Cannonball Read 18

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time


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The times, they are a-changing

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

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Reading Cal Newport’s ‘Digital Minimalism’ reminded me of training my dog when she was a puppy. She was a hedonistic ball of fluffy energy and razor-sharp teeth. She would piddle on the floor, playfully bite the bejeezus out of my hands, and stay up til the early hours doing pointless activities. I was only a few pages deep into the book when it struck me: when it comes to my use of tech, I’ve become an out-of-control puppy. I’ve been a digital hedonist, never bothering […]

If at first you don’t succeed…then that is probably normal and nothing to worry about!

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

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We’ve probably heard of “fixed” mindset and “growth” mindset, or at least some podcasticized version of the terms. But what do they really mean, and where do they come from? In Dr. Dweck’s  Mindset, the author explains the difference in attitudes and framing of those in a “fixed” mindset (BAD) and a “growth” mindset (GOOD). People in a fixed mindset see traits and abilities as static and unchangeable. For example, you’re either good at art or not. This is a dangerous mindset because every success […]

What’s the opposite of taking it easy? This book is that.

The Art of Taking It Easy by Dr. Brian King

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Dr. Brian King, academic psychologist and aspiring comedian, shares his thoughts on how to live a life with less stress. Overdrive selected this one as their Big Read for the spring. I’m going through a fairly stressful season in my own life, and hoped this would have a takeaway or two that I could use. Y’all. It has been a while since I’ve quit a book so completely fully as I did with this one. How does a book about reducing stress result in a […]

How we make our own unhappiness

The Situation Is Hopeless, But Not Serious: The Pursuit of Unhappiness by Paul Watzlawick

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This is a self-help book for people who scoff at self-help books. A guide through complex issues for people who claim they don’t need a guide. It’s funny, clever and only slightly pretentious. In short: what popsci should be like. Paul Watzlawick was an Austrian psychologist whose main field was human interaction/communication and its complexities. He introduces his theories in this book as well, how we communicate on two planes for example, one object based and one relationship based and how it makes clear communication […]

I know I am, but what are you?

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

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Or the full name: The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too). Yeesh. We all love taking personality quizzes, don’t we? Which Hogwarts house we’d belong to (I’m a Ravenpuff), which is our True Colour (Green/Blue tie), which Friends character we’d be (…Mondler). Or, perhaps slightly more scientifically, our Myers-Briggs profile, or Big Five ratings. When I was in high school, there was one proto-BuzzFeed-type website where you could do all sorts […]

Ugh fine I like Brene Brown

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown

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I work to not be this person, but I definitely have a touch of the “if everybody likes x maybe I don’t want to like x” stubborn streak. I’ve identified it as sort of a pointless attitude (I mean, I’m only hurting myself) and I strive to be more “let people live” but the overwhelming popularity of Brene Brown had me hesitate to pick up this book. That, and the fact that I was certainthat her writing was going to make me confront some things […]



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