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July Recommendations and New Learning

Recently, I have found so much value in the content I consume in terms of bringing awareness to issues I wasn't previously aware of as well as shifting my perspective on ideas I was already familiar with. I find summaries of books and other media from other people to be incredibly helpful in finding new content I enjoy, so I hope this list provides something that piques your interest in a new subject area. 

Books: 

A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

This book was a friend's recommendation after a conversation about the similarities between dystopian novels. Knowing my love for 1984 (which I read in middle school) and the Handmaid's Tale (which I read very recently), I went into this book with high expectations considering the novel's place as an American classic. My expectations were met. Despite similar themes across many dystopian novels, I enjoyed reading about the deeply troubling society that explores the impacts of science and technology on individualism. The entire premise of the book lies on the "advances" of psychology and reproductive technology (including cloning) supporting class structures and threatening the nature of humanity. There are a lot of small details to pay attention to in this book, and I really enjoyed not having to read this book as a school assignment and deliberately focus on metaphors and paradoxes. Instead, I enjoyed contemplating some of these concepts in a less scholarly and more abstract manner; therefore, I recommend to anyone interested in a thought-provoking read. 

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

In last month's reading favorites, I briefly mentioned I was reading Jane Eyre and that I would give a more thorough update this month. My first impressions were correct. Although the love story was very wholesome, it honestly fell into an awful cliche and became quite predictable. To be fair, when this book was written in the mid-1800s, modern cliches likely weren't the same. Despite the 500 pages and lack of significant thought-provoking content, I found the incredibly descriptive style of writing fascinating to learn from as a writer.

Men Explain Things to Me - Rebecca Solnit 

I do not have enough good things to say about this book! It was such a quick read but filled with shocking facts and descriptions of gender-based violence. The basic topic is on "mansplaining" but dives into much more troubling issues including its link to the International Monetary Fund, global affairs, marriage equality, and gender-based violence. As an avid gender equity activist, I loved the humor in this book and how well it was interspersed with more troubling ideas about the ways we perceive gender. I highly recommend everyone to read this book for a unique perspective on situations they have been in. 

Turtles All the Way Down - John Green 

After a lot of intense and troubling literature, I was so glad that I picked up this book. It is such a light-hearted, feel-good, mystery novel, and it was an easy book to read (it didn't take extraordinary effort to detangle themes). The way that John Green writes this first-person narrative is truly extraordinary. We are in the mind of Aza, a teenager who occasionally goes on these "thought spirals". The manner in which her inner monologue/stream of consciousness is written is so relatable, and the constant chaos in her mind is reminiscent of the constant influx of new ideas we all experience. I don't think I have ever read a book with the narrator's thoughts seeming so humane which made Aza such a lovable main character. This is truly a book for anyone looking for a light read. 

Podcasts: 

In addition to learning to fall in love with reading once again, I have found so many incredible podcasts during this time that have restructured the way I think about several things. One of the first podcasts I began listening to is Not Overthinking. I stumbled across this podcast because I have watched one of the co-host's YouTube channel religiously for the past few years. The podcast is hosted by Dr.Ali Abdaal and his brother Taimur, and I love their honest conversation and banter. They cover a variety of topics including productivity, human cognition, social interactions, etc. I also listen to Acting My Age with Rohini Elyse and What We Said. I have enjoyed the "unfiltered" nature of the discussions in these podcasts, and listening to these podcasts feels like a conversation with an older friend during which I often pick up on hints of life advice. My final podcast recommendation is the Michelle Obama Podcast. This one is a fan favorite and for good reason. As an inspiration to millions, Michelle Obama shares her conversations with some amazing guests and removes the atmosphere of separation associated with public figures especially political ones. 

After a couple of weeks of more research-focused posts, I wanted to post a more personal one, so these are some of my book and podcast reviews/recommendations! If you read/listen to any of my suggestions, I would love to hear your thoughts, and if you have any ideas for future posts, let me know! As always, thank you so much for reading! 

Janvi :) 



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