a woman in the church, and any woman who has left the church. It gives clinical context and thus insight to lived church experience. 

I read "For Whom the Belle Tolls" by Jaysea Lynn after encountering her entertaining TikTok skits about the "Hellp Desk" (a customer service desk in Hell) and was truly delighted by the world construction of this book. Much of what the Contemporary West thinks about hell is derived from Dante's "Inferno". I wonder how much our cultural understanding will shift as a result of this new take on hell?

Honorable mentions: "The Filter Bubble" by Eli Pariser  
                                             "What We Talk About When We Talk About God" by Rob Bell

Review of first 100 books of the year can be found here.