I was just going to write a post to share the books I’ve read recently, but for whatever reason I either can’t recall all the books I’ve read since the last post like this, or I haven’t read that many. So instead I decided to share three books, shows and movies that I saw recently that I enjoyed.

BOOKS

Like a Mother — This one was recommended by Ingrid Nielsen and I couldn’t agree more. Even if you’re not looking to have a kid anytime soon I think it’s fascinating to read about the culture surrounding pregnancy and motherhood. All of the press and expectations to be perfect.

Educated — This is a memoir by Tara Westover and a fascinating read. We all had pretty similar upbringings, but she came from a survivalist family who didn’t believe in public education. It reminds me of Glass Castle in simply the aspect of having parents who went against the norm. But it’s a great journey through her struggle getting an education eventually and dealing with the aftermath of her family and upbringing.

The Great Alone — Not a true story, but a great tale nonetheless. It’s told from the perspective of a teenage girl with an abusive father. He decides to take the family to Alaska to live off the grid. It’s a great story about community, wilderness and survival.

SHOWS

You — We’ve all heard of it by now. It was actually Michael that started watching it first, and then I caught up on the first two episodes so we could watch it together during our first week in Phoenix. Stressful, frustrating, but interesting. Also creepy because of the potential that this actually happens.

Sexual Education — I just watched this one. I love British shows and I love anything to do with puberty, growing up, and things like that. And it’s not stressful at all so it’s a good one to combat other shows and movies out there.

The Haunting of Hill House — I watched this one finally a month or so ago after several friends were talking about it. You see, I’m a chicken so I started watching this in the middle of the day with plenty of sunlight, and I skipped past the scary parts to see what happens without terrifying myself. And it’s not super scary actually once you understand what types of jump and scares to expect.

MOVIES

Birdbox — Another one that everyone has watched. Reminds me of A Quiet Place and other movies where there’s some unknown force that comes in and you have to do something like blindfold yourself or not make any noise to survive. I’m not a huge fan of Sandra Bullock’s character, but I enjoyed the movie.

Made to be Broken — I love documentaries about running, hiking, climbing, outdoor adventures in general. And this one is about Karl Meltzer who is trying to break the speed record for the Appalachian Trail. I’m fascinated by the AT and PCT so I love watching things about them. Also ultra marathon runners fascinate me.

On the Basis of Sex — I love Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Felicity Jones who played her in this film. And while I’ve read a book on RBG before it was such an amazing film to see. Not to mention I teared up at the end. I won’t spoil it by saying why. And people clapped after it ended. Highly recommend.

What recommendations do you have for me? I’m a big fan of shows or movies that deal with outdoor adventure, ultra marathoners, and I really enjoyed both Sex Education and The Haunting of Hill House which are very different shows.