I’m notorious for reading many books at once, little pieces here and there until they’re complete. I read pretty broadly, because my interests are broad. Right now, there are two themes to my interests in the non-fiction world. First, what it looks like to be at home in my body, and second, what it looks like to be empowered as a woman, living in my context as a single professional, who is not a mother, who is a faithful (if at times wrestling) Catholic. This is my list of non-fiction reads on the go right now, shaped by those two themes:
- Intuitive Eating: A Beginner’s Guide to the Most Incredible Joyous Anti-Diet Programme, by Kirstin Engelmann. Someone in my life recommended this book to me ages ago, and as I am now working with an anti-diet, intuitive eating trained dietician, in conjunction with my therapist, I’m finally picking up this little book out of curiosity and interest both.
- Seven Transforming Gifts of Menopause: An Unexpected Spiritual Journey by Cheryl Bridges Johns. I’m not the exact target market for this book – it’s written more for those who are going through the slower, natural process of menopause than people with my experience of instant, surgical menopause, but I’m finding the journey it describes to be similar to what I’m experiencing, though mine is perhaps a bit sped up and helter-skelter compared to what the book describes. This book was a gift from a dear friend in the aftermath of my surgery, and I’m so thankful for the christian wisdom it is bringing to this stage of my life.
- Untamed by Glennon Doyle. My therapist almost never gives homework. She’s even less likely to ask me to read a book. In fact, in the three years I’ve been seeing her, it’s happened exactly twice, and this is one of those books. She recommended it with the caveat that though my journey is entirely different than Doyle’s, she felt that there was also similarities in the wisdom and freedom the journey was leading us towards. I’d listened to this book in audiobook format when it first came out, but am currently making my way through a physical copy of the book. I’ve found it maddening, challenging, and inspiring, and I feel just a bit sorry for my dear friend, Sarah, who is at the receiving end of my at times lengthy text diatribes about what I’m reading here!
- The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth by Beth Allison Barr. I’m just picking this one up, but it comes recommended by several internet voices I trust. I’m sure I’ll have more to say on this topic soon.
- The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness and Connection through Embodied Living by Hillary L. McBride, PhD. So far I’ve only read the first couple chapters, but I’m so appreciating the way that McBride includes the way culture and society have subjugated bodies. This one is a bit academic at times, and maybe even intense, if you’ve never stopped to think about the things it contains, but each chapter ends with a list of suggestions of things to think about, and things to try, bringing it back to a place of understanding and embodiment, rather that just head knowledge. I’m also looking forward to reading McBride’s Mother’s, Daughters & Body Image, and am giving both books bonus points for being written by a fellow Canadian woman.
- And finally, Breaking Free from Body Shame: Dare to Reclaim What God has Named Good by Jess Connolly. This is a re-read. I read and was deeply moved by the kindle version of this book sometime last year. As the topic of being at home in my body has come to the forefront again, I found myself picking up a physical copy of this book that I can mark up and flip through and study in a way you just can’t with the e-version. I’m also hoping to order the Bible study that Connolly has recently released to go with the book, and work my way through that, though as with most smaller businesses, shipping to Canada is somewhat prohibitive, so I might wait until I know I’m making a trip to the United States again, and have it sent to whichever friend I’m visiting.
And there you have it, my current list of non-fiction books on the go. I usually have at least one or two novels on the go as well, but just finished one today and haven’t quite decided which one to pick up next, so a post about fiction will have to wait for another day.
Lisa From Canada 