reading

[Last updated August 3, 2025]

Reading (or listening!) to relevant books is how I train myself to stay motivated and focused on longterm projects, which is so crucial for finishing creative work. It also has the enjoyable side benefit of being entertaining and potentially educational!

• Links are to my Bookshop affiliate store.
  • I keep my annual best hits organized there!
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• I use Storygraph to track my reading, it is an independently owned alternative to Amazon's Goodreads (you can easily export your Goodreads into it).

Below are a few of the titles that have influenced and haunted me most, my recommendations without knowing you, which can be picked up at your local library.

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Stoicism and Philosophy —

While I appreciate the sources, there is a modern capitalistic reclamation of these surprisingly modern ancient texts to justify a better-than-thou self-absorption over communal duty. Please do not mistake my recommendations of these books to be an endorsement of that particular modern lifestyle— I do not believe stoicism should be used as just another productivity hack.

• Letters from a Stoic, by Seneca, which you can read and download for free here. This took me over three years to fully read, but each letter is bite-sized, good to read one every few days or each week, to have a longer time to digest.
• Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius, some recommend this over Letters, but I prefer Letters as an introduction. As emperor of Rome, Marcus is a little crazy.
• The Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu, translated by Ursula K LeGuin, my latest (2025) addition to this section, wherever you are in life right now, the Tao has a seed of wisdom you'll need to sow and water yourself.

Personal and Writing —

• Proust and the Squid, by Maryanne Wolf, if you enjoy reading, you must read this! What are the historical contexts around our reading, how do we do it, and how come some people read differently? We never evolved to read— so what are the effects of hacking our brains into it? This book was instrumental in my realization that I have always been dyslexic!
• My Life in France, by Julia Child, this memoir recounts my idol, Julia Child’s, years in France while penning the cookbook that changed domestic cooking all over the world. I read this shortly after writing my own cookbook, and its little stories and sentiments are so apt and endearing.
• A Memoir of My Former Self, by Hilary Mantel, I absolutely adore “on writing” style collections from authors; and this life’s work compilation of essays, articles, and musings by the author of Wolf Hall fills me up.

Swords, Training, and Community —

• Fear is the Mind Killer, by Kaja Sadowski, a must read for any HEMA and martial arts trainer or practitioner. Kaja goes heavily into how to train consensually violent arts for those who have experienced non-consensual violence, or have been societally trained out of ‘violent’ behaviors. Why do so many femmes and thems quit HEMA, and why do so many cis-white-het men stay? This book opens the doors wide and can serve as a manual to start a truly inclusive club that keeps everyone safe and growing; mentally and physically.
• The Windsor Method, by Guy Windsor, Guy is a bit of a hema personality, but this solo manual goes deep into the kind of pre-hab training that can help prevent future injury. While sword fighting is more easily done with more than one person, this is a lovely guide to keep your spirits up if you have only your self.
• Lost Connections, by Johann Hari, a story-driven dive into the catalysts behind depression, and how we can use that knowledge to build lifestyles that cushion us from the darkness.

Inspiration and Entertainment —

• Howl’s Moving Castle, by Dianna Wynne Jones, such a sweet and cozy story, had me crying and laughing, definitely worth the read whether or not you have seen the Studio Ghibli animated adaptation. The source is different and wonderful.
• The Lord of the Rings, in a fully voice acted fan-made atmospheric audiobook by Phil Dragash, LotR, as we know, is a difficult read. But reimagined as a theatrical audiobook, with music, sound effects, and full voice acting? Phil Dragash is an icon, and you can find his personal website here. If you have been meaning to read LotR for years, and never got through it, this is the way.