Book Reviews - June 2019: Oprah, Keaton, Grit, and Calm

I read… a lot… at any given time I’ve got at least four books going. I’m a mood reader which means that I read based on my mood so I might start something and not finish it for a month or two. I also read a lot of fiction but I generally don’t track those books and I go through at least six of those a month. (For those who want to ask… I’m a mystery & thriller reader for the most part.)

Okay, June! I had high hopes for finishing a few more books this last month but travel got in the way. I drag books with me but I don’t always get time to read. Here’s what I got finished in June. I think you’ll find something interesting here…

Oprah Winfrey – The Path Made Clear

Is there ever really a bad Oprah book? This was a library find, sitting on the new releases shelf begging to be taken home.

Since it was an unexpected find, I wasn’t sure what to expect but dug right in. Filled with images, quotes, and other’s thoughts, this book was a really nice and insightful read. Not too heavy but definitely thoughtful.

Oprah opens each section with her own thoughts and then lets those she’s invited to share their perspectives. I found a lot of wisdom in this book’s pages.

This is a multi-layered work as it combines so many different voices, some resonated, others did not. The nice part of this book is the easy to read style. You can walk away at any time and not get lost when you return.

If you are looking for something to read that won’t break your mental bank, then The Path Made Clear provides it in spades. You might just walk away with some life changing nuggets.

Diane Keaton – The House That Pinterest Built

Another library find, this tome spoke to me with its completely minimalist cover. Sparking my curiosity when I saw Diane Keaton’s name, I simply couldn’t pass it up. What would the inside hold?

I wasn’t disappointed. The House That Pinterest Build is a picture book and narrative. The story surrounds the house that Keaton designed and had built. Interestingly the story starts with Keaton discovering Pinterest and falling down the rabbit hole collecting image after image which in turn sparked the ideas for the new house. Much of the book is filled with images from Pinterest. The images are black and white or heavily desaturated. In each section, she shares her thoughts about the rooms of a house with associated pictures. Finally, she reveals the house she built which took years to finish.

In some ways it’s a frivolous book, it could not have been inexpensive to produce. But the ideas and thoughts make for an interesting look into Keaton’s process. This is the kind of book that you grab at the library before making it your own. It won’t resonate for everyone but in its weird, quirky way it fits Keaton.

Angela Duckworth – Grit

I avoided this book for years. I kept feeling that the word “grit” was just another catch-phrase intended to be trendy more than substantive. When I found a reference in another book to Duckworth’s work I decided to look deeper.

Turns out Duckworth is a Ph.D. who studies grit and self-control. It was definitely time for me to grab this one and boy was I glad I did.

Filled with research, her own and others, Duckworth gives us a nicely developed definition of what grit is – a combination of persistence and passion – and she provides insights on how to build it.

For some, grit seems to be ingrained at a very early age, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be cultivated. Using stories from countless interviews, Duckworth’s book feels less academic and much more accessible.

I love the fact that she has created a Grit Scale! You can take the test yourself and see where you rate here https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/. I scored a 4.8, turns out I’m pretty gritty… who’d have thunk it?

There is so much to love about this book for me and if you are interested in human behavior and human psychology I think you’ll find it a fascinating read. I especially love that you can get grittier if you work at it and Duckworth provides the tools, research, and insights to help you understand grit and cultivate it.

This one is definitely going to be a book I return to over and over.

Gretchen Rubin – Outer Order, Inner Calm

I’m a fan of Gretchen Rubin’s books, I’ve read all but one of them. Her newest is a perfect starting point if you’ve not read any of her books or if you’ve read them but want a refresher of sorts.

It’s a super quick read. I’d describe it as “all the meat without the potatoes”. In her previous books, Rubin is a storyteller. She gives substance (potatoes) to the tips and tactics by providing personal stories, stories from others, and research. I really love her books for that reason. I enjoy a good story to illustrate a point. Outer Order, Inner Calm takes out the potatoes and simply provides you with the substance – the tips and tactics. Throw in some insightful quotes and you’ve got a really nice, compact read.

All of the tips and tactics are helpful and while she isn’t unearthing anything new, she is providing a carefully curated collection of things that work.

In reading through Outer Order, Inner Calm, I found myself remembering tactics I’d forgotten and even discovering new ways of thinking about organizing clutter. Not everything works for everyone but there’s a lot of meat in this small book.

If you’ve wanted to work on decluttering or organizing but didn’t want to spend a week reading an in depth book on the subject, then Outer Order, Inner Calm is for you!

One big takeaway for me that I’ve been practicing since I finished this one are:

When you leave a room, take something with you. The idea is that if you leave the living room and take your running shoes with you to the bedroom, you’ll keep messes at bay. Or maybe you leave the bedroom and grab a glass to return to the kitchen. I find myself looking around when I get up to leave a room just in case I can take something with me. It’s a great strategy.

Happiness is right around the corner…