Angury

Thanks Hayley, will definitely have a look. I just finished one of the best books I have ever read: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. It's a novel about addiction and poverty and is absolutely heart-wrenching. It is beautifully written and incredibly raw. It also writes about addiction in a way that is so genuine in terms of how it takes away people's lives and relationships and the devestation that it can leave. It doesn't attempt to blame or moralise the issue and I think it highlights quite well that love by itself cannot stop addiction; only the person themselves can do that by asking for help and admitting they have a problem. I have now bought Stuart's second book, Young Mungo, and will be reading that voraciously.

I've read four books this month, most of which have been fantastic. Two in particular really stood out to me: The Goldfinch by Donna Tart and The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman. I was particularly struck by the latter; it is a very short, 26-page short story about a woman trapped in a room who slowly goes mad. It's amazing how much emotion and narrative could be fitted into such a brief story and it has become one of my favourites. Highly recommend. I now have two books on my TBR: The Master and his Emissary by Iain McGilchrist which has been recommended to me by a lot of people and is a non-fiction book focused on the differences beween the left and right brain and how these two sides help us, and Ask Again, Yes by Mary Keane which is a novel recommended to me by a close friend. I'd never heard of the author or the book before so going in completely blind!

On a bit of a roll this month, have finished three books already (two of which were audiobooks). I need to stop reading books just because they're on some fancy prizelist - it's happened to me several times now where I've read a book just because it's been shortlisted by the Booker Prize only to not really enjoy it. That seems to be what has happened once again with my first read this month: What I'd Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma. The other two books were fantastic, both audiobooks read by the author, Brene Brown. I am a big fan of hers and find that they always find a way to nourish my soul, especially when I find that I am struggling in life. I'm now about a quarter of the way through The Goldfinch by Donna Tart and really starting to enjoy it now. I've gotten back to enjoying fiction (when I find a story I can get in to) and have been spending the last few, sunny days lying in the park reading the novel which has been incredibly relaxing.

I had a lovely time reading through this thread - so much talent in this forum! I've been trying to find something creative to do in my own time - I'm very cerebral so doing something that takes me out of my mind and away from my inner self-criticism is important for me. I've recently joined an orchestra (I play the violin) which is very much focused on having fun, which I've been enjoying. There is something quite powerful about sharing music with others. If anyone has any other suggestions, do let me know!

― Terry Pratchett ― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky. Got to love Pratchett. Also one of my all-time favourite writers: ― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning Some powerful messages there.

I also use Goodreads to keep track of books I'd love to read but it has now become pointless because the list is so long and filled with books I am no longer interested in reading that it just becomes overwhelming looking at it (which I rarely do anyway). I also have a document on Google Drive with a shorter list of books I'd like to read which is divided into themes which I found much more manageable.

I've just finished a couple of books in the last two months but they have mainly been around work and recovery, focusing on trauma and addiction. I'm currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tart as more of a relaxing read. It's quite a hefty book and I haven't quite gotten into it yet but I've heard good things about it. I'm quite eager to get back into fun and chilled reading rather than reading for a set purpose. I find it takes me a while to get into it but once I'm in I'm in!

I've finished two books: You Can't Make Me Angry by Paul O. and Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman. You Can't Make Me Angry is written by a medic and member of AA and focuses on emotional sobriety and how one manages ones emotions without being dependent on others e.g. finding validation from within, placing boundaries and accepting that you cannot control others. It's written in a very easy style with a lot of relevance to day-to-day life. Trauma and Recovery is one of the epitomes of trauma-informed care. It covers the principles of trauma and its impact on an individual and how they see themselves and the world around them, before going through aspects of trauma recovery in a well-written and thoughtful way. It is a book both for professionals and for the public and one that I learnt a lot from.

Little Fires Everywhere is also on my to-read list, I'm looking forward to getting more into her writing. I just finished listening to the audiobook of Matthew Perry's autobiography: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. I don't normally read biographies/autobiographies but Perry has a long history of addiction and I've heard good reviews about his book and how it covers addiction. The book is brutally honest and shines a light on the horrific nature of addiction and its impact on a person's life. It illustrates just how powerful the disease is and how neither fame nor money can stop it. Perry had previously stated that he had decided to be fully open and honest about his addiction so that it might help someone else, and I have heard many addicts say that this book really helped to destigmatise their condition and to see themselves with kindness rather than blame. It's an excellent book for anyone who would like a first-person perspective on the subject. I am now back to reading Trauma and Recovery; I'm currently half way through. I'm also mixing this up with White Teeth by Zadie Smith which is a book I've been meaning to read for a very long time.

I finished reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I hadn't expected to read it so quickly but I had quite a bit of down time yesterday and got really sucked into the book. The book is well written and the character development is what really drives this story forwards. The book looks mainly at the themes of what it is like growing up feeling different and the impact that parents unresolved conflicts can have on their children's wellbeing. I found it to be a powerful story and it has stuck with me. I'm juggling a couple of books at the moment but am currently reading a non-fiction book by Judith Herman, a well-known trauma-focused researcher and psychiatrist, called Trauma and Recovery.

I've just finished reading Nothing Special by Nicole Flattery. The novel follows a teenager as she types up a novel for Andy Warhol. It focuses on a number of themes including developing ones sense of identity and place in the world as one turns into an adult as well as friendship and independence. I wasn't a big fan of the plot. I found it quite bland and was ready to get to the end of it as soon as possible. I do however still love Flattery's writing style. Her characters are fascinating and she has a way of conveying the brutal honesty of the thoughts that go through all of our heads but that we don't always say out loud. It's in her psychological make-up of her characters and their development where she really shines. I'm going to continue to keep an eye out for more of Flattery's works as, despite my poor rating for this novel, I have become a fan. I'm now reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. It was recommended to me by a friend as I was commenting on the lack of books covering integration of certain asian ethnicities within Western cultures. It focuses on a Chinese American family and how they cope following the death of a loved one.

I just finished by first book of the year: A Trip Through the 12 Steps: With a Doctor and Therapist by Andrew P. The book covers the 12-step programme, a spiritual programme for addicts in recovery to help them in their sobriety. It covers each step in detail, going through the scientific research, the psychological underpinnings and the therapeutic value of each. There is a lot written on the 12-step programme and its benefits and controversies. I particularly liked this book as it is well grounded in research whilst also bringing with it the personal experience of the author. I found it particularly interesting reading about how each step is closely tied with certain therapy concepts such as CBT, mindfulness, obsessive thinking, locus of control etc. The book is well-written and is aimed for the general reader rather than the scientific community. Overall, I came away from it with a new-found respect for the programme. My next book is Nothing Special by Nicole Flattery. I recently completed her short story collection entitled Show them a Good Time and was blown away with both her blunt writing style and topics that she covered; it was refreshing. She has quickly become one of my top authors.

It's great to see people still on this forum who were here when I left. Also wonderful to see so many new users. I can't wait to share my reading journey with you all and re-connect with the community. Happy 2024 everyone.

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