Hi smartest students in all the land,

First of all, I want to recommend that you purchase as many of your books as you can from BIPOC bookstores. Here is a link to the one in Portland. https://thirdeyebag.com/ If they don't have it, Broadway Books does curbside pickup and is owned by women. http://www.broadwaybooks.com/ Let's decrease our dependency on billionaires like Amazon and start supporting our community.

As a super book nerd and former recovering book addict, (turns out you can numb out with books as easily as you can with anything,) I have been reading a ton this summer.

Here it goes.

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson (Yoga Homework.)

Long Walk To Freedom by Nelson Mandela (I listen to this on Audio with my 12 year old son)

Anne Frank : The Diary of A Young Girl (my son and I read this aloud to one another.)

Love and Rage by Lama Rod Owens

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

How To Be An AntiRacist by Ibram x. Kendi (He also just came out for one that is for young adults called Stamped From The Beginning that I'm going to order from Third Eye today for my son.)

This Naked Mind by Annie Grace (I am always sober curious and have completely changed my relationship with alcohol because of this book. It's poison ya'll. I don't know if I will always be a sober person, so please don't think I am making an identity out of it. It's more of a choice right now. Remember, the inquiry is--what am I taking with me out of this pandemic? I want a strong body and mind, healthy relationships and clarity of purpose.)

Comedy Sex God by Pete Holmes (You all know I love a good Christian-turns-mystic healing story, as I strongly identify with that story myself. Thank you, Amy Speciale for this. I am devouring it.)

As a fellow super book nerd, this makes my heart so happy! Thank you!!

So, the week before COVID hit big in Portland, Amanda Bullock was giving me the run-down on some of her favorite novels before our 7am Flow Class. Fast-forward one week and BAM! We locked down and I started reading hard.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
With a love story as the backdrop, this novel takes you on a ride that explores what it means to be Black in America from the perspective of a Nigerian woman.

There There by Tommy Orange
This book starts out with a gut-punch that every American needs to feel before carving up next year’s Thanksgiving turkey! Indigenous perspective. Slam-poetry meets novel. So good. This book’s relentless cadence will keep you flipping pages faster and faster.

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
Her writing is incredible! Set in Mississippi in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina this gripping driving unforgettable story that won’t let you put it down. Tender Gritty Family-bonds Poverty Racism. National Book Award Winner.

White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
A must for white folks

How to be Anti-Racist by Ibrem X. Kendi
The author’s journey to becoming anti-racist. The author reads it on audiobook

Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
A workbook for uncovering racism set up with daily reflections for 28 days

Sharks in the Time of Saviors
I was fully absorbed and totally ignoring everyone! Life in Hawaii/ Poverty/ Connection to the Sacred/Family/Identity/Belonging

George by Alex Gino
I read this aloud to my kids. So good! Transgender/Friendship/Elementary School

Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown
THIS BOOK IS IT!! I’m only on page 67 because I kept reading, re-reading, and reading again. I’ve highlighted, folded, and written in margins of almost every page! I’m reading it like I would eat expensive dark chocolate: take a nibble, let the words melt in my mouth, savor, linger, and pray that it seeps into my bones and never leaves me. The word "YES" reverberates in my soul over and over and over as I read.

Oregon Historical Quarterly SPECIAL ISSUE: White Supremacy & Resistance
It took a year for them to write this edition. It is so well put-together. Important information. This is my current read.

The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea
I'm just starting this novel and I've heard great things!

Obvi I showed up for the book talk!

For those interested in Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's work (which should be everyone!), in addition to HOW TO BE AN ANTI-RACIST, his National Book Award winning history, STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING: THE DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF RACIST IDEAS IN AMERICA, is actually available for FREE to listen to on audiobook on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/6PzcVM8Z1GMqeGlMBQ6ikX). It's been remixed for young readers with co-writer the amazing Jason Reynolds as STAMPED, and Kendi just released a picture book, ANTI-RACIST BABY, for the littlest readers in your life.

And a shameless (nonprofit) plug: My organization, Literary Arts, is presenting Dr. Kendi in February as part of Portland Arts & Lectures, and subscriptions are still available at literary-arts.org.

Just in case anyone is interested, here's the series subscription: https://literary-arts.org/about/programs/portland-arts-lectures/

Thank you for this list, Audra. Because of you I have read more in the last year than I have in the last 15 years! I have read The Little Snake, The Bhagavad Gita, and Women Who Run with Wolves because of your suggestions and listening to your dharma talks. Those 3 books then sparked a deeper inquiry and a bigger appetite for the words/ideas of others. I can't thank you enough

These have been my COVID self help reading list......

Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown. Politics of feeling good and rethinking our strategies for activism-- bc pleasure and joy are a human right.. yes please.

Radical Compassion by Tara Brach-- bc everything TB is fabulous. RAIN meditation is really helpful now-adays!

State of Affairs by Esther Perel- rethinking infidelity... bc man relationships are complex

<3 <3

So, it's not a book, but if you haven't checked it out yet, ALICA KEYS has an outstanding TINY DESK CONCERT that came out recently!

Lately I am reading or have finished reading....

Me and White Supremacy - Layla Saad and Robin DiAngelo
Essential Tools for Empaths - Judith Orloff
The Women Who Run With Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Permission to Feel - Mark Brackett
The Art of Asking - Amanda Palmer
Devotions - Mary Oliver (I am always reading this book)

I am a HUGE fan of book clubs, we meet over zoom nowadays. I highly recommend "The Circle Way" method if you are thinking about doing a book club. It has worked so well for us that we have been meeting regularly for a year. We also read aloud together, which takes the pressure off feeling like you need to pre prepare.

I am a huge books on tape fan these days. I love to nature walk while I listen!

I love seeing what everyone is reading. Thanks for sharing!

I also wanted to mention that your local library might have books on tape! Here in Portland we can use an app called "Libby" to listen to library books.....so cool!

Hi everyone! I am so grateful for this space! Thank you Audra and Love Hive. So much.

Just writing in to see if anyone can rec any books about yoga that they felt gave them maybe a deeper understanding of poses, spirituality, etc. I am currently reading "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses" which is a memoir that is structured around various poses (mainly about motherhood, family, postpartum, the body, etc) by Claire Dederer and wondering if there is anything else along this line. Or really just anything that impacted you a lot in terms of your practice.

Thank you!

Chelsea