SEPTEMBER BOOK JAM: A brief recount of what I've been reading

This month seemed to fly by. So much so, that I didn't realize I had gotten through as many books a I had. Reflecting on these books, there were a couple that hit home, HARD. The provocative thought raised within some of these texts gave me pause. Without reading and exploring, my aperture wouldn't be as wide.

Slow Burn: The Hidden Costs of a Warming World by R. Jisung Park

Despite this being a very tedious book to get through, it laid out and clearly articulated the broader impact that climate change is having on the world around. News and climatologists generally point to the big dramatic moments that we think of with regards to climate change, eg increase natrual disasters or the ocean rising and eating beach front property, but the fact of the matter is is that climate change is having a much more localized impact on humans. With increasing temperatures, its not surprising that there are increased deaths from elderly, laborers and poorer neighborhoods. Additionally, this book lays out the educational impact that climate change is having. To no surprised, lower income school districts are less likely to have air conditioning. Studies have shown that increased temperatures have material impact on test scores, in-class behavior and truancy. And these impacts are seen when temperatures increase by just a few degrees. So as climate change continues to unfold, we will see further bifurcation from the haves and have-nots. Sadly, like most topics that are class based, little is done because those that have means are rarely the voice of the voiceless.?

The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris

With our presidential election quickly approaching, I found myself knowing very little about the democratic nominee. While I presumed to already know who I'm voting for, I still felt it necessary to learn more about the woman who is poised to make history. Of course this book had all of the stories, albeit deeper, that we know - a daughter of immigrants, multiracial, a prosecutor and a champion for the voice of the voiceless. But what I didn't know were all of the details and subtle nuances that round the corners, connect the dots and and transform a history into a story. Despite many of my views aligning with those of Harris's, I found myself at one point being washed over by the optimism and borderline quixotic words that she was saying. With a highly polarized and negative political discourse that we hear on the regular, it was refreshing to just think of what could and should be. A world where a leader is striving for more. A world with a leader who makes family dinner each week because familial connection is key. And a world where a leader rents a small apartment with a bed and 2 stools as furnishings because modesty and necessity out weight opulence and indulgence. Its things like this that made the story rise above the known and elevate to a connectedness and a humanness that fosters respect and trust.

Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest by Hanif Abdurraqib

August 20th, 1998, I had just turned 16 and my parents allowed my 20 year sister to take me to the Beastie Boys Hello Nasty tour in Philadelphia. This show opened with A Tribe Called Quest. Now, it's important to state that both the Beast Boys and A Tribe Called Quest (along with Rage Against the Machine) were all on repeat throughout my youth, so this book brought back many feels. I gravitated towards A Tribe for much of what Abdurraqib writes about in his book...their unique blend of "beats, rhymes and life". This book went deep into the history of A Tribe, their relationships with one another and the constant push and pull of the creative genius of Q-tip. A fan, these deep nuances are lost on me. For instance, Abdurraqib and perhaps the music community as a whole, regard "The Love Movement" as a subpar reflection of the group's past work. I however, LOVE this album. I think because its a little less exploratory with the use of drums and other 'tribal' sounds. , and more into the traditional hip-hop space. Regardless, this book is was a super fun walk down memory lane , resurrecting many feels. resurrecting?

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

Another classic Gladwell book. His review on how we approach and think about challenges is eye opening. Clearly, the opening that digs into the biblical tail of thee David and Goliath and the reality is that Goliath was likely nothing more than an unwell man, who when challenged, could win when on his terms, but as soon as the dynamics of the game changed, he wasn't able to compete. This mindset is critical for all of us to embrace. Simply because we enter the arena does not me that our competitors set the rules. For us to succeed and face challenges, it's incumbent upon us to recognize our strengths and lean into them. I will win because I know where I begin and end, and within this range I have the necessary tools to navigate what stands in front of me. David knew that he could not win on Goliath's terms, so he changed the narrative and made this about Goliath competing on David's terms. The result as we all know was victory.?

Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes that Stick by Wendy Wood

This book had lots of overlap with several other books I've read - Atomic Habits, The Power of Habits, The Ritual Effect, and so on. Within all of these books, there's a constant theme, behavioral science tactics will / can have material impact but ultimately, for change to occur and for habits to be come the new operating model, it requires strength and commitment. If my life is going to change, I can lean on tactics to jump start that change, but ultimately, the long-lasting change is only as strong as my self-control and ultimate willpower to maintain and endure. We all know that shorter-term enjoyments almost always have longer-term detriment. Maintaining a habit that is predicated on the well-being is not easy and requires an immense amount of willpower. Those we are not inherently strong are less likely to manage through the long arduous journey. We all just need to decide what's right for us. This book helps to outline this and explain why we behave the way we do and make the decisions we make. If you've read any of the afore mentioned books, no need to pick this one up.?

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...and Others Don't by Jim Collins

This book offered up a lot of moments that made me think about overlaps...not 1:1s but similarities. For instance, resting on your laurels will result in doom, very similar story as outlined in the Innovators Dilemma. The importance of a "level 5" leader, had strong synergies as to "winning now, winning later". So this book, although having similar insights to many others, it did offer up an idea that I loved...the hedgehog. Understand your place in the world and be the best at it. Which, also reminds me of another book of a similar name "Relentless: from good to great to unstoppable" by Tim Grover (Michael Jordan's trainer). The hedgehog theory as Collins describes it parallels that of the "cleaner" in Grover's. Recognize who you are, the strengths you have, your purpose, embrace all of this and become the best version of yourself. Be a 'hedgehog' or a 'cleaner' or a 'level 5 leader' or whatever you want to call it, just find your purpose and make that your focus area.?

White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy by Tom Schaller

Ok, so right from the start, I will recognize that this book was very one-sided, this was not lost on me. However, this book hit home for me on so many levels. I live in rural Pennsylvania - deep red. The household median income for the county I live in is $64k / year. I live in a community that this book is directly speaking about. This book hit hard and held no punches on exposing many hypocrisies, interlinings of culture and politics, and falsities that so many people are blinded by. For anyone looking to get some clarity on how to answer "why do so many poorer and deprived communities continue to vote republican" this book will shine a bright light on what's happening. It's scary and sad. I am not at all suggesting that a Democrat can solve all that ails America, but communities that have disproportionately more voting power than those of "costal elites" / urban cities, and who continue to vote for more of the same, yet complain about lack of change, might be well served to try something different. Sameness breeds more sameness.?

Languishing: How to Feel Alive Again in a World That Wears Us Down by Corey Keyes

The feeling of meh, a constant state existing, surviving, not thriving, I'm sure are not foreign to any of us. Taking Adam Grant's naming for this feeling, 'languishing', Keyes has unpacked what it means and how we can overcome it. It's clear that this state is not equivalent to depression, rather, languishing largely results from a lack of meaning and purpose. Each day, we are moving about the world with little joy, but that joy isn't replaced with sadness. This is the distinction. For me, I think I ebb and flow within this state. For those that know me, I'm pretty "even Steven" in general. I'm not outwardly excited, nor do I get wildly spun up. But when I reflect on myself and think "is this more normal state or am I feeling more of a flat-line existence" I absolutely can tell when I'm in a state of languishing. In these moments, I look for more - more companionship, more growth, more community engagement, and it works. Feeling connected to the broader world around, not to the extent that I'm looking for an identity, but rather to the extent that I want to feel like this all matters, that's when I rise above and start to thrive. Life is weird. I'm still trying to sort myself out. But that pursuit of joy is absolutely a life-long journey.