Hannah Aster, Author at Shortform Books

Barack and Michelle’s Love Story: How They Met

How did Michelle and Barack Obama meet? How did their love blossom despite Michelle not wanting to get in a relationship? After she graduated from Harvard Law School, Michelle moved back to Chicago, lived with her family, and worked at a law firm. She was tasked with mentoring a summer associate, Barack, and his earnest attitude towards community work and self-assurance impressed Michelle. Continue on to learn about Michelle and Barack’s love story.

The Quest Archetype: Every Trip is a Quest

What are the most common quest archetypes? What should you look out for to know if a character is on a quest? Anytime a character begins a trip, you should be on the lookout for a quest narrative. Literary quests typically consist of five elements: a quester, a place to go, a reason, challenges along the way, and the character learning about themselves. Keep reading to learn why every trip is a quest in literature.

Here’s What Causes Fear and How to Accept Fear

What causes fear and what does fear look like? What advice does Tara Brach give about Radical Acceptance and fear? According to Tara Brach, Radical Acceptance is the key to meeting the experience of fear without getting swept away in it. When we examine our fear and welcome it, we’ll come to understand that it’s not something we created—it’s not our fault. That allows us to tackle the source of the fear with clarity and understanding. Continue on to learn how you can tackle fear with Radical Acceptance.

How Do Genes Impact Health and Disease?

Why hasn’t evolution gotten rid of diseases and mental illness? How do genes impact health and disease? Unfortunately for humans, our bodies have evolved to prioritize reproduction above everything else. This means that diseases that affect us later in life are genetically ignored and mental illnesses that cause sexual aggression are prioritized. Keep reading to learn more about how genes impact our health.

The Law of Division and the Dangers of Line Extension

What is the Law of Division in marketing? Why is expanding your brand to new categories dangerous for your company? The Law of Division states that if a market leader wants to enter an emerging category, it needs a new brand name for that category. The Law of Extension expands on that message and says that the credibility you build in one market doesn’t necessarily transfer to other product categories. Therefore, it’s risky to try to expand an existing brand into a new category. Keep reading for more on the Law of Division and the Law of Line Extension.

Growing Up With Racism: Michelle Obama’s Experience

In what ways did Michelle Obama experience racism growing up? What lesson did Michelle learn from her Grandpa Dandy? For the first few years of her life, Michelle Obama wasn’t aware of racism because she grew up in an inter-racial community. It wasn’t until she was a little older that she and her brother were faced with racism first-hand. Michelle realized that some people were treated differently because of the color of their skin. Keep reading for more information about Michelle Obama and growing up with racism.

The Two Kinds of Violence in Literature

What are the two kinds of violence in literature? What does it mean when an author includes violence in a story? In literature, acts of violence are almost always a symbol of some greater kind of suffering. There are two common forms of violence: when a character harms himself or others, and when narrative harm happens to a character. Continue reading to learn about the two kinds of literary violence.

The Top 5 Radical Acceptance Quotes by Dr. Tara Brach

What are the top five Radical Acceptance quotes from Tara Brach? How can these quotes help you understand Radical Acceptance better? Radical Acceptance is a meditative practice wherein we acknowledge what we’re experiencing—positive or negative—and welcome it. Dr. Tara Brach explores these ideas through the lens of a Buddhist in her book Radical Acceptance. Continue on for Radical Acceptance quotes.

First Lady Michelle Obama Wanted to Make an Impact

What did Michelle Obama do in her first few months as First Lady? How did the media respond to her actions? Michelle Obama always struggled with not feeling “good enough.” So when she became the first Black First Lady, she felt the pressure to make a good impression. Michelle created her own agenda which included nutrition awareness, support for military families, and encouraging young girls to pursue education. Keep reading for more information on Michelle Obama’s first few months as First Lady.

Look Out for Political Writing in Literature

Why should you familiarize yourself with an author’s background before reading their literature? Why are politics so common in writing? If you don’t familiarize yourself with the world as it was when an author wrote a book, you risk missing important political commentary. Especially in American literature, the role of an individual character is almost always politically charged. Keep reading to learn more about political writing in classic literature.