Rachel Baack
Summary: Psychologist Richard Beck explores and explains the complicated and fascinating workings of the feeling of disgust and how that feeling can be inappropriately applied in ways that are damaging within the life of the Christian Church.
This is a religiously based work directed toward readers who identify as Christians, but the psychology of disgust can be, I think, interesting to any audience.
Summary: Psychologist Richard Beck explores and explains the complicated and fascinating workings of the feeling of disgust and how that feeling can be inappropriately applied in ways that are damaging within the life of the Christian Church.
This is a religiously based work directed toward readers who identify as Christians, but the psychology of disgust can be, I think, interesting to any audience.
Summary: This book explains how the U.S. education system regularly and uniquely marginalizes Black girls in ways that are demonstrably harmful to their education and lives. The book offers some alternatives school discipline, dress codes, and classroom interactions that will help facilitate educational experiences that help Black girls to thrive in their education and their lives outside of school. These alternatives are rooted in demonstrating understanding and respect for Black girls both as a group that faces unique challenges in the U.S. education system and broader culture and as individuals.
Summary: This book explains how the U.S. education system regularly and uniquely marginalizes Black girls in ways that are demonstrably harmful to their education and lives. The book offers some alternatives school discipline, dress codes, and classroom interactions that will help facilitate educational experiences that help Black girls to thrive in their education and their lives outside of school. These alternatives are rooted in demonstrating understanding and respect for Black girls both as a group that faces unique challenges in the U.S. education system and broader culture and as individuals.
Summary: In this book, Deluca presents scientific evidence showing how women are not the irrational, emotional, hormone-controlled creatures that society paints them to be. The book highlights studies that show that the hormones related to women’s menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and experiences with menopause do not cause them to become any less emotionally or mentally competent (except in rare cases which warrant medical attention).
This novel is a breath of fresh air for every woman who has been dismissed because of her so called “over-emotional, hormone-controlled nature.”
Summary: In this book, Deluca presents scientific evidence showing how women are not the irrational, emotional, hormone-controlled creatures that society paints them to be. The book highlights studies that show that the hormones related to women’s menstrual cycles, pregnancies, and experiences with menopause do not cause them to become any less emotionally or mentally competent (except in rare cases which warrant medical attention).
This novel is a breath of fresh air for every woman who has been dismissed because of her so called “over-emotional, hormone-controlled nature.”
Summary: Amanda Montell explores what it is that makes cults so fascinating and, to some, influential, and she argues that language is one of the best indicators and most effective tools of cults and “cultish” groups.
Summary: Amanda Montell explores what it is that makes cults so fascinating and, to some, influential, and she argues that language is one of the best indicators and most effective tools of cults and “cultish” groups.
Summary: Brainstorm explains the essence of adolescence in a way that allows both teens and adults to engage with their own brains and development as well as the minds of others. A few important takeaways for me were the idea of taking time-in to feel one’s sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts; the importance of being a secure, dependable attachment figure rather than an absent or unpredictable one; and the necessity of simply being present—being there for others without judgement, and really experiencing their feelings and listening to what they have to say.
Summary: Brainstorm explains the essence of adolescence in a way that allows both teens and adults to engage with their own brains and development as well as the minds of others. A few important takeaways for me were the idea of taking time-in to feel one’s sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts; the importance of being a secure, dependable attachment figure rather than an absent or unpredictable one; and the necessity of simply being present—being there for others without judgement, and really experiencing their feelings and listening to what they have to say.
Summary: In each chapter of this book, Amanda Montell addresses a different logical fallacy to which those of us living in the twenty-first century frequently fall victim. She explains the evolutionary advantage that she and other experts believe each fallacy gave our ancestors, and she goes on to explain why these fallacies no longer serve us and how we can avoid falling prey to them.
Some of Montell’s claims might be difficult for readers who are religious to fully agree with, but I think that all readers can benefit from understanding the ways in which we can fool ourselves.
Summary: In each chapter of this book, Amanda Montell addresses a different logical fallacy to which those of us living in the twenty-first century frequently fall victim. She explains the evolutionary advantage that she and other experts believe each fallacy gave our ancestors, and she goes on to explain why these fallacies no longer serve us and how we can avoid falling prey to them.
Some of Montell’s claims might be difficult for readers who are religious to fully agree with, but I think that all readers can benefit from understanding the ways in which we can fool ourselves.
Summary: In this book, Stanley Fish instructs readers in the craft of sentence-making. It uses examples of great sentences to guide readers in their own writing.
Summary: In this book, Stanley Fish instructs readers in the craft of sentence-making. It uses examples of great sentences to guide readers in their own writing.
Added to listHow-Towith 2 books.
This guide to punctuation is incredibly helpful and surprisingly funny.
This guide to punctuation is incredibly helpful and surprisingly funny.
Summary: Blain Roberts walks readers through the development of beauty practices and culture in the American South during the twentieth century. She addresses the ways in which beauty culture impacted and developed among Black and White Southern women differently, and she explores what Southern beauty culture can tell us about racism, patriarchy, and class structure.
Summary: Blain Roberts walks readers through the development of beauty practices and culture in the American South during the twentieth century. She addresses the ways in which beauty culture impacted and developed among Black and White Southern women differently, and she explores what Southern beauty culture can tell us about racism, patriarchy, and class structure.
Summary: This text focuses on what is known about the lives of the five canonical victims of Jack the Ripper, from before their birth to the time of their murders. The book challenges the notion that Jack the Ripper was a “prostitute killer”; in fact, only two of them can be said with any degree of certainty to have ever engaged in prostitution. Rubenhold’s writing humanizes these victims while also revealing the conditions under which working-class women in 19th-century England lived.
Summary: This text focuses on what is known about the lives of the five canonical victims of Jack the Ripper, from before their birth to the time of their murders. The book challenges the notion that Jack the Ripper was a “prostitute killer”; in fact, only two of them can be said with any degree of certainty to have ever engaged in prostitution. Rubenhold’s writing humanizes these victims while also revealing the conditions under which working-class women in 19th-century England lived.
Added to listYoung Adultwith 62 books.
Added to listMiddle Gradewith 27 books.
Summary: This nonfiction novel chronicles the lives of Tsar Nicholas (Russia’s last tsar), his family, and the Russian people. It is a fascinating read that tells of the atrocities committed against the Russian people, the drama surrounding the royal family and their relationship to the mysterious Rasputin, and the uprising of the lower classes.
Summary: This nonfiction novel chronicles the lives of Tsar Nicholas (Russia’s last tsar), his family, and the Russian people. It is a fascinating read that tells of the atrocities committed against the Russian people, the drama surrounding the royal family and their relationship to the mysterious Rasputin, and the uprising of the lower classes.
Summary: This novel tells the true story of a young Hmong girl whose family recently came to America. This girl has a slew of medical issues, but, because of cultural barriers, her family has difficulty communicating with and following the orders of the doctors. This is an eye-opening work that reveals issues in America’s health care system and broader society regarding cultural injustice.
Summary: This novel tells the true story of a young Hmong girl whose family recently came to America. This girl has a slew of medical issues, but, because of cultural barriers, her family has difficulty communicating with and following the orders of the doctors. This is an eye-opening work that reveals issues in America’s health care system and broader society regarding cultural injustice.
Added to listHistorical Nonfictionwith 6 books.
Added to listBiographywith 4 books.
Summary: This biography of Charles and Emma Darwin gives an overview of their lives together with a focus on the role that Christianity played in their lives.
Summary: This biography of Charles and Emma Darwin gives an overview of their lives together with a focus on the role that Christianity played in their lives.
Summary: This work is the autobiographical account of Donald Miller’s road trip with his friend Paul.
The book is thought-provoking and leaves readers with a sense of the beauty that surrounds them.
Summary: This work is the autobiographical account of Donald Miller’s road trip with his friend Paul.
The book is thought-provoking and leaves readers with a sense of the beauty that surrounds them.
Summary: This book is a series of stories about the American soldiers of the Alpha Company who fought in the Vietnam War. The stories include tales from the war as well as what life was like after the soldiers returned home. The book gives a heartbreaking and emotionally gripping look into the lives and minds of the men who have been scarred by the things they have witnessed in war.
Summary: This book is a series of stories about the American soldiers of the Alpha Company who fought in the Vietnam War. The stories include tales from the war as well as what life was like after the soldiers returned home. The book gives a heartbreaking and emotionally gripping look into the lives and minds of the men who have been scarred by the things they have witnessed in war.
Summary: This is the heartbreaking and autobiographical story of Elie Wiesel, a Jewish boy who was forced into a concentration camp during World War II. The book reveals the horrors of the Holocaust and the emotional toll that it took on the Nazis’ victims.
Summary: This is the heartbreaking and autobiographical story of Elie Wiesel, a Jewish boy who was forced into a concentration camp during World War II. The book reveals the horrors of the Holocaust and the emotional toll that it took on the Nazis’ victims.
Summary: In this nonfiction work, Austin Channing Brown powerfully relates her experience with racism as a Black woman, and specifically a Black woman in the Church and in Christian ministry. This book is one that will inspire empathy on the deepest level and challenge complacent white Christians to take their place in the fight for true racial justice and reconciliation—justice and reconciliation that require structural change and real work, not just empty words and tokenistic acknowledgement of the presence of people of color. This book is, in a word, excellent.
Summary: In this nonfiction work, Austin Channing Brown powerfully relates her experience with racism as a Black woman, and specifically a Black woman in the Church and in Christian ministry. This book is one that will inspire empathy on the deepest level and challenge complacent white Christians to take their place in the fight for true racial justice and reconciliation—justice and reconciliation that require structural change and real work, not just empty words and tokenistic acknowledgement of the presence of people of color. This book is, in a word, excellent.
Summary: Former actress Jennette McCurdy rests her shocking autobiography on the axis of her mother’s death: from birth to age 21, Jennette saw her life (including her reluctant pursuit of an acting career) largely directed by her mother, and after her mom’s death in 2013, she experienced a kind of unraveling and rebuilding, the unraveling having been largely spurred by behaviors and attitudes she had developed as the result of her mother’s influence.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook read by the author.
Summary: Former actress Jennette McCurdy rests her shocking autobiography on the axis of her mother’s death: from birth to age 21, Jennette saw her life (including her reluctant pursuit of an acting career) largely directed by her mother, and after her mom’s death in 2013, she experienced a kind of unraveling and rebuilding, the unraveling having been largely spurred by behaviors and attitudes she had developed as the result of her mother’s influence.
I would recommend listening to the audiobook read by the author.
Summary: This autobiography tells the story of the life of Tara Westover, who was raised in near isolation with her six siblings by highly religious parents who trusted neither the medical establishment nor the government. As a child, Tara did not attend school and did not have a birth certificate until the age of nine.
Her story is at times shocking, and readers who may have experienced any kind of physical or domestic abuse should be made aware that this book may be difficult to read.
Summary: This autobiography tells the story of the life of Tara Westover, who was raised in near isolation with her six siblings by highly religious parents who trusted neither the medical establishment nor the government. As a child, Tara did not attend school and did not have a birth certificate until the age of nine.
Her story is at times shocking, and readers who may have experienced any kind of physical or domestic abuse should be made aware that this book may be difficult to read.