Sydney Reads and Reads: November
So much of what I read this month was about place, about home, about belonging, about finding a way to feel whole in your given circumstances. I love that, and I love that this collection of titles assembled themselves in November, a month about family and giving thanks.
A Gentleman in Moscow: I was a little worried upon starting this book when Count Rostov befriended a little girl which then turned out to be the central relationship of the book. How far or deep could this go really? But it turned out the be a wonderful examination of a life lived within limited circumstances. Seeing a man go from enjoying complete freedom within the aristocracy, to being confined to a small attic room in a hotel, watching his old friends lives continue to eveolve, all the while making a new life for himself within the four walls of the Hotel Metropol. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of Russia during this time of great transition and upheaval.
The Masterpiece: You mean to tell me there was an art school in Grand Central Terminal in the 1920s and there's a book about it?! Sign. Me. Up. Split between 1920s and 1970s New York City The Masterpiece follows the lives of two women trying to be seen. One, Clara, is trying to make a name for herself in an art world dominated by men. The other, Virginia, is trying to land on her feet after a divorce and joins the crusade to save Grand Central Terminal's landmark status. As a former New Yorker, and lover of the Terminal, The Masterpiece was the perfect blend of nostalgia, history, and feminism. Also, I finished the last few pages of this one up at The Grand Cafe with a dirty martini. It was perfect. :)
Meet Me at the Museum: What's better than two people beginning a correspondence by accident and developing a deep genuine connection over time? Nothing. There was something so beautiful to me in the courtesy and interest Anders Larsen, a Dutch Professor, and Tina Hopgood, an English housewife, show toward each other. Something in the manners and slight linguistic barrier of this pair was heart-wrenchingly sweet. I discovered this book quite by accident perusing the "New" section on my library's website and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a quick weekend or travel read.
Little Women: What can I say about Little Women? Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy feel as close to me as any real people I know. And re-reading their triumphs and struggles year after year help put me in a more contented, contemplative state of mind to live out the current year and move into the next. I'm holding the March sisters especially close this year.
I used to put together very detailed posts about our Soul Blazers Book Club reads, full of my favorite quotes and insights. But that's not realistic book after book, because that's now how the titles affect my life. Not to mention the time it takes. Every once in a while there's an author who's vision creates a paradigm shift (Hi there Danielle LaPorte) in my thinking and way of living. Those, however, are few and far between. Going forward, I'd like to share these books with you how we talk about them in our meetings. Revealing to you my greatest takeaways and "ah-ha" moments, and letting you take it from there!
October/November was a double whammey for the Soul Blazers, but as it was also a big transition time for me personally, I was glad to have some new perspectives to help me along the way.
Belong: I felt a liiiittle eye rolly at times throughout this book, but I enjoyed it over all. I like that the author emphasised going in, working on yourself, before going out to try and create a community around you. I also appreciated her views on creating an intentional community. Like any personal development book worth it's salt, Belong made me realize some fears I have around opening myself up to new relationships and friends. But it also gave me tools and tactics to deal with them. The dissapointing thing for me was that most of her tactics seem unrealistic for a small community like mine, where many groups and meet-ups are church oriented or faith based in some way. But my mind and my heart have been opened to the intention of community and belonging and that's really half the battle, right?
Dare to Lead: Our first book for Soul Blazers Book Club was Brene Brown's Braving the Wilderness, and boy we could not have started off on a better foot. I remember feeling so alive and hopeful after that conversation. So it's only fitting that as we begin our second year we dive head first into Dare to Lead. Here, she takes the concepts born out in all of her other research, cross references them, and applies them to the work place. Brene talks a lot about our armor in this book, expanding on her concept of "strong back, soft front" which really reasonated with me. Through conversations, and altercations, over the last month I've stopped myself to ask, am I armoring up for this conversation, or am I coming to it with a soft and open front? I love her concept of the Rumble as well. What an evocative word. I knew exactly what she meant even before she explained it to me.
Perhaps the most impactful piece, for me, though was hearing how her research, across the board, backed up vulnerability in the work place. I often hear people complain about millenials and their precious feelings and how they get in the way of productivity. How bent out of shape other generations get over having to accomotate them. What it comes down to, for me, is this: I don't want there to be a work Sydney and a home Sydney, I just want to be one Sydney all the time. And that takes courage, vulnerability, and sharing my feelings in the work place. I'll be unpacking and revisiting Brene's work here for a while, but I'm happy to have a new lense through which to view her work which can help me perform and lead better in the work place.
It's funny, I spent a lot of time in November feeling like I wasn't making much progress on the books I wanted to read, but then I look at this post and see I finished SIX books! Calm down Syd, you're doing fine. Let's dial down the negative self-talk, ok?
I've got a delightful stack of books lined up for December including some holiday classics like A Christmas Carol, which I've never read, as well as some Book of the Month picks like The Clockmakers Daughter. What will you be reading? - xo Sydney
A Gentleman in Moscow: I was a little worried upon starting this book when Count Rostov befriended a little girl which then turned out to be the central relationship of the book. How far or deep could this go really? But it turned out the be a wonderful examination of a life lived within limited circumstances. Seeing a man go from enjoying complete freedom within the aristocracy, to being confined to a small attic room in a hotel, watching his old friends lives continue to eveolve, all the while making a new life for himself within the four walls of the Hotel Metropol. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse of Russia during this time of great transition and upheaval.
Meet Me at the Museum: What's better than two people beginning a correspondence by accident and developing a deep genuine connection over time? Nothing. There was something so beautiful to me in the courtesy and interest Anders Larsen, a Dutch Professor, and Tina Hopgood, an English housewife, show toward each other. Something in the manners and slight linguistic barrier of this pair was heart-wrenchingly sweet. I discovered this book quite by accident perusing the "New" section on my library's website and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a quick weekend or travel read.
Little Women: What can I say about Little Women? Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy feel as close to me as any real people I know. And re-reading their triumphs and struggles year after year help put me in a more contented, contemplative state of mind to live out the current year and move into the next. I'm holding the March sisters especially close this year.
I used to put together very detailed posts about our Soul Blazers Book Club reads, full of my favorite quotes and insights. But that's not realistic book after book, because that's now how the titles affect my life. Not to mention the time it takes. Every once in a while there's an author who's vision creates a paradigm shift (Hi there Danielle LaPorte) in my thinking and way of living. Those, however, are few and far between. Going forward, I'd like to share these books with you how we talk about them in our meetings. Revealing to you my greatest takeaways and "ah-ha" moments, and letting you take it from there!
October/November was a double whammey for the Soul Blazers, but as it was also a big transition time for me personally, I was glad to have some new perspectives to help me along the way.
Belong: I felt a liiiittle eye rolly at times throughout this book, but I enjoyed it over all. I like that the author emphasised going in, working on yourself, before going out to try and create a community around you. I also appreciated her views on creating an intentional community. Like any personal development book worth it's salt, Belong made me realize some fears I have around opening myself up to new relationships and friends. But it also gave me tools and tactics to deal with them. The dissapointing thing for me was that most of her tactics seem unrealistic for a small community like mine, where many groups and meet-ups are church oriented or faith based in some way. But my mind and my heart have been opened to the intention of community and belonging and that's really half the battle, right?
Dare to Lead: Our first book for Soul Blazers Book Club was Brene Brown's Braving the Wilderness, and boy we could not have started off on a better foot. I remember feeling so alive and hopeful after that conversation. So it's only fitting that as we begin our second year we dive head first into Dare to Lead. Here, she takes the concepts born out in all of her other research, cross references them, and applies them to the work place. Brene talks a lot about our armor in this book, expanding on her concept of "strong back, soft front" which really reasonated with me. Through conversations, and altercations, over the last month I've stopped myself to ask, am I armoring up for this conversation, or am I coming to it with a soft and open front? I love her concept of the Rumble as well. What an evocative word. I knew exactly what she meant even before she explained it to me.
Perhaps the most impactful piece, for me, though was hearing how her research, across the board, backed up vulnerability in the work place. I often hear people complain about millenials and their precious feelings and how they get in the way of productivity. How bent out of shape other generations get over having to accomotate them. What it comes down to, for me, is this: I don't want there to be a work Sydney and a home Sydney, I just want to be one Sydney all the time. And that takes courage, vulnerability, and sharing my feelings in the work place. I'll be unpacking and revisiting Brene's work here for a while, but I'm happy to have a new lense through which to view her work which can help me perform and lead better in the work place.
It's funny, I spent a lot of time in November feeling like I wasn't making much progress on the books I wanted to read, but then I look at this post and see I finished SIX books! Calm down Syd, you're doing fine. Let's dial down the negative self-talk, ok?
I've got a delightful stack of books lined up for December including some holiday classics like A Christmas Carol, which I've never read, as well as some Book of the Month picks like The Clockmakers Daughter. What will you be reading? - xo Sydney
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