Pema Chodron: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

“Inspiration and wretchedness are inseparable. We always want to get rid of misery rather than see how it works together with joy…With only inspiration, we become arrogant. With only wretchedness, we lose our vision…We can be big and small at the same time.”

Laura Kipnis: The Female Thing: Dirt, Sex, Envy, Vulnerability

“One way or another, women just seem to end up defined by their bodies, or defining themselves by their bodies: a source of self-worth, a site of craziness, or most likely both.”

Chris Ware: The ACME Novelty Library

This was NOT a good idea. I’d been saving this for myself, for a time when I wasn’t feeling well or sad. I’ve been both this week. I can’t get through five minutes without putting the book down and crying. Damn you, Chris Ware!

Chuck Palahniuk: Stranger Than Fiction

The chapter “You Are Here” was worth the price of the book alone.

Donald L. Barlett & James B. Steele: Critical Condition: How Health Care in America Became Big Business — And Bad Medicine

Pamela Ribon: Why Moms Are Weird

Okay, maybe I’m not. But shouldn’t you be?

Zoey Dean: The A-List

Reading this per someone’s request, and luckily I got to read it next to a pool, which is the only place where it’s appropriate for someone my age to be holding something like this. I got an instant flashback to reading Sweet Valley High books when I was very young, and how I didn’t understand what the hell was the big deal about the twins driving a Fiat.