doughtah's reviews
352 reviews

While the bulk of the book focuses on weighing the reasons why humanity should and should not gradually go extinct, May ended on a final section that included several calls to action asking the reader if we're willing to try to justify our species' continued existence on Earth. I really liked this book. It was interesting to see ideas I've thought about or have heard others share or have discussed with others put into the philosophical framework.

If you enjoy philosophy, thinking about humanity's place on our planet, the effects of climate change, and all those very lighthearted topics (please know this is sarcasm), then you'd enjoy this book.

The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders

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emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

I don’t read many nonfiction books, but I picked this one up hoping to gather some advice about how to follow through with a shopping ban. Instead, I read a very moving, relatable story about a woman encountering difficulties and learning how to gather herself together and improve upon herself.

Cait Flanders takes you from the beginning of her shopping ban, through reflections on her previous challenges (sobriety, eating healthier, exercising) and the difficulties that she’s lived through, all the way to the ending of her yearlong shopping ban. Her reflections on her challenges and her connections with coworkers, friends, and family fill up the majority of the book and, for me, quite a few brought me to tears. You can tell Flanders writes a blog, as the book is an engaging read. If you are looking for a reflective book that inspires you to reflect on your consumption of things, then I would encourage you to read this book. I borrowed my copy from my local library and I think a personal challenge for myself, after reading this, will be to only read books that are already on my shelves or borrowed from the library.

Content Warnings

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

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reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I can see why Anne Carson is enjoyed. This book was like reading a ling monologue with breaks from the Maids (and i think this was made into a play). It reminded me of Circe by Madeline Miller, a more recent retelling of the Odyssey from a female perspective. I’ll add a more detailed review later. Solid book, the Maids’ interludes were my favorite parts.

Content Warnings