I could spend hours in a bookstore, leafing through pages of different genres of books, inhaling deeply and letting that book smell tingle my senses at the intriguing stories and wondering which ones will pique my interest. Often times, I try to convince myself that I can buy them all before resorting to bargaining and debating whether I really need to eat, before coming to humbling realization that I’m not rich enough yet to buy all the books itching to come home with me, without bruising my wallet. So, I compromise…I do my best to choose wisely with a mental note and promise to myself that, “I’ll be back”.

I guess by now you’ve figured out I love reading, disappearing into whatever world the book I have at hand plunges me into and letting my imagination roam. I’m not sure which book it was or how old I was but my love for stories and reading definitely started at an early age. From the usual suspects like, Snow White to Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys and Famous Five, I loved every bit of it.

My mum would call me anti-social especially when I’d have my nose buried deep in a Sweet Valley series, but I didn’t care. I was a moody teenager, deeply invested in the lives of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield and I needed to know they were doing!

When I got a recorded tape of The Princess and the Pea after I had read the story, I went nuts over it. I would badger my big brother to help rewind the cassette for me then sit next to the radio and listen as the narrator told the story.

Eventually, I grew up as did my taste in books and built myself my own book collection that I miss terribly. I’m constantly checking in with my family to make sure they’re taking care of my gems. I was eager and still am to start my collection in the Netherlands, especially after coming across a few English bookstores.

However, 2020 has put a damper on such plans among others, given what’s going on in the world but hopefully as we return to a new normal, I can get started on my collection. Fortunately, though I’ve still been able to get my reading fix sorted with the help of my Kindle. While I’ve come to appreciate it a lot more. It still doesn’t beat, the feeling of touching paper as you turn a page, being able to look at your bookmark and see how much you’ve read, knowing that the story is just getting juicy and resting assured there’s still more to come.  I’ve also been listening to more podcasts; some I’ve been listening to for a while now and others I’m just discovering.

Here’s a snippet of the books I’ve been reading and podcasts I’m listening to that I’ve found to be quite entertaining.

Books

Amos Decker series, David Baldacci

If you’re love crime mysteries, thrillers and love living vicariously through the lives of secret service agents or homicide detectives, then you’ve probably come across a Baldacci book. I love them and since I have read his books before, I thought I’d give this series a try. The way he describes characters, fight scenes and how the protagonist outwits the antagonist in the nick of time and comes out the winner, gets my blood pumping. It’s no wonder I love action movies, enjoy boxing and have an interest in mixed martial arts; I actually looked up places that offer MMA in the Netherlands as things settle down, will definitely sign up for a beginner class. Wish me luck!

Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes. Meet Amos Decker; a former pro football player, turned detective, who’s life is upended after two tragic events. He’s not your average detective, with the smoldering eyes, six pack and knows all the best fight moves: he’s big and burly but surprisingly nimble on his feet. He’s also overweight, can pack away the cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes like nobody’s business and isn’t too bothered over his physical appearance. In fact, if you happen to find him well-groomed and dressed to the nines, consider that a miracle, but then again looking good doesn’t solve murders and catch killers, which is something he’s extraordinarily good at thanks to his brilliant investigative skill sets.

Chameleon Aura, Billy Chapata

Every so often, we need little reminders of our badassery selves; days when all you want to do is curl up in bed, do nothing and disappear from the world for some time. You then end up feeling a trash human being simply occupying space and no matter how much you try to “speak to yourself the way you would to a loved one”, you still feel like crap. We’ve all been there.

I first followed Billy Chapata on Instagram when I came across a post on my recommendations feed and I was triggered. I thought, “damn…this guy is out here looking deep into my soul.” Anyway, I enjoyed this book chock-full of lovely poems and positive affirmations, that everyone can relate to. It’s a gentle but firm nudge towards love, compassion and for yourself and those around you. It urges you to love and embrace yourself fully and live the most authentic version of yourself possible.

Truthfully, by the time you finish it, you’ll be feeling all the warm fuzzies and you’ll probably have highlighted all the pages because every piece will feel relatable. We every so often need reminders of our badassery and this is a daily reminder of that.

Everything is F*cked, Mark Manson

When I first started read Mark Manson’s “The Subtle art of not giving a F*ck”, I remember thinking what a badass I was and that everyone who saw me reading the book would think twice before stepping up to me. They would catch a glimpse of the book cover, try to size me up and because a badass can sense this, I would catch them staring, give them my best resting bitch face, maybe even the can you smell what The Rock is cooking brow arch that would send shivers down their spine and I’d resume my reading.

I know, I know; I’ve watched too many movies and perhaps read one too many Baldacci books, but the essence of that book was, you can’t care about each and every little thing in the world, it’s impossible. You can however choose what you believe is important to you and you’re willing to put in the work for then go for it. You just must make sure you choose wisely, otherwise you’re screwed.

In Everything is F*cked, Manson switches things up but his candid, yet witty and audacious, sense of humour is a constant. With developments in technology, wealth etc, the world is suffering a crisis of character. As a result, we’re constantly chasing the next high in our pursuit for happiness, purpose, meaning. His thoughts on mental health for example are also quite intriguing; as a society, we applaud people who seem to have mastered the art of ridding themselves of all emotions while simultaneously shaming those who seem to be emotional wrecks. The thing is, our brains are separated into two: the thinking brain, objective, logical, makes decision based on facts and the feeling brain, subjective, emotional and makes decisions based on our feelings. You can’t have one without the other because then that goes against what makes us human and able to live meaningful lives.

Featuring a healthy dose of professionally researched anecdotes of some outstanding people in history that I found very interesting, it’s an unconventional self-help book that challenges us to be better human beings, to cultivate values and principles that encourage us to change our perspectives towards things that happen to us.

Podcasts

The Receipts Podcast

You all know that friend in the group or family member who tells it like it is; they keep it real with you and aren’t afraid of having the difficult and sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Audrey, Tolly and Milena do just that with this podcast. From issues to do with racism, feminism, sex and mental health, to relationships, dental hygiene they take on a no filter approach to topics they choose to discuss. They feature interviews with notable personalities/celebrities like Ncuti Gatwa of Sex Education, Tinie Tempah among others.

One of my favourite segments is Your Receipts, where listeners anonymously send in their dilemmas and the three ladies weigh in on them giving their opinions and advice. Recently, they introduced a special edition called VAT, where they play games with their guests and I also enjoy. Whether you agree with their opinions or not, they are brutally honest and bring a lot of spunk and I look forward to each episode because I genuinely find them hilarious and authentic.

Serial Killers and Female Criminals

I love a good crime show and I’ve watched a good number of them, CSI, Law & Order and many more. But perhaps a favourite for me and one that sparked my inquisitiveness and fascination with psychology and especially as it applies to the minds of serial killers; specifically how the characters developed a profile for the suspect based on their behaviour, among other internal and external factors that may have influenced and driven their actions.

When I stumbled across these two podcasts, my interest was piqued and I’ve been enjoying the episodes each week. While the hosts are not licensed psychologists or psychiatrists, the amount of in-depth research they conduct for each episode is impressive. Serial Killers delves into the lives and stories of these individuals, male or female, while Female Criminals focuses exclusively on female killers.  So if you’re looking for a drama, suspenseful peek behind the curtain for a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the mind and madness of some of the world’s most infamous serial killers, then you might want to consider checking out these podcasts.

The podcasts are part of Parcast Network, a storytelling network focused on creating scripted, story-driven programming that is engaging, informative, and entertaining. I’m continuously discovering more of their podcasts such as Secret Societies and can’t wait to see what else they have in store.

WorkLife with Adam Grant

How do you make work not suck? That’s the question organizational psychologist seeks to answer in episode of his podcast as he takes us inside some of the most unconventional work cultures and introduces us to professionals doing what they can to create better work lives.

Whether you’re commuting the office, working from home in the times we’re living or even self-employed, we spend a good chunk of our lives working, so yeah we kind of need it not to suck. Let’s not kid ourselves though; not all companies have embraced modern and healthy work cultures and even I got jealous of some companies highlighted.

I’ve loved the episodes I’ve listened to so far and Grant’s enthusiasm for making thee workplace environment enjoyable and dare I say fun, is contagious. Some of my favourite episodes are The Daily Show’s Secret to Creativity, obviously because I love the show, Trevor Noah is a gem that must be protected at all costs, The Real Reason You Procrastinate featuring Margaret Atwood and Relationships at work with Esther Perel.

Where Should we begin? & How’s work? with Esther Perel

Relationships: we cannot exist without them and the form an integral part of the human experience and while ideally, we would probably picture them as these perfect connections or interactions, it’s impossible. Where Should We Begin? Invites you to listen in on real couples who anonymously bare their truths in a very raw and intimate way. From issues to do with infidelity, addiction, impotency and much more, Perel creates a safe space for couples to open up without any judgement.

How’s work? on the other hand seeks to share interesting and perhaps new views on the dynamics of workplace connections in various environments such as family businesses, startups, huge corporations among others and features therapy sessions with colleagues, co-founders.

I love her voice and find it soothing and paired with her Belgian accent, it makes her even more appealing and draws you in. I find her wealth of knowledge and honesty is beautiful and beyond that, she has a lot of wisdom and gentleness in how she gets people to address the ugliest truths about themselves and their relationships, while reminding them that they are still human. Whatever your situation, I would highly recommend checking them out; they’re worth it.

Let me know what you have been reading and/or listening to that’s keeping you entertained, and I’ll see you on the next one.