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No Book Buy July

book tbr pile with a statue of a woman reading on topConfession time: I buy books faster than I can read them. At last count, I have around 100 physical books that have gone unread.

How does this happen? Well, for one thing, I have a hard time resisting an indie bookstore. Window shopping is not enough for me. I need to go in and say hello to the friendly booksellers, peruse the staff picks section, explore the entire store, absorb its charm, and then select a book I deem a “must-have.” Leaving empty-handed is not an option.

Barnes & Noble has three stores within a 10-mile radius of my house. Amazon Prime is at my fingertips. And it’s impossible to avoid all the Bookstagram accounts I follow. Thank goodness Costco stopped selling discount hardcovers.

As you can see, the odds of my buying a few books during the week are high due to their availability and my inability to control myself.

But every July, I make a valiant effort (and have been successful) in not buying any books. Instead, I shop my bookshelves for current and backlist titles, and I read them. Shocking, I know. 😲

Today, I selected four books that I plan to read this month. Here is why I chose them.

  • Finding Dorothy, by Elizabeth Letts – I love The Wizard of Oz and Wicked, but it’s time to read someone else’s backstory. What better place to start than with the wife of the author, Frank Baum. This historical fiction book dives into how his widow, Maud, helps bring his story to the big screen.
  • Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee – Staying with historical fiction—my favorite genre—this book appears on many 5-star lists. I remember buying it from an indie bookstore a few years ago because I heard great things about it. It’s been collecting dust on my shelves ever since. It’s time for me to find out what the fuss is about and dive in to this Korean family saga that spans four generations.
  • Lean Learning, by Pat Flynn – I found out about this book from another source I have yet to mention—LinkedIn. See, I told you LinkedIn is awesome (see yesterday’s post). The subtitle is what sold me on this title. “How to Achieve More By Learning Less.” I could spend my life trying to be an expert on the latest marketing trends, but I don’t want to. I want to learn just enough to use it intelligently and efficiently. AI, for instance, is not going away anytime soon. As a writer, it’s my biggest competitor. But I’m not going to learn everything about it, just enough for me to understand it and maybe convince people that I’m a better option.
  • Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt – I bet many of you have read this book. Even if you aren’t a big reader, I bet you or someone you love, loved this book. It was a HUGE hit last summer, and I didn’t read it. Sometimes, I get severe FOMO for books that I wouldn’t necessarily read but must have. This is one of those titles. I hope I like it.

Okay! There are 31 days in July, and in addition to the Ultimate Blog Challenge, I will not buy any books this month. Books that I borrow from the library or other people don’t count, but clearly I have enough here to stay out of trouble.

What books are you reading this summer? 📚📚

XO,
Elisa

Book Review: Original Sin

Front cover of the book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, It's Cover Up and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again"I remember exactly where I was when President Biden announced he would not run for re-election. Ironically, I was about an hour north of the White House, celebrating my sister’s 50th birthday.

We were speechless but far from surprised. We had so many questions. What took him so long to make this decision? Why hadn’t he done it sooner? Like right after that disastrous debate. How nice it would have been to have the opportunity for a presidential primary and select a candidate with enough time to share their vision for our country’s future.

Alas, that did not happen, and we are where we are politically today for reasons that are only coming to light months later.

Regardless, “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again” is a comprehensive retelling of the decisions made to conceal the truth from the American public. Some of the book’s biggest bombshells included a behind-the-scenes look into his declining health, his refusal to listen to party leadership and inability recognize longtime friends and supporters (like George Clooney), and the inner workings of the White House staff who tried to present and maintain a “nothing to see here” facade.

The cover photo says it all. President Biden and his inner circle closed their eyes to the polls. They covered their ears about health concerns, and prioritized pride over the potential (and very real) damage to the Democratic party and the country if he campaigned and lost.

Nearly everyone who spoke to the authors did so anonymously, fearing retaliation. This general theme has carried over to the current administration, where everyone appears to be afraid to talk freely.

I also feel a great deal of empathy for Biden, a political legend who did so much good during his tenure, dealt with personal tragedies, and yet couldn’t overcome his own stubbornness to pass the torch to the next generation. A decision that will likely be his legacy.

I’ve heard numerous reasons why people didn’t want to read this book. Many are angry with the authors, particularly Jake Tapper, who previously defended President Biden and has been accused of profiting from a story he may have downplayed in his reporting.

(Full disclosure: I believe Jake Tapper to be a responsible and ethical journalist. His coverage during the presidential campaign was a result of what the administration fed him and the rest of the media, which turned out to be lies.)

This book is also a challenging read for anyone who loves someone who can’t comprehend or face their limitations as they age. It’s also difficult for those of us who want to put party leaders on a pedestal and then realize they are only human and have made a lot of mistakes.

But it is an important read.

I gave this book a 5-star review because it was exceptionally well-written and thoroughly investigated. I trust the authors and their reporting of this period in our living history. I highly recommend books and articles that reveal the uncomfortable truths about both sides of the aisle.

Did anyone else read this book? What did you think? Thoughtful comments are welcome.

Elisa

My Notebook Addiction

Writing in a notebook

My daughter told me that I have a serious obsession with buying notebooks. No, not obsession—a sickness. And she’s not wrong.

While helping me reorganize my home office this weekend, she was taken aback by the different types of notebooks I own. I keep them in random baskets and desk drawers. And I know there are more. If we were cleaning out my bedroom closet, she would have found maybe a dozen more. Those pages are mostly filled with old blog posts and stories I only share with certain people. In my defense, they are keepsake journals, which are entirely different notebooks and shouldn’t count in the grand total.

I’m just sayin…

From pretty journals to practical notepads, I admit to having a nice collection. And by collection, I mean a plethora of notebooks. I can’t help myself. Sometimes, when I want to support an indie bookstore and know I don’t need another novel, I buy a notebook instead. This way, I don’t leave the store empty-handed. I’ve accumulated others that came to me as giveaways at workshops and conferences I’ve attended over the years. I tend to save them, but they don’t collect dust. I scribble down ideas that come to me at 2 am that I know I’ll forget in the daylight hours. These are my “in case of emergency” notebooks for when I have nothing else to write on.

I can’t say that I’m loyal to a particular brand. I was a big fan of Moleskine’s classic notebooks. They are sleek, high-quality journals that come in various sizes and colors. I’m still a fan and often tempted to buy them, but they are expensive. So, I switched to yellow notepads and CVS scratch pads. Soon enough, I worked my way back up to less costly but more appealing bound notebooks with bold colors and inspiring quotes on the cover. My latest purchase is a beauty. The colors are gorgeous, and the quote is from Vice President Kamala Harris. “Dream with Ambition. Lead with Conviction.” They are certainly words to live by.

At this point, I’m sure I have enough journals to write my life story. However, my work life has overshadowed my writing time lately, and the blank notebooks accumulated with only my good intentions to fill them. But eventually, I hope the stories that go into those notebooks will be of great value for generations to come.

I’m glad that my “sickness” is out in the open. Maybe someone will read this, see me at a Barnes & Noble in the stationery section, and pull me away before I make a purchase. When you do, please remind me of the notebooks sitting at home waiting for my pen and my words to grace their pages.

XO,

Elisa

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