What book might help you change your relationship with yourself? What series is like a comforting cup of tea?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grace could tell you. She’s a host and writer for Shortform’s YouTube channel<\/a>. We interviewed her recently to learn a bit about her relationship with books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Grace is such a sophisticated reader, she uses certain books to help her apply the principles that are in other<\/em> books. Here’s our interview with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the nonfiction category, I love Self-Compassion<\/a>: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself<\/a><\/em> by Kristin Neff. It helped me change my relationship with myself in quite a dramatic way, and it enabled me to make lots of changes in my work and personal life that I had previously found difficult. It also helped me get back into meditation<\/a>, which I now practice regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the fiction category, the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency<\/em> series is nice. The books are like a comforting cup of tea\u2014an easy read. Life is narrated so simply. Anytime I read the books in the series, they help me develop a simpler outlook on life in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m reading a Ugandan novel called The First Woman<\/em> by Nansubuga Makumbi. Also, for some time now, I’ve been meaning to read Nonviolent Communication<\/a><\/em> by Marshall Rosenberg and Essentialism<\/a><\/em> by Greg McKeown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n King David from the Bible. He wrote many of the psalms and is popularly known in the Goliath story. I really admire his story and how he maintained faith in difficult times, and I’d love to know what he’d think about maintaining faith in the current world. Other than being a leader<\/a>, he was also an artist. He played the harp and wrote music and poetry, and I’d love to talk more about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cicely Tyson. I found her book Just As I Am<\/em> so inspirational, and I would love to hear more about her thoughts on navigating the entertainment industry as a woman of faith and a Black woman\u2014identities I relate to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, finally, Michelle Obama. I hadn’t realized how much of a force she was until I read her book Becoming<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t have a favorite genre, but I’ve done quite a lot of reading in psychology, productivity, and the self-help category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Off the bat, I wouldn’t go for philosophy, science, art, or history. I find those topics more interesting to learn about in other mediums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Kindle or physical copy is fine\u2014with a cup of tea, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-Compassion<\/em> by Kristin Neff. I think the world would be much kinder if we spent some time reflecting on the value of compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No favorites, but I’ve recently liked Alexander McCall Smith, and, for some time, I was obsessed with Milan Kundera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m not as into self-help books as I used to be and have quite recently started reading more fiction. The novel I\u2019m reading now\u2014The First Woman<\/em> by Nansubuga Makumbi\u2014is not like anything I\u2019d usually read. But, a friend bought it for me at a book fair, and I\u2019m enjoying it thus far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a kid, I remember loving Goosebumps<\/em>. Everyone at school read those books, and that’s probably how I got into reading as a hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is from a few years back, but, when I read the book Attached<\/a><\/em> by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller, I remember reading that, although popular romance psychology states that, in order to be in a healthy relationship, you need to love yourself first and be ‘whole,’ that idea came from the codependency movement and was shared in relation to being in a relationship with an addict. The authors stated that the best option was to find someone who had a secure attachment style<\/a> and similar goals and then travel down that road with them. I found that interesting because it sort of meant that we all had to accept ourselves where we are and stop the concept of one day being whole enough to be in a healthy relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Change Your Clothes, Change Your<\/em> Life<\/em> by George Brescia helped me develop a basic sense of fashion style\u2014which, after graduating from university, I sorely needed. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up<\/a><\/em> by Marie Kondo helped me be less cluttered and more organized. And, The Power of Habit<\/a><\/em> by Charles Duhigg helped me implement what I learned from The Miracle Morning<\/a><\/em> by Hal Elrod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember finding lots of things that Milan Kundera said in his books that were quite poetic. Here’s one of many that I like: \u201cThe goals we pursue are always veiled. A girl who longs for marriage longs for something she knows nothing about. The boy who hankers after fame has no idea what fame is. The thing that gives our every move its meaning is always totally unknown to us.\u201d (Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just because I grew up in this era, the Harry Potter<\/em> movies. Later on, The Hunger Games<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Milan Kundera’s books. I was introduced to him by a roommate who was from the Czech Republic, as Kundera is. His books blend fiction with some philosophy. I found them quite entertaining, but they also made me think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As video hosts, we usually say, “according to the author,” in case the audience assumes it’s the host’s point of view. As a writer, I lean on the same concept since I need to respect others’ opinions the same way I\u2019d want someone to hear me out. I think it’s good in general to listen to people with different viewpoints and keep an open mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I loved working on The Millionaire Next Door<\/em><\/a> as a host a couple of months ago! Doing so reignited my love for personal finance books<\/a>, which I then chose to pick more of, as a writer. I\u2019m currently working on Getting to Yes<\/a><\/em> by Roger Fisher and William Ury, which covers how to negotiate<\/a> well. It\u2019s blowing my mind! So many things I didn\u2019t know, and it\u2019s fun to work and learn at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur Interview With Grace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite book and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What are you reading these days?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
If you could have a dinner party with any three authors\u2014dead or alive\u2014who would they be and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite genre? Why does it intrigue you?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Are there any book genres or tropes that you dislike or refuse to read?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What’s your favorite way to read a book?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What book do you think everyone should read in their lifetime?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Who are your favorite authors?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
How have your reading tastes changed over the years?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Was there a specific book that sparked your love of reading?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What’s an interesting fact that you learned from a book recently?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Have any books you\u2019ve read caused you to make any life changes or to develop any habits?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s your favorite quote from a book or an author?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What are your favorite book adaptations<\/strong> and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Are there any lesser-known books that you\u2019ve read that you want others to know exist?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
At Shortform, how do you go about working on a book that has viewpoints you don\u2019t agree with?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
What are your favorite books in the Shortform library and why?<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Grace’s Recommended Reading List<\/h4>\n\n\n\n