Newsletter Roundup: Books

Apr 11

Hi there friends! Here is another roundup from my weekly newsletters, this one is a list of the books that were recommended. I LOVE books (I have written two) and I love sharing good ones with you. Plus they can be an excellent tool in your self love journey.

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Wonderful books about meditation, self-love, anxiety, and more

Whether you have just one mindful minute, or an hour to spare, here are some books that can help you on your self love journey. There are some great ones in here!

Unbound by Tarana Burke

Traumatic experiences, unfortunately, happen to virtually all of us, but becoming traumatized isn't a forgone conclusion. Ms. Burke is a powerful woman who takes the pain of her own experiences and has used it, over many years, as the raw material that she used to weave a tapestry of understanding and support for so many others.

That she allows us to see the inner workings of her own experiences as she did that is the gift of this book. This woman birthed the #metoo movement, and no one can deny how much that has changed our world.

This was recommended in the January 28, 2022 issue of Liza's newsletter.

*Olga Dies Dreaming: A Novel* by Xochitl Gonzalez

I recently finished this book and honestly it took my breath away. (The recommendation came from my friend, the writer Salomé Gómez-Upegui.)
This book has already won a ton of awards and been optioned to become a movie, but don't read it for those reasons. Read it because it somehow manages to combine grass-roots revolution, Puerto Rican history, hoarding, state-level politics, wedding planning, AIDS, love, and a complicated maternal relationship into an absolute page-turner. It's rooted in history but thoroughly modern.
*This was recommended in the* *March 4, 2022 issue* *of Liza's newsletter.*

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land

The buzz about Maid on Netflix is, in my opinion, quite well-earned. I thoroughly enjoyed the bestselling memoir that the series is based on. The creators of the show have done a thoughtful job of handling complex issues like trauma, class, race, and poverty–and, especially, the places where those things intersect. Plus, I was a struggling single mom for a lot of years, so I saw a lot of myself on screen. Which, you know, feels validating!

This was recommended in the October 15, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Educated by Tara Westover

This wonderful and bestselling memoir tells the story of how Tara went from a fundamentalist Mormon upbringing in which she was taught that “education is bad” to earning a Ph.D. from Cambridge. Seems like a fairy tale, almost.

Her op-ed piece “I Am Not Proof of the American Dream” sets right the many people who misinterpret her story as proof that hard work alone can offer these life-changing experiences to others. Individual hard work alone is not enough when overwhelming systemic inequality is at play. I highly recommend the book and love that she wrote that follow-up piece.

This was recommended in the February 18, 2022 issue of Liza's newsletter.

It’s OK That You’re Not OK by Megan Devine

One of the best books I have ever read about grief, particularly the deep grief that comes from losing someone you love. Keep this one close by.

It is a wonderful book that respects the heartbroken and holds space for the reality of grief without trying to change it. The book is a wonderful offering to a friend who needs support.

And hold onto this link, too; you'll be grateful to have it when you need it: how to help a grieving friend (resources for helpers).

This was recommended in the August 13, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Transcendent Kingdom: A Novel by Yaa Gyasi

Have you ever been stunned by a book? This one took my breath away. It's about science, God, mental illness, family, racism, addiction, loss, identity... It is deeply personal, but like the very best books, its specificity manages to make it broadly relatable.

"But this tension, this idea that one must necessarily choose between science and religion, is false. I used to see the world through a God lens, and when that lens clouded, I turned to science. Both became, for me, valuable ways of seeing, but ultimately both have failed to fully satisfy in their aim: to make clear, to make meaning."

Yes, it's a novel, but every word in it is the truth. I cannot recommend it enough.

This was recommended in the July 30, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

The Wisdom of Anxiety: How Worry & Intrusive Thoughts Are Gifts to Help You Heal by Sheryl Paul, MA

This is a really rich book that teaches, in great and specific detail, how to identify our types of anxiety, examine where they come from, and shows precisely how to embrace and work with the truly valuable messages that our anxiety is gifting us.

In particular, I like the focus she puts on our bodies–after all, anxiety is a physical feeling. She examines the somatic symptoms of anxiety (like rapid heartbeat and shallow breath) and mentions how things like low blood sugar can contribute to anxious feelings. I also like how she breaks down potential anxiety-provoking experiences by day of the week and season, and offers new rituals that we can create reprogram our experiences.

This was recommended in the July 12, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

A beautiful multi-generational story of a family, in which anyone can probably see traces of their own experience. It's dauntingly long, but it moves fast and keeps you very engaged. And, if you're like me and you don't know much about Korean history, it provides a lot of cultural context and information. (Note: this book has since been made into a limited series; the beautiful trailer is here.)

Grace: A Memoir by Grace Coddington

A fun read that is full of history of an industry (fashion) that doesn't get much attention in traditional history books–but is super relevant to the modern world. If you have any interest in fashion, it's well worth the read. Plus, she (Grace Coddington) is 78 years old and still setting trends, half a century after she started.

These were recommended in the July 19, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Eff This! Meditation: 108 Tips, Tricks and Ideas for When You’re Feeling Anxious, Stressed Out, or Overwhelmed by Liza Kindred

We had to include this one! It’s my first book, and is well-loved.

Eff This! Meditation is a Shamatha (mindfulness-awareness) practice rooted in radical compassion for self, and presented in 108 tips, tricks, and ideas. They are all centered on the idea that, as humans, we might not be “finished,” but we are complete. Everything you need to attain enlightenment is already contained within you, and you can use meditation—and these practices—to connect with it.

Somebody’s Daughter: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford

For those of us who have "complicated" relationships with our mothers, this book will feel like it was written by a kindred spirit. While it's specific to her own journey, it is full of relatable observations and wisdom.

"I was not coming back because I was not the same person, and I could not, would not pretend. Really it was for their own good. I complicated the narrative they wanted to live by, and it didn’t bother me until it bothered them."

It's a lovely, honest book about how one woman grappled with her own painful upbringing. I very much recommend it.

This was recommended in the August 6, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics by Mirabai Starr

Do you ever have a book that takes forever to get through because it is so rich; because every turn of the page shifts a part of your mind and you have to just.... move slowly? This was one of those books for me.

"I don’t blame my adolescent girl self for falling for the illusion that the spiritual life is about transcending the body and thereby leaving my body vulnerable to exploitation. She was on the right track—hungry for truth, thirsty for the love that is as big as the universe, ready for anything. She was brave and she was wise. But she confused the fireworks for the sun."

For anyone on a spiritual journey who has ever craved more feminine wisdom or teachers: consider this book. It is a salve created with luxurious language and in direct connection to the source.

This was recommended in the June 25, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

*Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself* by Kristin Neff

One of the things this book does particularly well is to tease out the key differences between self-esteem and self-compassion. It's also a great way to move from "I should love myself more" to "here is how I love myself more." The author, Kristin Neff, came out with another book called *Radical Self-Compassion* that looks just as amazing.
*This was recommended in the* *February 14, 2020 issue* *of Liza's newsletter.*

Red, White, & Royal Blue: A Novel by Casey McQuiston

In the middle of reading several very serious books, I wanted a bit of a break and I stumbled on this one. Stick with me: it's about if a Mexican immigrant from Texas had won the 2016 Presidential election and her son ended up in a love affair with Prince "Henry" of England. It's a great little love story, and it also felt like a nice break to imagine what might have been if that election had gone the other way. Recommended!

The Log From the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck

This is a hybrid philosophy-science-travel book that John Steinbeck co-wrote with his BFF, the biologist Ed Ricketts, about their self-funded marine specimen collecting trip in the 1930's. It's surprisingly charming, self effacing, and educational. It reads kind of like a Wes Anderson movie if Wes Anderson had a sense of humor and/or humility about himself.

These were recommended in the October 18, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Tides: The Science and Spirit of the Ocean by Jonathan White.

I used to think I had a general grasp of ocean tides. Ha ha oh wow was I wrong! They are so, so varied and weirdly unpredictable.

From this book I learned in Maine there is the Bay of Fundy, which has the largest tides in the world: 50-foot vertical tides, which switch roughly every 6 hours and 13 minutes. Twice a day, more water moves through this bay then through all of the freshwater rivers in the world combined. ( ! )

Now when someone says something like "the moon causes tides" or "all places have two low tides and two high tides in a day" I act all superior, like I've always known better. ;) I loved it so much I am going to read it again.

This was recommended in the July 19, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Tea and Cake with Demons: A Buddhist Guide to Feeling Worthy by Adreanna Limbach.

This book is written by my dear friend and it is AWESOME. Seriously. If you have ever felt bad about parts of yourself and wanted to stop, consider this your guidebook; or, as the subtitle calls it "a Buddhist Guide to Feeling Worthy."

This was recommended in the July 19, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea by Jonathan Franklin

This isn't ancient history, this riveting book is about an ordeal that started off the coast of Mexico in 2012, and ended in 2014 when fisherman Salvador Alvarenga finally washed ashore after more than a year stranded at sea, seven thousand miles from where he originally went fishing.

(And guess what, when he came ashore, people didn't believe his story and thought he might be a drug trafficker. Can you imagine what that was like for him??)

This is a book about one man's incredible ability to survive (and retain his humanity as he did), how plastic ocean garbage saved his life, and a true testament to the power of positive thinking against every odd.

This was recommended in the July 5, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood by Anne Cushman

When I discovered the Buddhist writer (and teacher) Anne Cushman I fell in love. Her memoir . . . well honestly, it tore my heart open. I have read a million dharma books, but there are so few about what it's like to actually try to live on a spiritual path. And then to try to live it as a woman, and a mother, when the Buddha himself skipped out on his family in the dark of night to go try to get enlightened . . . let's talk about that.

The book is making me completely rethink the idea of attachment and explore how maybe the great (male) spiritual leaders have gotten important parts of the spiritual journey so wrong.

This was recommended in the August 2, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

Healing Spaces by Esther M. Sternberg

My friend Wendy gave this to me at the perfect time. It's helped me to understand, from a scientific perspective, why NYC was so hard on me (while Miami is a healing place for me) and also how to create more healing spaces in my life. Recommended!

Leaving the Witness by Amber Scorah

I ate this book up. It's by a woman who was a dedicated Jehovah's Witness, and is the story of her un-learning (and leaving) her fundamentalist upbringing. (It's Educated-esque.)

These were recommended in the November 8, 2019 issue of Liza's newsletter.

The Season: A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen Richardson

Stick with me on this one, k? I always thought debutante culture was A) dumb, B) kind of appealing in an old-school-glamour kind of way, but mostly C) facile, superficial, and horrifyingly misogynistic. I had no idea.

This wonderful book cracked my closed mind open. I learned so much. I was right about the horrifying misogyny but definitely did not understand how deeply entrenched white supremacy is into the customs as well. (You also might want to read it if you’re fascinated by the Kardashians. The book is incredibly relevant to the culture we all live in today.) I highly recommend giving this book a read.

This was recommended in the September 17, 2021 issue of Liza's newsletter.

We hope we gave you some good book ideas to either start reading or to put on your list for the future. Subscribe to the newsletter below👇! For more recommendations check out our roundup posts for: social media, podcasts, and movies and tv shows. We are so glad to have you be part of our community. Happy reading!

p.s. The featured image and pin, “Readers Gonna Read”, from Etsy user LiteraryEmporium. “My Kind of Texts” enamel pin from Esty user queeniescards.