“Our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as being able to remake ourselves.”
-Mahatma Gandhi
While everyone is looking for the “world” to change, I will continue to encourage others to start by changing themselves. There is no such thing as the world outside of the individual. The world is nothing more than a collection of individuals. Change begins with each of us.
This week on EML Radio
If you were to open a business, it would be obvious to have a mission statement or business plan in place. Yet, most people don’t take the time to formulate a mission statement or mantra for their lives. This week I share how to create a mantra for your life. Remember, if you’re not writing the story of your life, someone else will write it for you.
Be Better….by reading more!
We are long overdue for some book reviews. I’m reviewing what I have read since last time I wrote some reviews. Today’s list will be long but going forward, I will include a review of the book I read each week.
Enjoy!
Paper by Mark Kurlansky
If you’re a history buff, you’ll love this book! Dispels the myth that technology changes societies & provides facts on how the opposite is true. If you’re an artist or a writer, this is a must! You’ll walk away with countless, fun historical facts. May bore readers who don’t have an interest in art or literature.
Stolen by Richard Bell
In a time when race relations are at the center of policy and discussion, this is an important book. It is important to read real life accounts and stories, rather than looking at the topic of slavery and race through the 3rd party eyes of history. I learned so much I did not know about the horrific sale of free blacks by whites, but also by fellow black people. An important side of slavery we don’t know enough about but should.
Barracoon by Zora Neale Hurston
This selection came to me while visiting The Boone Plantation in Charleston, SC. It is tough to read but don’t let that dissuade you. Heartbreaking from start to finish but so necessary if we want to understand slavery, beyond the narrow, historical narrative. This man’s story wasn’t told until years after his death and reminds us how important it is to tell our story, even if we never get to witness the impact it has. Quick, one day read.
Denmark Vesey’s Garden by Ethan J. Kytle & Blain Roberts
I picked this one up in a Charleston bookstore after needing to know more about the time period between the end of the civil war and the civil rights movement. I am not convinced this gives an entirely factual account. After the authors claim in the introduction that a poll showed 20% of Trump voters were opposed to the Emancipation Proclamation (a hefty claim, I’d like to see this poll), it was hard to separate facts from their agenda. With a review written by Ibram X. Kendi, a race hustler of the finest degree, this book was my attempt at reaching far outside my typical sources for information. I strongly believe we need to view important topics from every perspective so I am glad I read it, but the book has one clear agenda to promote. It did prompt me to think deeply about the removal of confederate statues, a topic I admittedly have voiced an opinion on in the past, without enough knowledge to do so intelligently. Challenging and thought-provoking, but with untruths written in the introduction, it was hard to read without questioning their intent.
Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The most dog-earned book I have ever read! I dog-earn pages of books that teach me something I didn’t know before, or pages I will want to revisit. I dog-earned nearly every page of this book! This will be one I re-read each year. While the concept of antifragility may be initially tough to grasp, it is relevant in literally every aspect of your life. Get your dictionary out and carve out 10-15 days of reading but well worth every minute of your time. You will leave with a full understanding of why being fragile isn’t going to be sustainable in life.
Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt
If you want to understand what is happening in the world right now, this is the BEST place to start. I openly admit I have spent years shrugging off the fear-ridden, overly sensitive iGeneration because frankly, I wanted nothing to do with it. Foolishly, a lot of us have done that, only to now find our world driven by this generation, much to our demise. After reading this book, I now understand this generation, its impact on democracy and every aspect of our lives. But also, what we can do about it. Written by two men on the “left-side” of politics (which I hate even having to write those words), it gives a refreshing, nonpolitical explanation of how we got here and what we can do to make sure we aren’t making things worse. MUST READ!
I am no longer on FaceBook. If you enjoy my short truths to inspire you each day, be sure to follow me on Twitter (no-I didn’t set up an account after Elon took it over. I’ve always had a Twitter account but never used it) After FB censored this article last week, I had enough of the abuse. I finally broke up with Mark Zuckerberg for good;)
Follow me here: @Eviefatz on Twitter
If you’ve gotten this far, you were probably looking for a recipe;)
Next time, I promise! Today I needed to get you caught up on book reviews.
Thanks for reading,
Evie