100 books like Real Life

This might seem like a random suggestion, but I read this book in two days. It opened my eyes to living a joyful life full of greenlights. A greenlight is being kind to our future selves. Seeing the things in our lives confirms we’re on the right path.

I loved it because it really helps you listen to your intuition and connect your heart and your head without fear of judgment.

Although I tend to lean towards being an extrovert, during my divorce, I was a full-blown introvert. I had no interest in going anywhere or doing anything. This book is subtle in humor and I love the journey the author takes you on. If you’re going through a divorce, it can encourage you to try new things, go on trips, and that meeting new people isn’t so bad. Getting out of your comfort zone and forcing yourself to get out during a divorce is very important. This book is also a reminder that sometimes we just don’t know the answers in life and that’s ok. 

Becoming a manager at an early age and now a nonprofit founder, I realize how important the statement ‘Relationship before Task’ is. While this book is used to sustain relationships of love, the lessons on how we invest emotionally in other areas of our life, including the workplace and friendships, is just as impactful. This book encourages me to give guidance, not ultimatums when making my needs known. Overall, this book is a reminder that being relationship-focused will bring us the love and/or significance that we’re looking for. 

I’m not an overly religious person and you don’t have to be either to enjoy this book. No matter what your denomination is, this book, like Matthews, is filled with positivity. The short stories of true people (including Denzel Washington and his wife) continued to give me hope that I’d find love again at the right time. This book made me laugh, cry, and also opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about relationships. It is another I frequently re-read and am reminded that divorce doesn’t mean game over.

Confession: as of this writing I am only ⅓ of the way through this book, but I like it immensely and find it immensely soothing and validating. A cursory search on Dr. Julie Smith, a therapist, tells me that she is “TikTok famous” and remains very popular on social media. This is not how I came across her work, or this book. This book is an excellent primer for how to survive being human in this world, with vital inside information from decades of therapeutic practice on how to face daily challenges and become attuned to our mental health. Filled with insights, strategies, and explanations that are both practice and relatable, this is a great book to gift to people of all ages.

You really can’t go wrong with a book from Usborne publishers. Reptiles is a gem. It has all the features of a traditional non-fiction book--chapter titles, table of contents, glossary, and a list of related websites--and it bestows information in kid-friendly language. When a procedure is outlined, such as temperature regulation for a desert lizard through a long hot day, the process is distilled into 4 numbered steps. The small size of the book (6” x 8”), the beautiful integration of photographs and illustrations, and the high interest level of the topics covered makes this book a surefire winner with kids.

There are lots of animal encyclopedias out there, but none compares to this Dorling Kindersly book. Each double-page spread focuses on a particular biome. The illustration takes up most of the page and depicts the inhabitants assembled in naturalistic poses. Along the borders of the page are labels and short paragraphs about each of the animals. Topics related to a particular biome are included: Surviving the Cold, The Burrowers, etc. The Life in the Mountains and The Ocean Depths sections show the different levels in which animals live. This is a book to be gazed at long and luxuriously, preferably on a lap.

Beautifully written stories of survivors of trauma, many well-known to the public, revealing the strategies and inner resources they drew on to “transform bad breaks into breakthroughs.”

Of the many good books about human evolution, Dan Lieberman’s is my favorite. A biologist and paleoanthropologist, Lieberman describes in clear, accessible prose the fossils that document our own origins, stressing function as inferred from fossils. Having recounted the story of our evolutionary origins, he goes on to explain its consequences – some good, some bad – for human health in the 21st century.

The “test your knowledge” format of this book is appealing to a wide age range of youngsters. A simple question like “All mammals eat meat. TRUE or FALSE?” is followed by a one word answer (FALSE) and then a one sentence answer in large font: Cows and many other mammals usually eat plants. The subsequent paragraph goes into more detail about the topic. In this case, it explains how the shape of an animal’s teeth provides a clue to its diet. Full disclosure: Many kids who peruse the book on their own skip over the paragraphs. Captivating photos of animals in nature abound.