My favorite books this summer don’t really lend themselves to a light poolside read, but I highly recommend them anyway! They are both excellent and well-written, but they can be emotionally tough. As always, take care of you: if you feel yourself reacting to what you’re reading, take a break. Journal about what is coming up. Or, set a time to come see me and we’ll talk about it!
The first book is “What My Bones Know” by Stephanie Foo. This memoir explores the author’s healing from complex trauma and the effects of intergenerational trauma. From the Goodreads review: “In this deeply personal and thoroughly researched account, Foo interviews scientists and psychologists and tries a variety of innovative therapies. She returns to her hometown of San Jose, California, to investigate the effects of immigrant trauma on the community, and she uncovers family secrets in the country of her birth, Malaysia, to learn how trauma can be inherited through generations. Ultimately, she discovers that you don't move on from trauma--but you can learn to move with it.
Powerful, enlightening, and hopeful, ‘What My Bones Know’ is a brave narrative that reckons with the hold of the past over the present, the mind over the body--and examines one woman's ability to reclaim agency from her trauma.”
My other favorite this summer: A hilarious memoir about a dead mom!
Yes. Really. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jeanette McCurdy is funny. It is also searingly honest, heartbreaking and insightful. The death of a parent is often grief-inducing, but also deeply complicated when your relationship with them was difficult. This memoir isn’t afraid to look at all the emotions that might arise, and I love her bravery in sharing what can be taboo feelings. From the Goodreads review: “A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by ‘iCarly’ and ‘Sam & Cat’ star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.”
Clients often ask what I’m reading now, or what books I’d recommend. You can find my list at Goodreads.