Books

The 2015 Book Project: Abandoning Ship

April 30, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs 4 Comments

I set out in 2015 to read with more intention; to read less in order to make more space for writing. I created a framework for this intentional reading with The 2015 Book Project, and it served me well for the first few of months of the year, but the last couple of months it has become more of a burden than I ever intended it to be.

So, I’m taking a cue from Lindsay Crandall and I am letting go what doesn’t serve me anymore.

The 2015 Book Project was a good start to the year, but then I joined a critique group. The writing is coming easier to me, and finding time to read has become harder. When I do have time to read, I want something lighter, something to entertain and not something to tug at my heart strings like my writing is doing. I need more balance, not more rules.

I am abandoning The 2015 Book Project. It feels a little like failure, but I guess it’s not if I have learned a lesson from it.

I’m looking forward to the freedom this decision gives.

I’m looking forward to placing holds on library books with abandon, not worrying about when they will come in and if they will come in during the “right” month.

I’m looking forward to reading what suits the moment, what I need to read in order to fuel my day, my creativity, my own writing.

I’m looking forward to researching for the novel, reading books that will influence and shape what I am creating.

And I’m looking forward to tracking it all, because who would I be if I didn’t make lists of my books? I’ll plan to do monthly wrap-up posts like last year, with a short summary of each read. This will give me more flexibility to write book reviews for the blog, too – which I love doing!

Have you ever had to let something go in order to make space for something better?

Story in Review: Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin

April 23, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs 1 Comment

Happy All the Time by Laurie Colwin is one of two books I had to read for the writer’s workshop that I joined this spring. We read it a couple of weeks ago, but we had our last meeting this past Monday, and I finally have time to sit down and write about this gem of a novel.

This book was a truly delightful read. Looking at the fairly sombre cover, I expected “happy all the time” to be an ironic title, for a lot of things to go really wrong in this book. And I was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t. The story follows two cousins as grown men trying to settle down, and Colwin keeps the story very tight: she introduces no extraneous characters, no plot line that isn’t essential. The book is light and full of quips, while at the same time it looks at what life is supposed to look like and what it actually does.

Favorite Quotes

“They were looking for action, unsure of what kind and unwilling to seek it out.” – p. 5

“Guido found it curious that Vincent – who spent his life as a scientist analyzing – simply lived, while Guido, who simply lived, spent his life analyzing.” – p. 19

“He realized that he had gotten used to Jane, in the way you get used to constant shooting pains.” – p. 43

“All the clichés about confusion had been created for him, he felt. He was all at sea. He was adrift, a man without an anchor.” – p. 48

“Misty learned that yearning was a remarkably time-consuming pastime and that it was not especially useful.” – p. 53

“She was interested in ultimates – like passion and honor. The rest seemed tepid and irrelevant to her.” – p. 54

” ‘ Anything short of a transport carrier would crash under the weight of those accomplishments,’ Vincent had said.” – p. 67

“Sometimes everything is so smooth and invisible that I can’t see it without discord.” – p. 130

“He felt their love was quite rich enough to do without any ornamentation.” – p. 141

“I don’t call it gossip. I call it ’emotional speculation’.” – p. 212

What made this a good story? Colwin’s language. She has a way of turning a phrase unconventionally, but in a way that absolutely works for her story and her characters. She gives us characters to love and to root for, even when they are being less excellent versions of themselves. And she wraps the story up in the perfect way, tying up the loose ends and giving everyone a good ending.

What could have made this a better story? I always wanted more from each scene, only because the writing was so good. I want to read an entire novel about Misty’s time abroad. I want to see Vincent and Guido as children, constantly weaving in and out of each others homes and lives. I really just can’t wait to read this story again, when I can read it slowly and really enjoy it, rather than reading it quickly for class.

Have you read Happy All the Time, or anything else by Laurie Colwin? What did you think?

Story in Review: Essentialism by Greg McKeown

April 9, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs 9 Comments

“Essentialism isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done.”

In my constant quest to simplify life, I stumbled upon Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. McKeown posits that if we invest ourselves in fewer things, we make better progress on the things that matter most. He calls this “living by design, not by default.” In doing so, we enjoy the journey of life and not just the destination we work toward.

I loved this book. McKeown strikes the right balance between information and anecdote as he makes his case for a less jumbled life. He is passionate about this topic, and it shows on the page. This book touched on all of my favorite productivity topics – sleep as a necessity, the idea of decision fatigue, saying “no” to things that aren’t The Best Yes – and did so in a way that was engaging, yet not overwhelming. I actually found myself staying up late to read nonfiction for the first time in my life.

Even though I am firmly on the simplify and minimalism wagon, I find “Essentialism” to be a term that feels more true. Minimalist gets a negative connotation at times, and simplicity can often seem less sophisticated. “Essentialism” makes this way of living life into an active choice – and I find that this really resonates with me.

Favorite Quotes

“Success can distract us from focusing on the essential things that produce success in the first place.” – p. 13

“[Essentialism] is a discipline you apply each and every time you are faced with a decision about whether to say yes or whether to politely decline.” – p. 19

“An Essentialist creates space to escape and explore life.” – p. 65

“Being a journalist of your own life will force you to stop hyper-focusing on all the minor details and see the big picture.” – p. 75

“Imagination is the source of every form of human achievement. And it’s the one thing that I believe we are systematically jeopardizing in the way we educate our children and ourselves.” – p. 84

“In a nutshell, sleep is what allows us to operate at our highest level of contribution so that we can achieve more, in less time.” – p. 99

“… a true essential intent is one that guides your greater sense of purpose, and helps you chart your life’s path.” – p. 128

“We can all live a life not just of simplicity but of high contribution and meaning.” – p. 226

Should you read this book? Yes.

The principles in this book are helpful for editing life, whether you are a mom stretched a little too thin, a business owner who feels like they are constantly spinning their wheels, or anyone who feels like they are sacrificing the important things at the altar of the urgent.

Should you buy this book? Yes. If you have $20 dollars, do it. With all the essays and blogs out there about simplicity and minimalism available for free, I was at first hesitant to pick this up – but it was definitely worth having all this information in one place and in such an engaging read.

So, if you can, pick up a copy of Essentialism. If you are in the Madison, WI area – ask to borrow mine.

P.S. Read more on minimalism here. And more on learning to say “no” here and here.