Pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this book! When We Were Friends follows Fern, who was best friends with Jessica when they were in hPleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this book! When We Were Friends follows Fern, who was best friends with Jessica when they were in high school. They shared their deepest and darkest secrets with one another, slept over at each other’s places and had fun silly times together, and talked about school and boys and their parents. But Jessica did something that betrayed Fern’s trust so Fern cut her off. Ten years later, Fern works as a writer and an aspiring mental health counselor, when Jessica reemerges out of the blue. They start to rekindle their friendship, but can Fern trust Jessica after what happened in their shared past?
I will start with some of what I didn’t like about the book before moving onto the positives. I found the writing style kind of clunky, especially the first 50% or so of the book – the characters’ jokes felt a bit forced, some dialogue came across as awkward, and I couldn’t really fully immerse myself in Holly Bourne’s prose. I was definitely leaning toward three stars for a large portion of my reading experience.
But, around the 65% mark, something about this book really clicked for me. Part of it I think was the suspense of whether Fern and Jessica would be able to actually form a friendship again. I also felt like Bourne’s writing came across as more authentic in the latter half of the book. Finally, several of the book’s themes came together toward the end. Throughout the novel Fern is obsessed with the male gaze and what men think of her, and there’s also an emphasis throughout the novel of the casual violence and degrading ways boys and men treat women. While the delivery of those ideas didn’t feel 100% skilled in the first half of the book, Bourne really did make the feminist commentary about sexual violence and female friendship come through by the end of the novel. I was impressed by how she wrote about Fern and Jessica’s friendship and the ways they were both able to mature and grow.
Overall, if the story sounds interesting to you I’d recommend. I think there could have been a bit more unpacking of the male gaze theme (something that is unfortunately super prevalent in the gay male scene too), though I respect and appreciate Bourne’s overall commitment to her feminist message in this novel. Other friendship-focused novels I’ve liked included When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk and We Used to be Friends by Amy Spalding!...more
I liked learning about lesbians throughout history, especially given the erasure of queer romantic love between women. I thought Amelia Possanza did aI liked learning about lesbians throughout history, especially given the erasure of queer romantic love between women. I thought Amelia Possanza did a sufficient job of paying attention to intersecting dynamics of class, race, and queerness when reflecting on these different lesbian narratives. Unfortunately I found the writing style a bit dry and the toggling back and forth between describing history and writing memoir clunky. Read for a book club so we’ll see what others think!...more
This one missed the mark for me. I think that Emily Austin did a decent job of portraying a woman struggling from social anxiety, intrusive thoughts aThis one missed the mark for me. I think that Emily Austin did a decent job of portraying a woman struggling from social anxiety, intrusive thoughts about death, and relationships where she doesn’t open up to people. However, by the end of the novel I didn’t feel like I got a deeper understanding or connection with the main character. I felt like Austin put a lot of effort into making the prose and the protagonist “quirky,” instead of fleshing the protagonist out more deeply. Finally, I felt that some of the prose was heavy/heavy-handed.
I can see how the book may feel relatable to people with anxiety, though. The search for my next five-star read continues!...more
Ugh, I wanted to love this book because Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Picture Us in the Light and When We Were Infinite are two of my favorite novels evUgh, I wanted to love this book because Kelly Loy Gilbert’s Picture Us in the Light and When We Were Infinite are two of my favorite novels ever, not just of the young-adult genre. I liked elements of Everyone Wants to Know, which follows Honor Lo, one of five siblings of a famous influencer family. The book begins right when Honor’s father announces that he’s moving out of their California home to rent an apartment in Brooklyn, which starts a social media cascade about their once-seemingly-perfect family. Then, one of Honor’s best friends leaks their private conversation to a gossip site. More drama ensues soon after leading Honor to spiral, all while doing her best to reunite her family that keeps feeling more and more fractured.
Starting with what I liked: I think Gilbert did a great job of writing about an influencer family in a way that felt believable. Around the 40-50% mark, I did feel interested in the plot and motivated to find out what would happen next. I also feel like Gilbert portrayed anxiety super well; she has a talent for rendering mental illness in a believable and thoughtful way, as she did in When We Were Infinite. I also enjoyed how both Honor and her mother grew by the end of the book after what felt like a potentially catastrophic lack of growth for most of the novel. Gilbert includes interesting themes related to boundary-setting within families as well as the role of social media in promoting unauthenticity/attention-seeking.
My main dissatisfaction with this novel is that I just didn’t find much to emotionally attach to. I unfortunately didn’t find the plot that engaging until about the 40% mark. Even then, I struggled to develop a connection to Honor or other characters. I think Gilbert has an amazing talent for creating complex plotlines that are emotionally raw and resonant; however, with this novel I felt like there was almost too much going on and not enough focus on a specific set of characters’ relationships. For example, I still remember with When We Were Infinite, Gilbert’s powerful rendering of Beth’s relationship with her friend group, with Jason specifically, and with her family members, and how she captured so much nuance and heart in each of those relationships. However, in this novel I didn’t feel that same spark or magic with Honor and any of the characters around her, even though I did appreciate Honor’s trajectory by the end of the book.
Overall, an okay read that I wish I could have written more positively about. Still rooting for Kelly Loy Gilbert and I’m interested in reading whatever she writes next!...more
Riveting and bleak essays about people and events largely centered in the author’s hometown of Veracruz, Mexico. I appreciated how Fernanda Melchor poRiveting and bleak essays about people and events largely centered in the author’s hometown of Veracruz, Mexico. I appreciated how Fernanda Melchor portrayed gruesome and/or difficult topics such as violence, addiction, and crime without pathologizing an entire group of people; she draws attention to how ineffective government and other social determinants affect people’s behavior. Similar to a lot of the short story collections I read, I unfortunately found it difficult to really immerse myself in these stories, given how brief they were and how sometimes I felt that they more so focused on describing events than digging deep into characters’ psyches. As a character-driven girlie that’s not my preference though I acknowledge it is my preference and not necessarily a fault of the book....more
Unfortunately I found this novel boring. I don’t have much to say – the characters felt uninspired, the writing dull, and the plot/frame device of a nUnfortunately I found this novel boring. I don’t have much to say – the characters felt uninspired, the writing dull, and the plot/frame device of a novel within a novel too clunky for my taste. Check out other negative reviews for extended takes. I’m moving on as quickly as I can to my next read....more
A novel that tackles important issues though also felt really frustrating to read at the same time. To start off with the positive, I think Erum ShaziA novel that tackles important issues though also felt really frustrating to read at the same time. To start off with the positive, I think Erum Shazia Hasan addresses important issues related to colonialism, white saviorism, and people’s complicity in those forces even when they are not white. Our protagonist Maya, is a south Asian woman whose colleague, Marc, a white man, is accused of sexually assaulting a local girl in the fictional village of Likanni in an unnamed African nation. I think We Meant Well is a unique story in that it covers the issue of foreign “aid,” and I do think Maya grew in the right direction by the end of the book.
However, I have to say Maya was such a frustrating character to read. She has so much unaddressed internalized racism and complicity in white supremacy, it’s painful to witness. For example, one way she copes with the trauma of witnessing brutal human suffering in Likanni is to marry a rich white man in the United States who literally is a gross “liberal” type who thinks philanthropy is the answer to addressing global poverty, YIKES??? Maya does grow by the end of the novel, thank goodness, though idk, I know I’ve never done foreign aid work so I can’t speak to that experience, but it felt really annoying that basically Maya is in her late 30’s and she’s just now realizing that maybe siding with whiteness and viewing people living in Africa through a paternalistic lens isn’t the right way to go?? Like why didn’t she address any of these issues before she decided to go work in Africa?? I think people who are more sympathetic to her struggle in this area may enjoy this book more because I was just waiting for Maya to improve. Unlike her, the people in this fictional village don’t have the privilege to waddle in self-guilt and self-flagellation.
Anyway, I thought this book was okay overall and while I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, if you’re really into the synopsis maybe check it out. I do think the novels Caucasia by Danzy Senna and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett do a better job of showing characters struggling and reckoning with their proximity to whiteness. I know these novels differ from We Meant Well in that they focus on Black Americans as opposed to a South Asian woman doing aid work in Africa, though I thought I’d include them so that people may have books to turn to if they’re searching for something to read....more
Super cute book! I loved the all-Black cast and the determination of our main character, Kiki. I also enjoyed reading about her romance with Kai, its Super cute book! I loved the all-Black cast and the determination of our main character, Kiki. I also enjoyed reading about her romance with Kai, its fire, ups and downs, and ultimately satisfying ending. I think this book’s genre and I didn’t match well; I wanted a bit more depth from the characters apart from the romance, though it’s a romance novel so I can’t really blame it for that. I also found the writing style occasionally clunky. I definitely agree with Bolu Babalola’s intent and mission in writing this novel though and appreciate her care for her characters....more
I overall liked this essay collection centered around grief, ranging from the loss of a parent, child, romantic partner, and from what I can recall onI overall liked this essay collection centered around grief, ranging from the loss of a parent, child, romantic partner, and from what I can recall one essay about a friend. I appreciate how Modern Loss normalizes the ongoing grief process and refutes outdated stereotypes that grief is just something you get over after a certain amount of time. These essays touch on some of the complicated parts of grief, such as when the person you grieving had committed adultery or when your grief is exposed to a wide mass of people on the internet. I liked how there was some diversity in regard to race and sexual orientation of the authors.
Mainly giving this three stars because I think the book favored quantity over depth – there are a lot of essays in this collection though each of them are pretty short. Totally respect that choice and I imagine some of that has to do with the online format of this forum prior to this book coming out. When it comes to a full-length book about grief my mind first goes to Let’s Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell, about losing her brilliant friend Caroline Knapp. Also, I wanted to say that you can grieve people and experiences even if death isn’t involved (e.g., a breakup between friends or romantic partners or family estrangement), just because a lot if not all of these essays are about when someone dies specifically....more
An important book about climate displacement and how climate change will force people to move away from inhospitable living conditions. I liked that JAn important book about climate displacement and how climate change will force people to move away from inhospitable living conditions. I liked that Jake Bittle included the direct stories and quotes from people’s whose lives have already been affected by climate displacement. Climate change already affects people’s lives, especially those with fewer resources and who face greater societal marginalization. I appreciate that Bittle included some potential solutions to address climate change and climate displacement so that the book contains some level of hope.
Unfortunately I found the writing a bit boring/dull to read at times, however climate displacement is such an important issue so I’d still potentially recommend The Great Displacement to folks....more
I liked this collection of short stories about a set of Black residents living in a low-income high rise apartment in Harlem. Sidik Fofana does a greaI liked this collection of short stories about a set of Black residents living in a low-income high rise apartment in Harlem. Sidik Fofana does a great job of portraying how gentrification affects these characters. He shows how money weighs on their minds as does their past hurt from relationships, their dignity in the face of public humiliation, and the love they have for those they hold dear. Fofana highlights the complexity of human emotions well and often avoids portraying people as all good or all bad. “Tumble,” about a woman who used to dream of becoming a gymnast and now must assist the woman who staunched that dream as she faces eviction, stood out as a highlight to me, as well as “Ms. Dallas” for portraying the effects of white saviorism as well as the humanity of the kids attending a public elementary school in Harlem.
It's hard for me to feel fully invested in short stories given their length, and I wanted even more from these characters as I finished each story. I think this is still an important collection with a distinct voice....more
I liked this book and think it serves as a strong introduction to both psychodynamic therapy and therapeutic practice generally! On the more foundatioI liked this book and think it serves as a strong introduction to both psychodynamic therapy and therapeutic practice generally! On the more foundational level, Teri Quatman does an excellent job providing a relatable yet rigorous introduction to listening skills and forming the therapeutic alliance (e.g., not rushing in to reassure a patient in distress and instead sitting with and exploring that negative emotion with them, avoiding small talk that may dilute the therapeutic process, etc.) She also provides a great overview, with many examples, of how early childhood attachments affect mental health and how a psychodynamic therapist can utilize the therapeutic connection to address and hopefully heal childhood wounds. I liked too that at the beginning of the book she honors the strength of other therapeutic modalities (e.g., behaviorism) as well as the contributions of neuroscience, while still making a solid case for psychodynamic therapy’s contributions.
I think the book could have delved into deeper psychodynamic territory; I was surprised that splitting seemed like the only or one of the only defenses she reviewed. I also felt that the role of culture, power, and oppression could have been addressed. Still, an interesting read and one that reminded me of a lot of the basic yet super important qualities to being an effective clinician....more
Don’t get me wrong, I love mindfulness, though this specific book about mindfulness felt so long and drawn-out. Jon Kabat-Zinn details some important Don’t get me wrong, I love mindfulness, though this specific book about mindfulness felt so long and drawn-out. Jon Kabat-Zinn details some important and helpful information about mindfulness, and he then applies it to many, many areas: mindfulness for doctors and patients, walking meditation, mindfulness applied to pain, mindfulness applied to stress, mindfulness applied to work, and so on. While I can see how this approach may resonate for folks who do want to read about mindfulness applied to literally everything, for me it started to feel repetitive. I don’t regret reading this because I like little boosters/reminders for me to engage in mindfulness in my packed day-to-day life. However, for those who want a more concise or targeted introduction to mindfulness, I’d recommend Kabat-Zinn’s Wherever You Go, There You Are or Tara Brach’s Radical Acceptance. I read both of those books around a decade ago or even more than that I think, so I don’t recall everything from them, though they resonated with me then and still impact my day-to-day life positively.
Also, this should be the bare minimum, though I’m glad Kabat-Zinn acknowledges the roots of mindfulness in Eastern and Buddhist philosophies....more
I found this book an insightful and sometimes deeply moving look at how generational trauma affects people’s mental health and relationships. Galit AtI found this book an insightful and sometimes deeply moving look at how generational trauma affects people’s mental health and relationships. Galit Atlas a psychoanalytic therapist, describes several of her therapy cases and how people’s family histories affected the course of their treatment with her. I appreciated her consistent empathy for her clients as well as her accessible writing style. I felt really emotional in a couple of instances while reading this book, such as when she described a woman having an extramarital affair and the deeper reasons underlying her cheating (e.g., avoiding agency, wanting someone to take care of her) and how this woman grew and healed, as well as the man who tried to distance himself from Atlas (e.g., saying things like “it’s okay if you don’t want to see me, you’re my therapist not my mother) because of how his own mother rejected him. Compelling content!
A couple of things I didn’t love: first, I found the stories a little too neat at times? While Atlas definitely includes nuanced cases, I felt like they followed a format of, client experiences some angst, Atlas helps the client draw an insight to their family of origin, and then this insight pretty much does all the work of aiding the client’s recovery. I know insight is a cornerstone of psychoanalytic and dynamic approaches though this portrayal almost felt a bit too convenient for me at times. I also felt iffy about a couple of things Atlas wrote about in relation to sociocultural issues. While generally I thought she did a nice job of addressing issues like the restrictive norms of masculinity, there was one comment for example she made about a certain sexual act between a man and a woman meaning X thing, which I found a kind of odd, heteronormative, and somewhat gender-stereotypical/binary statement.
Finished this one with tears in the back of my eyes and a bittersweet heaviness in my chest. In Stay True, Hua Hsu writes about his close bond with hiFinished this one with tears in the back of my eyes and a bittersweet heaviness in my chest. In Stay True, Hua Hsu writes about his close bond with his Japanese American college friend Ken, as well as Ken’s untimely, awful murder in a carjacking. Though most of the memoir revolves around Hsu’s memories of his friendship with Ken, it also describes what Hsu learns when he goes to therapy after Ken’s death and begins to let go of his feelings of guilt surrounding Ken’s passing.
I loved how this book focused on a friendship between two Asian American men without solely being about being Asian American. Hsu shows us the small, everyday intimacies of friendship that he experienced with Ken – watching movies together, laughing about strangers on the internet side by side in their dorm, sharing about their dreams for the future with one another. I whispered “oh my goodness, I am so sad” to myself when I read about Hsu’s grieving process after Ken’s death, like how he still wrote to Ken about his day-to-day life and how when Hsu moved to Boston – where Ken always imagined himself going after college – he imagined the outline of Ken at a baseball game, selling concessions while going to law school. Ugh, my heart!
I think people who grew up in the 90’s and/or are familiar with the Berkeley, California area may get an extra kick out of this memoir. I was born in 1995 on the east coast so I didn’t recognize a lot of what Hsu wrote about on a personal level, though I appreciated the general high quality of his writing. The memoir flowed well; I felt immersed in it. At times I felt that Hsu talked about some subjects that came across as a bit random to me, though I recognize that those subjects were often a part of his upbringing and/or his college experience.
Overall, wow, what a memoir. I love witnessing Asian American men write about their relationships, their messy emotional moments, and going to therapy. What makes me most enthused about Stay True is that it’s such a beautiful tribute to Hua Hsu’s college friend Ken. One of my best friends, who I met in college, texted me while I was writing this review and I almost started crying. Definitely a book that makes you remember what’s important in life and to cherish the moments with the people you love....more
Okay so I really don’t know what to say about this book aside from that it bored me. Piranesi contains so many descriptions of halls, statues, tides, Okay so I really don’t know what to say about this book aside from that it bored me. Piranesi contains so many descriptions of halls, statues, tides, fish, and birds and I was like: what is the purpose of all of this?? I found this book to be all description and no actual substance. There wasn’t a plot or a character I could hook my attention to and thus I just skimmed to the end to finish. What I find fascinating is that so many people enjoyed Piranesi, which I suppose highlights how people really can respond differently to the exact same text. Anyway, I have books on my tbr lined up that I’m excited for so I’m hoping one of those will turn this tide of more lackluster reads....more
The reviews of this book seem polarizing and unfortunately I fall on the negative side. I think one could generally describe the plot as lesbian necroThe reviews of this book seem polarizing and unfortunately I fall on the negative side. I think one could generally describe the plot as lesbian necromancers take on dark foes, featuring eerie politics and lots of sword fighting. Despite how exciting this premise may sound, I found the writing pretty flat and repetitive. Gideon didn’t come across as a dynamic character to me – while she’s energetic and agentic, I don’t think her internal world was described with much depth or nuance. Her dynamic with Harrow, the other main character, felt predictable to me. Finally, I struggled to grasp or care about the worldbuilding, and Tamsyn Muir introduces a ton of characters throughout the book that pop in and out in ways that didn’t leave much of an impression to me. We’ll see how my next read goes!...more
Oh wow, what a great book. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows follows Nikki, a young Punjabi woman living in West London who takes a job teach4.5 stars
Oh wow, what a great book. Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows follows Nikki, a young Punjabi woman living in West London who takes a job teaching writing to a group of older Punjabi widows. To Nikki’s surprise, the class takes on a life of its own as the women begin to share stories that center erotic fantasies and desire. While this sequence of events may sound funny and naughty, Balli Kaur Jaswal incorporates rich themes of female solidarity and empowerment throughout this novel as well.
I enjoyed this book so much, both its humor and its powerful messages about sexism and women standing up for themselves! Kaur Jaswal sets this novel up so well with a humorous, attention-grabbing premise: older Punjabi widows sharing salacious, sexual stories with one another. She maintains a lightness to her prose that made this book feel readable and suspenseful in a positive way.
At the same time, Kaur Jaswal tackles heavy topics in Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. One of the most powerful themes that stood out to me is internalized sexism and how women can turn against one another when they come to believe in patriarchal messages about right and wrong. I loved how Kaur Jaswal shows us the process of unlearning internalized sexism through Kulwinder’s character. There were a couple of scenes of feminist solidarity toward the end of the novel that brought tears to my eyes – the female characters’ growth and their bonds with one another made my heart swell. I also liked reading about Nikki’s romance with Jason – yay for a healthy romantic relationship between people of color – and Kulwinder’s journey of grief after the loss of her daughter, Maya.
Overall, a well-written novel that touches on some heavy topics yet stays light enough for a fun time. I’m in the middle of a super intense job application process now so reading this book definitely helped improve my mood, thank you Balli Kaur Jaswal!...more
Okay this book destroyed me and I can’t recommend it enough. The novel follows Tanya and Nessa Bloom, two adult sisters who return to their childhood Okay this book destroyed me and I can’t recommend it enough. The novel follows Tanya and Nessa Bloom, two adult sisters who return to their childhood home for a weekend and realize that their mother, Lorraine, is in a violent relationship. Tanya urges Lorraine to get a restraining order while Nessa struggles to reconcile her fondness for their stepfather with his cruelty toward their mother. Seeing Lorraine’s suffering triggers painful memories for both Nessa and Tanya, related to the abuse they faced in their adolescence. As Lorraine’s situation escalates, Tanya and Nessa are forced to grapple with the legacy of trauma and hurt that follows the women in their family.
First, I found Hanna Halperin’s portrayal of domestic abuse so real and so harrowing. I can see that she worked as a domestic violence counselor because she wrote about the cycle of abuse in so vividly and honestly – the violence, the begging for forgiveness and gifts and false promises of change, the lack of accountability, the violence again, and so on. Halperin writes about the issue without sugarcoating it or glamorizing unhealthy relationships. Her descriptions of how Jesse, the sisters’ stepfather, abuses Lorraine are raw, horrifying, and I think ultimately necessary to shed light on this issue of domestic violence.
I also loved Nessa and Tanya as characters. They’re both so well-written, with distinct personalities that come alive on the page. Nessa is more insecure, shy, and patient with their mother, whereas Tanya is more confident and quicker to anger. My heart broke for both of them as they navigated seeing Jesse abuse their mother. I thought Halperin wrote about the complexity of their bond so well and captured the messy care and hurt that can occur between sisters. She highlights how both of their lives are shaped by various struggles such as their parents’ divorce, sexual violence, and patriarchy broadly. There’s not a convenient or easy ending for either of these characters, though Halperin leaves us with just the tiniest sliver of hope that made my chest literally loosen in relief as I read the final pages of this powerful novel.
Overall, I am so impressed with this debut. I read Halperin’s second book, I Could Live Here Forever, and I gave it four stars. With this book though, I couldn’t rate it any less than five. It’s dark, with brutal depictions of physical abuse and sexual assault. At the same time, by the end of the book I felt so much care for the characters, and I wanted to be updated about their whereabouts and their (hopefully healing) journeys. As someone who’s experienced and witnessed abuse both in my personal and professional live, and as someone who’s worked with survivors of trauma and abuse, this book moved me deeply. It exposes an important issue we need to talk about and work to prevent....more
Okay I loved this memoir! It has the same therapy appeal of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone though with more attention paid to how culture and raOkay I loved this memoir! It has the same therapy appeal of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone though with more attention paid to how culture and race affect mental health. In What My Bones Know, accomplished journalist Stephanie Foo writes about receiving a diagnosis of complex posttraumatic stress disorder and the steps she took to heal herself. One of the elements of this book I enjoyed right from the start includes how Foo writes about her trauma with such realness and vulnerability. The physical and emotional abuse her parents put her through felt painful to read though also cathartic as a fellow survivor of child abuse. In addition to destigmatizing child abuse and PTSD, Foo shed lights on her estrangement from her father that occurred later in her life. I imagine this book will feel comforting for folks who have also experienced difficult family dynamics, as Foo does not hold back about her pain even as she persists in her path forward to healing.
I also appreciated the nuance in which Foo wrote about Asian American mental health and intergenerational trauma. She avoids a simplistic and flattening explanation of “tiger parents” and opts to explore the impacts of intergenerational trauma instead. I found it both compassionate and assertive of her to recognize the immense struggles her parents and ancestors faced while at the same time recognizing the not-okayness of how her parents treated her.
What I felt most moved by in this memoir: Foo’s determination to heal. As someone who’s greatly benefited from years of receiving therapy myself and who works as a mental health clinician, I always admire when people are committed to addressing their issues even when it feels painful as heck. In addition to writing about the rewarding parts of help-seeking, Foo also shares the many ugly parts, like the difficulty of finding a therapist who actually felt helpful, the costs associated with therapy and how therapists are often underpaid, and her doubts about herself as someone capable of living a healthy and relationally-satisfying life. Despite these adversities, she somehow kept going, kept trying new and incrementally-helpful approaches like EMDR and gratitude journaling. When she writes about finding the therapist – Dr. Jacob Ham – who really helped her with her complex PTSD toward the end of the book and what her work with him consisted of, I found myself getting teary-eyed because it reminded me of my first long-term therapist who helped me heal from my own PTSD, as well as my own work as a clinician. Without a doubt one of the most genuine and most skillful portrayals of therapy I’ve seen across all forms of media.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone interested in mental health, race and/or Asian American identity, and well-written stories imbued with self-awareness. Big kudos to Stephanie Foo for writing this book, an amazing accomplishment....more