Nonfiction books of January

Trying to keep my goal of getting into more nonfiction I have random picks for digital books I try to read at work.

If my body could speak.

Author: Blythe Baird 
Genre: Poetry, nonfiction
Original publication date: February 2019
Book description:  is about fighting for the space one takes up in a world that would rather they take up none at all. Blythe Baird deftly and uniquely charts a course through various modes of womanhood and women's bodies. Through love, loss, and the struggles of disordered eating, If My Body Could Speak uses sharp narratives and visceral imagery to get to the heart of a many-layered existence, speaking to many generations at once.

Thoughts:
Hard to describe as usual with poetry and collections, there is always some that you feel connected to them and some others you do not feel very particular about. 
I started this loving it, be aware the first few poems were about eating disorders and I expected the whole compilation to be in that environment, it was not!

So after the eating disorder theme was left behind we had some about sexual violence and harassment toward women. I did not enjoy all of the pieces about that particular topic. If you feel triggered by that kind of content, there is mention of rape which I can't really read about without feeling off... It would have been better if I had done some research and decide if actually reading it or not.

This does not feel too much like poetry in the traditional sense but it does have some very interesting points of view about eating disorders and other touchy subjects. 



Girl Wash Your Face 

Author: Rachel Hollis
Genre: Nonfiction, Self-help
Original publication date: February 2018
Book description: 
Each chapter of Girl, Wash Your Face begins with a specific lie Hollis once believed that left her feeling overwhelmed, unworthy, or ready to give up. As a working mother, a former foster parent, and a woman who has dealt with insecurities about her body and relationships, she speaks with the insight and kindness of a BFF, helping women unpack the limiting mind-sets that destroy their self-confidence and keep them from moving forward.


Thoughts:

It is interesting and yet nothing you haven't seen in other places.
It ha a funny writing style, it feels like a personal journal entry. 
I, unfortunately, did not feel this was anything too enlightening. Maybe if you already admire Rachel or maybe if you are feeling down this is a good uplifting mood book to read, it's a quick read at least.

Mixed feelings, some parts were ok, it began like a nice conversation among friends, telling you that the glamour people show on social media does not represent their life fully. Most people show the best side and still have huge struggles and normal issues. Do not compare yourself with their best, that will never work.

What I thought in the first chapter may be for the first few dozen of pages:  The topics are something I agree with but again I would have not been very happy with it if I had bought it, as it feels like a normal conversation among good friends.
This did feel, I guess that was the point, like a nice chat among friends trying to get you to appreciate yourself and take care of your self. 

The middle and the end were very different for me.
Not my thing really.
A bad example of relationships, who am I to speak, I am definitely single, have no children and yet I feel I would not have told the things she says to describe her relationship with her current husband. I am not sure what to make of it.

I do not like to give a rating to people's lives, but this feels wrong to have someone try to give you advice and yet see the way her mind works can be considered harmful for your emotional and sometimes physical well being. 

Not the best book to pick really but oh well.
Moving on. I will probably not read anything else by her just throwing it out there.


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