Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Lila by Marilynne Robinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read and loved Gilead, and this is book is also wonderful in the ways Gilead was wonderful. This book was also very romantic and full of love. It's hard to review the novels you love more than ordinary novels. I don't feel up to the task of reviewing what is clearly the work of a genius. There's not much to be said about it other than it approaches perfection. It allows us to inhabit a person a time that is not our own. It also allows us to try to grasp what Marilyn Robinson understands and believes about religion which is ... a lot. Beautiful novel. Please read it.

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Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda by Roald Dahl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very strange book if you're reading it for the first time as an adult. Even though Maltilda is 5 in the book, it's probably for slightly older kids, 8-10. Charming book.

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Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this is a great book, the meditation exercises make almost an immediate difference. I left off a star because it was a bit boring to get through the beginning and I almost decided to stop reading it. But it actually gets progressively more interesting- both the reading and the practice.

It talks about different types of meditation: 1- Following the breath, 2- Body Scan, 3- Body Sensations 4- Walking Meditation, 5- Meditation of Thoughts or Emotions, 6- Calling up difficult emotions, 7- Lovingkindness. The latter was my favorite and I found it to be the most interesting and helpful so I'm glad I stuck with the book to the end.

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Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud

Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward by Henry Cloud
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A friend who knows I have some serious FOMO gave this to me. The ironic thing is that I got a little bored of this book about halfway through, and I wanted to give up on it, but I couldn't... I had the same circular argument with myself each time I picked it up. Anyway, I powered through it and there are some better points towards the end regarding urgency to do the things that matter most and how to communicate with others to bring about endings.

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Attached by Amir Levine

Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find -- and Keep -- Love by Amir Levine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is amazing. It's the love handbook the world has been waiting for, and I can't speak too highly of it. Also, I suspect that the only reason it doesn't have 5 stars is because it confronts a lot of people with a lot of truths they don't want to face about themselves or their relationships.

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The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this novel. Despite the fact that the book is a Pulitizer Prize winner, I had heard some negative things, and I wasn't expecting to like it that much. I love it. Junot Diaz is amazing and I refuse to even debate that with anyone until he or she reads this book. Not only are the characters completely formed people but the way they relate to each other is totally real. The story itself operates on so many levels, the real, the political, the magical, and the spiritual. Did I mention I love this novel? Also... I suspect "fuku".... bad language alert... is just "fuck you" with a Spanish accent.

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Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy

Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was a little helpful but not exactly a cure to procrastination. But I've been starting stuff and slicing it up. Eating frogs is still rough though.

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The Every-Other-Day Diet by Krista Varady

The Every-Other-Day Diet: The Diet That Lets You Eat All You Want (Half the Time) and Keep the Weight Off by Krista Varady
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think this is a good book. I know a lot of people who are on this diet and have been very successful with it. And it's not a scam... because there's nothing to buy. And it works. I'm a big fan of it!

That said, it's tough to maintain this. It's easy to go back to it, but it's hard to maintain.

I actually read the 5:2 diet first and have lost 15 pounds (pounds that were previously stuck) and all my attempts to do EOD just result in 5:2. But like I said I know people who successfully do EOD, and 5:2 is just EOD less days a week, so either way, this is a good read and good challenge.

Plus, this has health research behind it. There are studies completed and some underway proving longevity increases with this lifestyle diet.

A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining...by Will Bowen

A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted by Will Bowen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My rating is only temporary based on the writing being okay but not deeply elaborated upon with additional research or psychology. However, you're supposed to do as he says to be mindful and of and stop your complaining. His time estimate for a solid start is 21 days. If I make it and my complaining has been dramatically reduced in 21 days I'll add more stars. I think that seems fair.

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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Siblings Claudia and Jamie run away from home with a plan to stay in overnight in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a kid growing up in New Jersey, one of the joys of reading the book was that we had a few field trips to The Met, so it was fun reading a book that took place in a setting that was both known and extraordinary.

As an adult, I appreciate the kids' financial plan for staying several days in New York City. Here's a fun computation. The kids leave with $28.61 and assuming it takes place the year of publication, 1968, adjusted for inflation, they have today's equivalent of almost $200.* So for example, pie in New York City is 25 cents, today's almost $1.75.

*https://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=28.61&year1=1968&year2=2016

Also, check this out!:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2009/11/michelangelo-met-museum-young-archer.html

For kids (when I first read the book, the internet wasn't even a thing yet):
Museum Kids- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

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