I am enchanted by Sayed Kashua’s books. He is a journalist, but also writes stunning fiction. His first novel, Dancing Arabs, was fabulous and drew me to read his next work, Exposure. Kashua weaves nuanced plots with complex characters who explore their Arab identity in Israel. I subsequently started learning Arabic. Also noteworthy, is Why Jesus? by Ravi Zacharias. … More Get Lit with Kit – February 2019
I read a great collection of short stories, Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh. If you’re a fan of Joyce Carol Oates, you’ll enjoy this American author as she explores the dark side of human nature. Also consumed was Robert Green’s Laws of Human Nature, a fascinating dissection of psychology and power dynamics. I particularly relished Green’s … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of January 2019
This month’s fiction is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. It was one of those rare novels that actually made me pause before turning pages for fear of what I might find on the next one. If you are a fan of Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth, then I highly recommend reading Pachinko, set in Korea and Japan in … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of December
This month required me to make some big decisions. One piece of guidance I used was Peter Drucker’s article Managing Oneself. It is an excellent article that demands introspection. If you are in a transition phase, or if you want to improve your current state, read it. An interesting follow-up is this interview discussing Bullshit Jobs. If … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of November 2018
I’m torn. I don’t believe men are inherently bad. I think some of them are misinformed. I think some of them have been misguided. I think many of them would do well to read 12 Rules for Life, reclaim their strength, and redefine their manhood. I don’t believe women are naturally helpless. I think some … More Bad Boy, Good Girl
I finally got my hands on a copy of Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. His work echoed some of the epigenetic research. It’s encouraging to think that practice and repetition can free us from unhealthy patterns and facilitate mastery of skill. I tried to encapsulate the take aways in this Instagram post. Using that knowledge, and relying … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of October 2018
Beginning with books…it was a powerful few weeks. Primo Levi’s The Drowned and the Saved topped my list as it chronicled experiences in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and the subsequent psychology of World War Two survivors. Also significant, and saturated with humor, is Eddie Huang’s Fresh off the Boat. It’s a tongue in cheek memoir of his early … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of September 2018
“Chinese people don’t believe in psychologists. We just drink more tea when things go bad.” – Eddie Huang Eddie Huang has created a modern masterpiece with his memoir Fresh off the Boat (also a TV show!). The deviant cum lawyer cum chef cum TV producer epitomizes the quintessence of Asian wisdom as he chronicles the … More Chasing the Dragon (and dinner)
I read Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education by Michael Pollan (name pun!!). It fascinated and inspired me to comment in my blog. Check out my piece Earthly Entitlements, then delve into Pollan’s work. I also enjoyed The Collected Stories by Alexandr Pushkin. There’s something about those Russians…It was a good way to cool down during this hot summer. 😉 A final … More Get Lit with Kit – Best of August 2018
I’ve been hearing about the benefits of transcendental meditation for years. This month I finally read Jack Forem’s book on the subject. I fully intend to explore further. Will keep you posted. (Along similar lines, this article on focus and attention can help you find the sweet spot and get things done in flow. It’s long, presumably to … More Get Lit with Kit – best of July 2018
