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Non-Fiction

Eat, Drink, Run (by Bryony Gordon)

Bryony’s honesty and vulnerability in discussing her own struggles with mental health and body image make this a powerful read. Her courageous decision to open up about her experiences is inspiring and serves as a reminder that we are not alone in our struggles and that it’s normal to have low feelings. The book is incredibly fun to read. From the first page, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. It’s also easily accessible, yet it packs a punch in terms of its message… Read More »Eat, Drink, Run (by Bryony Gordon)

How Fear Works (by Frank Furedi)

Interesting and informative, this book smartly explores the various ways in which fear is used and manipulated in our society, from politics to media. Specifically, Frank Furedi, originally Hungarian and emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, presents a compelling theory that we live in a culture of fear, different to the culture of courage and self-reliance of a century ago. In fact, nowadays, our values are centred around safety and risk aversion. Through thought-provoking reasoning, the author also encourages the reader to… Read More »How Fear Works (by Frank Furedi)

Predictably Irrational (by Dan Ariely)

What an absolutely fascinating read! The author conducts a series of experiments that are both surprising and illuminating, and he presents the findings in a way that is easy to understand and engage with. He explains how our behaviour is often irrational (even and above all when we think we’re making a rational decision) and how it is influenced by a variety of factors such as our emotions and the way information is presented to us. The book is full of insights and examples that… Read More »Predictably Irrational (by Dan Ariely)

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? (by Julie Smith)

This book! I had an instant connection with it, it felt like the author was speaking directly to me. She educates us about how our mind works and how it can affect our moods and emotions. She also provides us with useful and practical tools we need to manage our mental health. Julie Smith is a therapist so the content of the book is not that mumbo-jumbo spiritual stuff that you find on the internet. All those self-help books that told the world to just… Read More »Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? (by Julie Smith)

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself (by Shad Helmstetter)

The title of this book was intriguing, but when I chose to read it, I wasn’t expecting much. I had picked it up simply because, during my 1982-2022 book challenge, I was desperately looking for a book originally published in 1986 and this fit the criteria. I was positively surprised by this book. I guess that sometimes when you don’t have expectations, good things can seem even better. This book is not about making you feel better, but rather about helping you achieve your goals… Read More »What to Say When You Talk to Yourself (by Shad Helmstetter)

The Language Instinct (by Steven Pinker)

I had heard a lot about Steven Pinker, so when I saw one of his books, I didn’t think twice before buying it. He’s a professor of psychology at Harvard University and there’s a very long Wikipedia page about him. In this book, he speaks about the topic of language. He’s not a linguist, but a cognitive scientist, which means he focuses on how the brain processes and creates language. Can it get any more interesting than this? As someone who is passionate about understanding… Read More »The Language Instinct (by Steven Pinker)

My Stroke of Insights (by Jill Bolte Taylor)

You’re 37 years old and one morning, all of a sudden and without any prior warning, you notice that you cannot walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of your life. You’re a brain scientist and while you observe yourself and this situation that is unfolding, you recognise that you’re having a stroke. As you may have guessed, “My Stroke of Insights” is a memoir written by a neuroscientist, Jill Bolte Taylor, who experienced a stroke at the age of 37. She is also actively… Read More »My Stroke of Insights (by Jill Bolte Taylor)

Maria Montessori (by Grazia Honegger Fresco)

Maria Montessori is more well-known and appreciated abroad than in Italy. There are many books about her biography written in English that seem to be very well read and reviewed. In fact, her teaching method, which focuses on the individuality and autonomy of the child, is still incredibly popular today all over the world. This book, full of references to facts and events, covers Maria Montessori’s entire life: her years of training in which she was one of the first female doctors in Italy, the… Read More »Maria Montessori (by Grazia Honegger Fresco)

Start With Why (by Simon Sinek)

It’s amazing how such a simple concept can be so powerful, thought-provoking, and inspiring. The idea is that most successful leaders and organizations have one thing in common: they all start with “why”. This is another book, like “Eat That Frog“, that I started reading many years ago when I was running my own business but never finished. So, I took the opportunity to finally finish reading it. I bought the book because I had watched the TED talk (which now has over 60 million… Read More »Start With Why (by Simon Sinek)

The Little Book of Philosophy

The Little Book of Philosophy (by André Comte-Sponville)

The reason I chose to read this book is in its title: I was looking for something concise to read on the subject of philosophy. The author, a French philosopher, explores a variety of philosophical topics, including ethics, politics, love, death, knowledge, freedom, God, atheism, art, time, humanity, and wisdom. One aspect of the book that I particularly appreciated was its structure, with each chapter focused on a specific topic. This made the book easy to read in small chunks. Although the book is small… Read More »The Little Book of Philosophy (by André Comte-Sponville)