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Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise December 2021 |
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| One Friday in April: A Story of Suicide and Survival by Donald AntrimWhat it is: the candid and moving story of author Donald Antrim's struggles with depression and the titular Friday in April, when he almost succumbed to his suicidal ideations.
Read it for: Antrim's vivid recollection of his winding road to recovery and the profound, insightful observations he makes about the nature of suicide, trauma, and isolation.
Who it's for: anyone who found solace in classic depression memoirs Darkness Visible by William Styron or The Noonday Demon by Andrew Solomon. |
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| Declutter Like a Mother: A Guilt-Free, No-Stress Way to Transform Your Home and Your Life by Allie CasazzaWhat it's about: the negative effects of household clutter and how getting rid of unnecessary stuff can make for a calmer, easier to maintain home.
About the author: Entrepreneur and blogger Allie Casazza hosts the podcast The Purpose Show and is set to release the kid-oriented decluttering guide Be the Boss of Your Stuff next year.
Reviewers say: Declutter Like a Mother is a "reassuring, sensible road map" that takes a "realistic view of family life" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Every Deep-Drawn Breath: A Critical Care Doctor on Healing, Recovery, and... by Wes Ely, MDWhat it is: an impassioned examination of intensive care units informed by medical history and individual patient stories.
Read it for: a much-needed look at the trauma that can effect ICU survivors even after they leave the hospital, including new ailments like depression, nerve damage, and PTSD.
You might also like: Seven Signs of Life by Aoife Abbey; White Hot Light by Frank Huyler. |
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| Getting to Zero: How to Work Through Conflict in Your High-Stakes Relationships by Jayson GaddisWhat it's about: conflict as an aspect of all healthy relationships and how best to manage it in our personal and professional lives.
Topics include: the dangers of avoiding difficult conversations; how to identify emotional triggers that may escalate a conflict; the importance of reconnection as part of conflict resolution.
Reviewers say: Getting to Zero is a "solid groundwork will help anyone who fears conflict or wants their relationships to gain depth and intimacy" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas AbramsWhat it is: a thought-provoking and reflective argument that even in the darkest times, there are still plenty of reasons to keep hope alive.
Reasons to hope: "the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the power of youth, and the indomitable human spirit."
Why you might like it: In a time of uncertainty, readers will find much to inspire them as naturalist Jane Goodall shares observations about human nature and stories from her extraordinary life that underline the tenacity of the natural world. |
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| Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum by Temple Grandin PhD and Debra Moore PhDWhat it's about: strategies for supporting and empowering autistic children and teens and helping them develop their full potential.
Why you should read it: Co-authors Temple Grandin and Debra Moore are a well-qualified team -- Grandin is autistic and Moore is a psychologist with decades of experience on the topic.
Try this next: Divergent Mind by Jenara Nerenberg. |
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| Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk about Race -- and How to Do It by Celeste HeadleeWhat it is: an inspiring and thought-provoking guide to talking proactively about race, based on the latest research into communication and neuroscience.
For fans of: The Conversation by Robert Livingston; So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.
About the author: Journalist and Getty Arts fellow Celeste Headlee has worked on public radio programs such as Talk of the Nation and Tell Me More. She serves as managing editor for NPR's Next Generation Project and co-hosts the PBS documentary news program Retro Report. |
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| Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily LadauWhat it's about: learning about the experiences of disabled people from their own perspective, and how they want to be treated and integrated into wider society.
Is it for you? Author Emily Ladau warns that this guide calls on readers to do the real, difficult work of addressing their ableism and won't necessarily pull punches to make readers feel more comfortable.
Reviewers say: Demystifying Disability is a "well-designed, user-friendly educational resource" that argues "allyship is a journey, not a destination" (Library Journal). |
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| The Night the Lights Went Out: A Memoir of Life After Brain Damage by Drew MagaryWhat it is: a darkly humorous but hopeful survival story about medical mysteries, trauma, and learning to live with disabilities.
What happened? An unexplained fainting spell, a massive brain hemorrhage, a medically induced coma, and a year of learning to live again.
About the author: Former Deadspin columnist Drew Magary writes for Defector Media and SFGate. He has published fiction and nonfiction, including the novel The Postmortal & The End Specialist and the parenting memoir Someone Could Get Hurt. |
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| The End of Bias: A Beginning: The Science and Practice of Overcoming Unconscious Bias by Jessica NordellWhat's inside: a thought-provoking and accessible exploration of prejudice, including its origins and successful efforts to counter it.
Why you should read it: The case studies are presented in a clear and engaging manner, and the author's inclusion of her own relatable struggles with bias makes a complex topic a bit more approachable.
Reviewers say: "A practical primer for those seeking to reduce the hegemony of bias in everyday life" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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