Book recommendations #1.

Community, motherhood, the internet, care, the weirdo human brain.

The following books were not all published this year, but I read them this year and I liked them.

I’ve read and liked a whole bunch more. But for now, these are some goodies…

How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship, and Community by Mia Birdsong

This book was a JOY. How We Show Up is all about embracing community and really leaning into the care and love and support that we offer the people we share this planet with. Birdsong considers family and relationships in a beautiful and refreshing way, and it made me feel hopeful about the future and how we can be there for one another and everyone.

Essential Labor: Mothering as Social Change by

Angela Garbes

I listened to the audiobook version of this as I walked around my neighbourhood with my newborn babe. This book speaks of mothering as a collective task, something that is not only for women and people assigned female at birth, but for everyone. Super duper researched and very personal, Essential Labor offers mothering as something informed by culture, food, bodies, sexuality, pleasure, and more. It also goes into race, capitalism, and colonialism, which I always appreciate. This book was so good. I was sad when I finished it.

The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality by

Amanda Montell

How come we’re super into conspiracies? Why do we love ourselves some good and proper misinformation? How come we are all about blaming mercury retrograde rather than claiming responsibility for our fuck ups? Montell talks to all of this and I enjoyed it. Also, Amanda Montell is funny.

Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture by

Sara Petersen

Mommy influencers, Tradwives, motherhood as performance, performance of gender, division of domestic labor, the gendered nature of influencer culture, racism etc. etc. etc. SO GOOD. Tip of the cap. Love heart emoji. Like button clicked.

When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others by

Elissa Strauss

I wrote about this book quite a lot HERE when I confessed that I hadn’t previously understood the importance of care. I had thought that my self worth was equal to my productivity (well played capitalism, well played). I am still working at unlearning this. But this belief meant that I didn’t love the idea of myself as a full time carer for my child. This book helped me reframe the way I perceive care work and it’s helped me to lean in (sit down Sheryl Sandberg) and fully embrace my new role.

What have you all read and enjoyed this year?

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This email was composed where I am currently staying, which is the region now known as Central Victoria. I would, therefore, like to acknowledge the people of the Kulin Nation (in particular the Taungurung Nation), Traditional Custodians of the land for which I am on. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

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