Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Ehrenreich echoes what I have long suspected. The “Pollyana syndrome” is not a harmless obsession. Relentlessly looking on the bright side can go far beyond healthy positivity, to the point of entering the realm of delusion and denial. This positive thinking phenomena has bled into every field, from cancer sufferers to the stock market, and, at the root core, can leave you believing that if you want something, anything, you just have to want it hard enough, and POOF!—it will manifest. The universe takes orders. Ehrenreich utilizes plenty of field research and logic to de-bunk all sorts of nonsense. If you’ve been busy manifesting your riches by merely thinking about them, take a day off and read this.
Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
Eating Animals is thoughtful, intelligent, and, ultimately, haunting. It makes the case for a rational and honest dialogue between meat eaters and vegetarians. Foer spent three long years extensively researching where the majority of the world’s meat now comes from—the factory farm. A combination of research, anecdotes, and interviews with all the players in the game, from PETA activists to slaughterhouse workers, every side of the issue is examined. While writing the book, the decision of whether or not to eat an animal became a true moral dilemma for Foer, and with the birth of his son, it became a choice he was compelled to resolve. It’s easily one of the most compelling and fascinating books I have ever read.
Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
Through a series of short stories, Munro delivers protagonist after protagonist getting slammed in the face by life. Divorce, murder, obsession, infidelity—it all goes down, sometimes when you least expect it, but even worse, often when you can see what’s coming and still do nothing to stop it. Her writing style is true poetry, flowing with relentless urgency and grace. Her characters come to life and grapple with what it means to have the worst happen.
Olga Navia's blog is temporarily going on hold so she can keep reading and reviewing books for you. You're welcome.