jewey posted: " For what may come as a surprise even to myself, this year I bravely ventured into the daunting world of literary classics. I don't know if that's a sign that I'm becoming a more sophisticated reader but truth be told, I grappled a lot with the expansive " the pauses between
For what may come as a surprise even to myself, this year I bravely ventured into the daunting world of literary classics. I don't know if that's a sign that I'm becoming a more sophisticated reader but truth be told, I grappled a lot with the expansive vocabulary and sophisticated dialogues. I mean, sure, I enjoy reading but as far as reading goes, my mind seeketh the easy flow lest it wanders forth in solitude amongst the idiots and the fairies.
I quite enjoyed the humour in Great Expectations, though. It was one of those books I couldn't wait to read to pick up where I had left off to find out what was going to happen to the characters. Charles Dickens certainly knew how to reel this curious cat in.
Same way this curious cat overheard one doctor at work talking about Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money and impulsively borrowed it from the library as soon as she saw it on the shelf. It was one of those highly borrowed ones that you can't even renew so you have to return it within its 2-week loan period. I would've loved to enjoy that book more but, library won.
And, yes, it's a really good book. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves money (and who doesn't?). It gives you a good perspective about wealth. On the flip side, it also broadens your mind to take a more compassionate approach to poverty.
Some people are born into families that encourage education; others are against it. Some are born into flourishing economies encouraging entrepreneurship; others are born into war and destitution. I want you to be successful, and I want you to earn it. But realize that not all success is due to hard work, and not all poverty is due to laziness. Keep this in mind when judging people, including yourself.
--Morgan Housel's letter to his son
One of the most profound takeaway I learned from the book which has now become like a financial compass for me is this:
Your savings rate is the difference between your income and your ego.
--Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money
Like I said, it's a really good book. It makes you think and assess your own financial biases. It makes you reflect on your ego in relation to how you spend your money and what you spend it on. Intention, I reckon, is the key. The 'why' behind the expenditures that paints a bigger picture of you as the spender.
Another book that I thoroughly enjoyed this year was Ocean Vuong's On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous. It was one of the books I discovered through my Instagram algorithm that caught me at a time where I was bored and easily susceptible to an impulsive online purchase. I certainly don't regret buying it, though. It's such a delicious read. And by that, I mean the author is such a talented wordsmith he can spin the most painful of stories into a beautiful tapestry of emotions that weave into the feelings that arise from your own heart.
Because this book will break your heart.
You're gonna want to read it again.
P.S. I didn't finish Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved Books but I included it on my list anyway. There's a difference between "half-read books lying around with the intention of reading them again when the mood kicks in" versus "you know what, I'm not even gonna bother wasting my time finishing this book so might as well give up but note it down for the sake of statistics". It's got a lot of good reviews, that book. But I found it too corny and too cliche and the narration totally killed my desire to read it any further. I did try to give it the benefit of a doubt. But... yeah, nah.
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