The pick of my non-fiction bookshelf this month are two books by one of my favourite novelists, Sue Monk Kidd, but these are about her search for a meaningful image of the female as divine.
The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and Traveling with Pomegranates, written with her daughter.
Her journey took her from the Baptist Church, through challenges to her marriage, trips to Greece, and a new sense of herself as an empowered woman. They're not new so I am a bit surprised I never found them before, but my library came up trumps once again.
I read less fiction overall, but this one was excellent, with a hilarious snarky older woman protagonist and subtle twists: How the Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior. I'll be reading more by her for sure!
Best blog post of the month goes to Raptitude, one of the few I haven't unsubscribed from in a recent cull, for this reflection titled When All Moments Have Equal Value. Here's a snippet: All moments can be appreciated, on a basic level at least, when you value the two opportunities each one offers – to respond skillfully to what’s happening, and to experience being alive for another moment."
Best podcast has to be The Stubborn Light of Things, by Melissa Harrison. I listen on Spotify, but I am sure it is everywhere. She's a nature writer who made these last year in lockdown, and talks us through the seasons in rural Suffolk with inserts from other authors for variety.
My Inbox told me about another free series of webinars/classes, this time for Courageous Creativity, coming up from May 22nd, with 15 different sessions from Making Drawing Fun to Getting into Flow, so if you want a bit of inspiration check it out.
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