Ever since I graduated college (I was an English major), I haven't really felt the urge to read that much anymore, but I'm starting now (more like since 2022) and I don't think I have had this much fun reading since high school (I had an intense YA novel phase)
1. All About Love by bell hooks
- Obviously everyone on the internet knows this book and/or has heard about it somehow!! This book is a very basic book when it comes to people wanting to know more about themselves and how to love themselves and the community around them. It was mostly about stuff that I'm already thinking about so it was okay.
2. Communion: The Female Search for Love by bell hooks
- NOW THIS ONE??? This one is fucking delicious!! It takes a more anecdotal look at how to incorporate love btwn self and community thru bell's own life thru the rise of feminism in the 60's and 70's. I found myself really jiving with this more bc oftentimes in my life I've felt invalidated when it comes to not only romantic love, but also just wanting to be loved and desired in general. So if ur a lovergirl/boy/person, I'd highly suggest reading this bc bell gives us the voice and tools to understand why we want love and care about the topic itself so much, while helping us to pursue it in a healthy way.
3. Goddesses in Everywoman: A New Psychology for Women by Jean Shinoda Bolen M.D.
- This book is an interesting one bc it takes the archetype of 7 Greek goddesses: Hera, Persephone, Demeter, Hestia, Athena, Artemis, and Aphrodite and talks about how each goddess can show up stronger in every woman at different parts of her life. It also explains if they have more than one goddess in them or more energy of one than the other, what the strengths and weaknesses are, and how to make them adapt to modern life
I'm reading this rn and I'm enjoying it fully (mostly bc I am a greek mythology buff), but it's also helping me recognize a lot of the parts of me that I knew were there, but it just helps me look at it from a different lens.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- He's like our generation's James Baldwin and he wrote this book as a letter for his son, and the first time I read this, I actually cried. It was that beautiful to see a black man taking the time to eloquently articulate how the world views black people and how his son (who has privilege) can operate within our society. An incredible book to read if u would want to read a father connect with his son in a very intimate and refreshing way :)
I'll make another post about the books I want to read this year :)))