The Book Basement Bulletin #10
The challenging dichotomy of this fantasy author, should I interview J.K. Rowling, and can lawyers survive in the wild? - On this week's issue
Opening Thoughts
Hello people, I hope you all are having an amazing start to your week. I’ve had an interesting one thus far, I finished reading Seven Days In June by Tia Williams, and you’ll hear all about it soon enough. I’m looking for some nonfiction book recommendations so if you have any feel free to reply to this email with your favorites!
Three Things I Wanted to Share
This week I finished reading Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. Eva Mercy is a special kind of fantasy author (wink). She’s written the famous Cursed book series which she started when she was only 19. Stability is her only objective, even if it means sacrificing her creative desire to do more than just the Cursed books. She wants to give her daughter the life she was never able to have. As we explore the life she tried to cover up, it isn’t a pretty picture. With the perspective shifting from her present to her past we’re able to observe what did and didn’t change, the reality of her background, and the smoke and mirrors she so desperately wants her daughter to believe. Having the deadline for the next addition to her series quickly approaching, Eva’s creativity well being completely dry, and the excruciating migraines she faces due to her invisible disability, the reader watches as the question of passion vs income becomes more urgent than ever. However, there is someone who might be able to help; a part of Eva’s past that she can’t quite seem to forget.
I really liked this book, its tackling of heavier issues such as drug abuse and family history is incredible and pragmatic. You get everything you wish for, and more.
I listened to last week’s episode of the Not Overthinking podcast where they discussed the conundrum of controversial podcast guests. As I listened to this episode I asked myself if I would allow a “controversial” guest on my podcast. One of the questions you can ask yourself is: Would you interview Hitler, but talk about his art? There are clashing ideas of “you can learn something from everyone” and “people with controversial ideas shouldn’t be platformed”. Ali and Taimur have a delightful conversation about this and more in this episode. I loved hearing their opinion on such a topic considering their respective platforms and the opportunity to give others a voice. Would you interview someone like Jordan Peterson, J.K. Rowling, or say an anti-vaxxer if you had a platform? Let me know.
Are you not in the reading mood this week? That’s not a problem, you can watch Keep Breathing on Netflix. A lawyer is desperate to get on a flight, waiting to meet up with someone. To her disappointment, her original flight got canceled (or rescheduled I can’t remember). Out of desperation, she sees two men on a privately owned plane that are going to the same place she needs to go to. After some negotiation, she’s on a turbulent flight to her destination. Things don’t go as planned, and she ends up stuck in an unknown environment, uncovering that the people she flew with weren’t who they claimed; needing to survive for reasons unrelated to herself. The show ties in family, an unhealthy addiction to professional life, and an unfavorable past to a survival situation. Will she give up, or will she keep breathing?
Quote of the Week
“Don’t let the beauty of life escape you. See the world as the temple that it is. Let every experience be churchlike. Marvel at the fact that any of this exists—that you exist”
Ryan Holiday, Stillness is the Key
This is the second week in a row that I quote this book. I do so because it’s filled with really powerful perspective shifts and one of these is the way we choose to observe life. In his chapter on the beauty of life, Holiday shares an anecdote about Anne Frank. After completing the day’s assignments, she and Peter, a boy who lived with them, stared out of the small window they had and set their sights on the world outside. “As long as this exists,” she thought, “this sunshine and cloudless sky, and as long as I can enjoy it, how can I be sad?” I think we could all use a little more appreciation for the world that we live in. There’s always a subtle beauty in any situation or environment. Go find it.
Basement Boxes
I’ve been loving this calming classical music playlist on Spotify
If you haven’t already, you should check out the Sidekick newsletter, it has some fascinating pieces on lifestyle and corporate culture.
Podcast Highlights
My favorite episode from this week was: The Scientific Secret to Changing Your Habits
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading this edition of the newsletter. If you enjoy reading and haven’t checked out some of my other stuff then make sure to check out my podcast (where I post daily book episodes) and, the podcast Instagram where I also share daily book content! Have a wonderful rest of your week, and make it one of the best ones you’ve had.