“I don‘t want you to be safe ideologically. I don‘t want you to be safe emotionally. I want you to be strong. That‘s different. I‘m not going to pave the jungle for you. Put on some boots, and learn how to deal with adversity. I‘m not going to take all the weights out of the gym; that‘s the whole point of the gym. This is the gym.” - Van Jones
pickOverall, I found this book to be moderate, data-driven, and interesting, with a couple of caveats. First, Twenge sometimes doesn't flag clearly what is data and what is her opinion. This is fine, it just means I have to pay closer attention. Next, I found the GenX section disappointing. She ignores outliers and nuances she points out in the Millennials section, and she reaches different conclusions from some data than I do. (cont'd ⬇️)
pickFrom dyslexia (my preferred learning disability—and before everyone gets all up in arms, I don‘t actually consider my dyslexia a disability, more like an inconvenience at this point in my life) to the Civil Rights Movement to the Conflict in Northern Ireland, Gladwell challenges the notion of The Underdog. [4.5 ⭐️]
I‘ve been meaning to read this for quite some time now.
…the norm that makes a prison for adults—especially women—out of their own commitment to children they love.
Random book from our home library:
📖 The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks
pickI picked this up on a whim based on a blurb on the cover from author Jeff VanderMeer. A thoughtful and compelling account of Christopher Brown's effort to convert an abandoned lot full of concrete debris and an underground oil pipeline into an unconventional home. Told in brief vignettes and sketches rather than in a linear storyline, Brown's paean to unbridled nature made me yearn for spring and time to work on my chaos garden.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️ I‘m torn on this one. The author highlights important areas where boys lag behind girls (rates of maturation, educational attainment) and ways particularly Black boys experience discrimination and the structural issues they face in school and society. He‘s careful to make clear he does not want to improve outcomes for boys and men at the expense of women. He loses me when talking about how now that women don‘t “need” men, ⬇️
My annual reading theme is sociopolitical. I haven't had a chance to post my full #Roll100 list yet. However, these are the 3 for January's roll. Getting 2025 off to a fighting start.
@PuddleJumper HNY x
