“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” – Yuval Noah Harari

In Sapiens Harari explores humanity from the Neanderthals to modernity; breaking down evolution into stages essentially. The book is broken up by stages: Cognitive Revolution, Agricultural Revolution, Unification of Humankind, and Scientific Revolution. Integrating hypothesis with theories on evolutional biology Harari has produced a philosophical textbook.

This book is not in my normal lineup, if you’ve been following me you’ll notice how it doesn’t quite line up with “The Selection” or “To All The Boys…” I honestly read it because Chris Evans said it was a good book. I was hesitant to read a suggestion from a celebrity after I read another book suggested by a different celebrity that I didn’t like at all (I’m so sorry). But I picked it up with faith and read. It was interesting. It was written in a very compelling way; and I liked the concepts in it. It was written in language that could be absorbed by someone who is in fact not an evolutionary biologist but it wasn’t put into such layman terms that it was dull.

One of my favorite takeaways from the novel (is actually the quote on Harari’s website) “Homo sapiens rules the world because it is the only animal that can believe in things that exist purely in its own imagination, such as gods, states, money and human rights.” This stuck with me, more than anything else in the book. Humans are amazing and complex creatures, we can create and imagine and all because our brain says it’s so. We look at the sky and see a blinking light and we say “hey what if that’s a UFO” or we say to each other “this dollar bill means something because I said so”. Honestly the entire section explain how money evolved was one of the best sections. I’ve always been so frustrated by currency (why does a tiny sliver of cotton and linen with a dead president on it mean so much to people?!) and the way Harari broke it down (still makes little sense to me) but it helped so much! Of course a farmer would say “here take these shells instead because you can’t possibly carry 80,000 pounds of rice with you when you leave here but I want this land and that’s what these shells are worth. Promise.” It makes sense that we wouldn’t be able to barter forever (here’s a chicken/thanks here’s those new shoes you needed). We have gotten too big for that at this point. We can express so much love just because we think we should (and conversely of course that can be so much hate because we think we should). It goes back to one of the things I love most about humanity: Free Will. I am a big, big advocate for Free Will (I have a hard time painting Lucifer as a bad guy for example) and I love that sapiens can do that. I love that you can decide to do whatever you want; even if that means that sometimes people chose the negative paths, because you get to choose. That’s the beauty of all of this, on a universal scale yes, but within yourself too. You can make so many choices every day and it’s a miracle to me, Free Will.

As much fact as this book had (and I did literally zero research so maybe it’s all malarky) it also was riddled with philosophy and that’s what stuck with me. I love philosophy. I love humankind and exploring why we do the things we do, who we are, where we came from, what’s going to become of us. I want to be immortal so that I can see our future (and because dying is scary). We have such a capacity for good or evil and there’s no limits to us. It’s empowering and terrifying.

I didn’t realize how much I liked this book honestly until I started writing about it. I kept talking about it to people while I was reading it, mentioning things (like this one breed of monkey who has developed lying. They’ll give off a certain call for if there is a land predator and another one if there is a sky predator, and this one breed has developed the ability to give the wrong call so that they can scare off others and steal their food. It’s amazing, and also tragic), and going on about things I was learning; but writing it all down is making me realize how much I enjoyed it.

Read it and let me know what you think! Let’s chat!

“Bernie Sanders Guide To Political Revolution” – Bernie Sanders

Literally a guide to political revolution. The plot is in the title.

If you know anything about Bernie Sanders, which I’m presuming anyone who is over the age of safe side 18 does, you know that he is very invested in completely revamping the entire political system. He not only wants change, but a complete revolution. Healthcare for all, for the rich to be held accountable for their actions, for equality and justice. This independent senator from Vermont stirs a lot of pots and isn’t afraid to say exactly what he thinks is wrong with literally everything. He’s kind of the cranky grandpa at dinner… which is 90% of the reason I love him.

This book was a literal guide… it outlines the problems he feels need to be addressed and then it solved them. It outlined what we as individuals can do to make the world better and to change/shake up the system. It was a very quick read and very informative. Lots of data and statistics. I’m still waiting to read “Our Revolution” which is on waitlist from the library as I feel that will be more personable and kind of more what I’m looking for. Don’t get me wrong I love the guide, but I like to connect with the person more than the politics. So this is a great book for a how-to-guide (as the title states).

After reading Clinton’s book I was on a political kick (really it all started with Obama). I wanted to somehow feel that inspiration and the determination that I felt those days in the primaries, and then on the campaign trail. I wanted to feel the hope of being able to change things, of being able to keep the country moving progressively upward. I wanted to feel these people I had come to look up to and love speaking to me again, talking about change, hope, and the future. This book does that in a very technical informative way. It’s a by the book (pardon the pun) outline for how we can keep progressing even with less than favorable people in positions of power.

The guide was empowering, informative, and inspiring, like Bernie himself. He is a truly wonderful leader and I believe we need more of his idealism in our lives.

Happy reading!

“What Happened” – Hillary Rodham Clinton

“What do we do now I said? There was only one answer: Keep Going.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton

Like a lot of American’s after the 2016 Election results I was devastated. I’m not going to pretend I was always for Hillary, campaigning, donating, and support Bernie Sanders for the DNC in the primaries I made it my soul mission to get him elected. When that didn’t work out I did change tactics. I’m not one of the idealists who wrote Bernie in, or who stayed home on Election day because “they’re both terrible”. I love Bernie, I think Senator Sanders would have been an amazing president. I don’t consider myself a “flip flopper” because Sanders and Clinton held a lot of the same believes. To paraphrase Clinton: Sanders ideas were lofty and idealistic, hers were planted in reality. I also however understand the reality that our democracy is horribly flawed. The fact is despite how many independents we have on the ballet we live in a two-party system. When the choices were Hillary or Donald my choice was made. I watched the debates, I read the news (cross checking for facts and accuracy and not just believing anything I heard). I did my best to understand Trumps policies and ideas. What it came down to, and what it’s always come down to for me, is basic human decency. I honestly don’t believe Clinton is as bad as everyone makes her out to be. I learned her history, her policies, her political background. She is thoughtful, calm, rational, and thinks through situations. We need that kind of level-headedness in a leader. I wasn’t for her because she’s a woman; I was for her because she was the most qualified candidate. I contributed to her campaign, I debated with people about her policies (and Trumps), I was not silent. So when we wound up where we did last November I was devastated. When Barack Obama was elected for the first time I cried. I was so proud of our country. We had overcome years of racism and oppression and now an African American was our Commander in Chief. A progressive man who believed in basic human rights for all citizens, who believed in healthcare and talking out issues. When Trump was elected I cried for very different reasons. Would my friend lose her healthcare? Would my LGBTQ friends never be able to get married? Would we all get murdered by people who were able to buy guns without background checks? Would we get bombed by another foreign power because Trump pissed them off on Twitter? I was, as many others were: terrified, disappointed, scared, and defeated. Reading Clintons book a lot of those issues came up for me again and I teared up a few times.

The book is long, Clinton is not succinct, she goes through the history of the election, the factors that lead to the way the race was run, and the aftermath of the outcome. I’m not gonna lie some parts were really boring. I had to look up some of the statements she made because I wasn’t sure if they were opinion or fact and I wanted to be sure. I bristled when she criticized Sanders, I laughed when she talked about rueful side-eyes she shared with others at the inauguration. She even went a little bit into the details of Bill’s presidency and opened herself up to the criticism of his time in office. It was a very emotional book and (to use Clintons words) humanizing. I agree with her, it sucks that she has to make herself seem more human; that people don’t just believe she’s capable of emotions. It kind of does show that women have it rough, if we’re too emotional we’re “unfit” because of it, but if we’re too stoic we’re “cold and robotic”… it’s really hard to win with that kind of constant struggle.

In the book Clinton also outlines some of her policy ideas which would have been amazing if implemented. She talks about her faith, The Clinton Foundation, policies (Climate Change, Economy, Russia, NRA, Planned Parenthood) and yes her emails. BUT HER EMAILS. Clinton is charming, open, and likable; and this book broadcasts all of her best traits. I also felt really inspired and motivated after reading it. Yes, things didn’t go as planned, and yes it’s hard to lose to someone who openly assaults women and lies on a daily basis about… everything. But we can keep going and we will. We are strong. We are resilient. And we are a force to be reckoned with. Hillary talks about Pantsuit Nation and the Stronger Together tagline that became a way of life. It feels powerful to be part of something so positive and inspiring.

I was disappointed in my country on Election Day 2016. I’ve had a mounting disdain ever since. This helped me to break through it. Reading Obama’s book late last year helped too; but this was a great way to start off the new year. Knowing Clinton felt what all of us were thinking, and her actually saying it was a relief. Knowing you can lose so unexpectedly and feeling so defeated and still recover and continue being kind and generous and continuing to persevere? That’s inspiring. We need more hope and more inspiration in this country (and in the world) and I’m hoping we can all live our lives a little better because those small changes make a world of difference. (Also I hope to one day see Hillary in the wild).

“In the words of Secretary Clinton: “Never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance in the world to pursue your dreams.” To add to her wise words, let me say, never doubt that you’re durable. You are valuable. You are rare and unique. Let yourself be flawed. Go proudly and confidently into the world with your blinding hues to show everyone who’s boss and break every glass ceiling that still remains.” – Tala Nashawati, Wellsley College Graduation Speech

“Yes Please!” – Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler’s honest and humorous autobiography explores her life on SNL, her work in the theatre, sketch comedy, growing up in Massachusetts, the struggles of being a woman, motherhood, marriage, divorce… the book is about Amy, who she is, what she aspires to be. It’s also inspiring, motivational, and funny. Just like Amy.

I’ve been a little bit on a memoir/autobiography kick lately (waiting for Hills new book to come in!) I recently read “Dreams From My Father” and of course a few others in recent history. I like reading about funny, warm, charming, successful, compassionate people. They help me when I’m struggling to remember why I should care about the world or any of its inhabitants because they go “oh look, I’m pretty cool, and people can be pretty cool if you just look at them this way” and then I sigh and smile and start looking at people “that way” and it helps. I’m babbling.

Anyway. Amy’s book is a lot like I imagine her as a person to be, chatty, firm but polite, a little neurotic, and amazingly legitimate. This book offered some fun stories about SNL, Parks and Rec, red carpets. It offered cute stories of childhood in the eighties, and college experiences. It told grand tales of being a woman in a predominantly male field.  Throughout all of the stories and jokes and insights though the underlying theme that tied the book together (and really what I think I can safely say is something that Amy stands for in general) is resilience. Getting knocked down and getting back up. Trying again and again and not being afraid to be an idiot. Doing something wrong one night and doing it right the next. Life is a fluid, constant, ever changing thing, and at the heart of it all is humanity. The struggle to get what we want, be who we want, achieve what we want – all while maybe trying to be a good person and do good things. Amy’s book is equal parts tough and soft; a great balance of honesty and brutality.

I need more people like Amy in my life. I think we all do.