Today I want to share some of my Lockdown Reads with you. One of the benefits of lockdown and staying at home means I’ve been getting a decent amount of reading time. Here’s a look at some of the books I’ve been reading since lockdown began in March…
(no spoilers – just a few thoughts shared about each one)
Lockdown Reads
What Has Nature Ever Done For Us by Tony Juniper
This was an impulse pick-up from a Nature themed display at the library. It’s full of different stories about Nature and its links to life and even the economy.
“It’s estimated that nature is worth as much as $100 trillion annually to the world economy…Yet we take most of that nature does for us for granted.”
I found it quite heavy…in the sense that there was a lot of science and statistics to read…it wasn’t a fun read. But I am glad that I picked it up and I definitely came away feeling like I’d learnt a lot. I enjoyed reading about the examples when humans have worked with nature rather than against it. It made me think about the amount we humans take nature for granted and the consequences of this.
Consider giving it a read if you want to know how money really does grow on trees!
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
The Tagline of this one is ‘A Brief History of Humankind’.
I bought this one a couple of years ago after hearing about it via a podcast. It sat on the shelf. And during lockdown I was ready to give it a go.
This was another heavy read. The font in my copy is small and it’s a big book. But I gleaned SO much from it. I often found myself reading sections to my husband with the question “did you know this?”. The sections on religion, capitalism, and the empire were fascinating and also the most thought-provoking.
I feel like I might be the last one to read this but would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for something to make you think about the big picture and how the human race got to where it is today… I’m keen to try his follow up books as well.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo
I’ve read this book before. But if you were to look around my house you certainly wouldn’t think so!
I decided to request this from the library at the start of the year (I’m guessing I had a “new decade, no clutter” vision!) but I’ve only just got around to reading it this month. This book and it’s tidying techniques has done the rounds many times already so I won’t share too much about it but it has made me think about all my clutter. I even decluttered a drawer! (Just the rest of the house to do…!)
I think there is much to be said for KonMari’s suggested order of tidying. I am most definitely one of those people that finds myself, an hour into pulling everything out, sat on the floor getting nostalgic over old photos and letters. So I think I’ll give it a go. I’ll start with clothes. Books will be tricky – I am more attached to those than clothes! But I glanced at my bookshelves whilst reading this book and there are definitely some that can get rehomed.
It was worth a re-read. And more light-hearted than the first two.
The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary
I might have read this just before lockdown. But it’s in my pile of library books I’ve been unable to return due to lockdown so I’m counting it!
I’d seen a few recommendations for this so reserved a copy. I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed it. It was quirky and fun and heart warming. I loved seeing how the unconventional relationship developed over the course of the book. It was funny and left me with a smile on my face.
I’d recommend giving it a go if you like quirky love stories.
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One of the things I’ve missed the most during lockdown has been the library. I love going to have a browse. And I also love being able to get a book recommendation, check the library catalogue, reserve the book then head along and pick it up when I get the notification that it’s waiting for me! The library can also help me with my decluttering journey so I buy less books!
Are you a library member? Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them? And please let me know in the comments if you have any lockdown reads to recommend.
You can find all my Reading Rituals post here.
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