Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom

This tome has been a "go to" guide for me in many ways over the years. It has helped me get pregnant, understand thyroid and menstrual cycle irregularities and has eased any fears that I've had regarding my body. It is written by Christiane Northrup, a physician with extensive experience with women's medical needs as well as our strong emotional connection to our bodies. She writes over and over again about the mind/body connection and how if we are not healthy in our minds and hearts (our emotions), we might be causing issues in our bodies.

Recently I experienced an extremely painful rupturing of a large cyst on my left ovary. After 3 weeks of pain, a pelvic ultrasound and doctors appointments, I finally consulted my trusted reference - WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMEN'S WISDOM. In the section regarding ovaries, there is most definitely a section on cysts. What surprised me was what Dr. Northrup sees as the reason that cysts develop. "We women are meant to express our creative natures throughout our lives. Our creations will change and evolve as we ourselves grow and develop. Our ovaries, too, are always changing, forming, and reabsorbing those small cysts. As long as we express our creative flow deep within us, our ovaries remain normal."

So what does this mean for me? I don't feel like I've been particularly blocked in my creativity. Yes life has been stressful over the past six months, and I have not done as much writing as I would like, but I didn't think that I was denying myself to the point to create such a painful "wake up call" from my body.

Dr. Northrup goes further to say that cysts on the "left side of the body represent the female, artistic, reflective side, while the right side is the more analytic, male side." I have had two ruptured cysts previously on the right side and this is my first on the left (and the most painful). Never have I tried to imitate male ways of being in this world, as that is not my nature at all. My personality has always been one that is creative, not analytical or technical. So how can I best re-energize my creative outlets and heal my body? I dance, I read, I write, I dream, I laugh...where else can I express myself?

I know that my answers come in time, but I thought this book was worth sharing. It was first published in 1994, in 1998 and again in 2010. Like I said, it has walked me through two pregnancies, a myriad of cycle problems and will help me through menopause (a ways off). I highly recommend that every women has this book on hand to answers questions for yourself, your daughters, your mothers and friends.

Kapitoil

Our city chose this for its "Novel Idea" book of the year. Last year they chose The Help and a few years earlier The Kite Runner. As in prior years, I have read each of the "Novel Idea" books, and found them to be engaging, discussion provoking and great reads.

On the other hand, and IN MY OPINION, Kapitoil was not. In fact I did not even finish it. After laboring through a third of the book, skimming most of what I had read, I ditched it. Initially I was interested in the foreign worker who comes to America to write code and work in the financial world. But then I realized that I was reading about someone who writes codes and works in the financial world - both of those subjects bore me to death.

I am sorry to say I would not recommend this book. As I did not push through to finish the book, I will pass on attending the author reading. I hope that others found this a wonderful read.

The Book Thief

Growing up in Germany on the cusp of WWII is a challenging task. Liesel, a scrawny nine year old girl is repeatedly impacted by war, by hatred and by loss throughout this novel. Fortunately because she is a child, she is also able to be influenced by constant love, strong community and true friendship.

Abandoned to a foster family in Munich, she arrives heartbroken and hopeless. She is taken in by an older couple whose grown children visit seldomly, and who are in need of the stipend that taking care of Liesel will garner. Times are tough in Germany. Hitler's influence is gaining strength throughout the country where people are tired of not having enough food, not enough work, and not enough aid.

The Book Thief is narrated by Death (as you can imagine, with war imminent, Death was everywhere in Germany during this time). He encounters Liesel for the first time as they both watch her young brother die. She will cross paths with Death many, many more times before this amazing novel is finished.

Death is touched by Liesel, by her words, as no other human has done before.

Her words, and all written words...their power, their influence, their beauty, their confinement and freedom are the essence of this book. The author, Markus Zusak not only understands their power but displays a mastery of them that is uncanny.

Descriptions of sunsets, smiles, and sadness are unique and poignant. Not only is the story an original view of life behind the Fuhrer's crazy control, it is exceptional because of the language used to describe the hard life that all Germans lived - whether they supported the Fuhrer or not, they all were impacted by the misery of war.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I loved it. You would think that a story narrated by Death and about Nazi Germany would be a horribly sad story, but you would be wrong. The hope, trust, friendship, love and faith in humanity outshine all of the horrible, inexcusable actions and intentions of this time.

This book is a MUST read.