Summer 2022 Reads: Foundations Health & Wholeness Staff Picks!
July 13, 2022
A Summer for the Books
We’re officially in the thick of a beautiful Wisconsin summer, and Wisconsinites are clamoring to soak up every ray of sun they can before winter makes its inevitable return. Summertime is the perfect season to unwind! And what better way to kick back and relax than diving between the pages of a good book?
We asked a few Foundations staff members to pick out their top choices for some summer reads that are good for the soul. Here are our picks for a little summer reading while you chill lakeside up north, enjoy a sunny day at the park, dig your feet into the sand of the Lake Michigan shoreline, or have a coffee on the patio.
The Picks
Kate’s Pick:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
From Goodreads: “Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Based on his own experience and the stories of his patients, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. At the heart of his theory, known as logotherapy, is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure but the pursuit of what we find meaningful. Man’s Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living.”
Kate said that one of her favorite quotes comes from this widely celebrated book: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Joanne’s Pick:
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
From Goodreads: “Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.”
Joanne says, “I recommend Untamed by Glennon Doyle to my adult female clients very often! It’s all about reclaiming your power as a woman, taking control back, and making your life your own.”
Bonus Recommendation: Joanne insists that Untamed pairs well with Brené Brown’s popular book The Gifts of Imperfection, which explores the roots of perfectionism, shame, and vulnerability.
Julie’s Pick:
Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
From Goodreads: “In Atlas of the Heart, Brown takes us on a journey through eighty-seven of the emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human. As she maps the necessary skills and an actionable framework for meaningful connection, she gives us the language and tools to access a universe of new choices and second chances—a universe where we can share and steward the stories of our bravest and most heartbreaking moments with one another in a way that builds connection. Over the past two decades, Brown’s extensive research into the experiences that make us who we are has shaped the cultural conversation and helped define what it means to be courageous with our lives. Atlas of the Heart draws on this research, as well as on Brown’s singular skills as a storyteller, to show us how accurately naming an experience doesn’t give the experience more power, it gives us the power of understanding, meaning, and choice. Brown shares, “I want this book to be an atlas for all of us, because I believe that, with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves.””
Julie says that she’s been “recommending this book to many of her clients since it was released last year!”
Sara’s Pick
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
From Goodreads: “Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a powerful new vision that encourages us to dare greatly: to embrace vulnerability and imperfection, to live wholeheartedly, and to courageously engage in our lives.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” —Theodore Roosevelt
Every day we experience the uncertainty, risks, and emotional exposure that define what it means to be vulnerable, or to dare greatly. Whether the arena is a new relationship, an important meeting, our creative process, or a difficult family conversation, we must find the courage to walk into vulnerability and engage with our whole hearts. In Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement, and meaningful connection. The book that Dr. Brown’s many fans have been waiting for, Daring Greatly will spark a new spirit of truth—and trust—in our organizations, families, schools, and communities.
Sara says, ” I often recommend Daring Greatly by Brené Brown to my clients. Brown researches shame and vulnerability and explains that vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness. She explains her research in an engaging and fun way through her writing and storytelling. I think this is a great book for clients to read, especially if they are struggling with shame and/or low self-esteem.”
Bonus Suggestion:
The Body Keeps Score by Bessel van der Kolk, a renowned book that explores the relationship between trauma and the body, received honorable mention among our staff!
Each of our good-for-the-soul summer reading picks can be found wherever you enjoy purchasing books (we would suggest trying out Lion’s Mouth Bookstore in Green Bay)! No matter what books you select for your 2022 summer reading, we hope each book will bring you joy, learning, surprises, laughs, and relaxation.
Until Next Time,
Maggie F. – Grants & Content Manger
Thank you for the suggestions Kate Bellingar, Joanne Klysen, Julie Feld, and Sara Wisneski!