For half of this month, the internet in my apartment was non-functional. With very little digital media to distract myself with, I found myself feeling much more grounded in the present moment, sleeping better, creating more art, and reading much more. I could go on forever about the benefits of the occasional internet “detox”, and perhaps I will in a future post, but for today I’d honestly just love to share a couple of the books that I discovered this month with you all.
Girl In A Band – Kim Gordon
Girl In A Band, the memoir of Sonic Youth’s former bass guitarist and vocalist Kim Gordon, was perhaps one of the more impactful pieces of literature that I’ve encountered recently. If nothing else, artist or not, this book serves to remind the reader of the meandering nature of life. From childhood to the dissolution of her marriage and beyond, Gordon shares her successes and challenges in a way that feels incredibly personal; as if she’s simply telling a story to a friend.When you take a look at the “big picture” of Kim’s life, the roundabout nature of her success as a musician and artist ultimately contributed to the richness of her experiences, and from this I gained a great deal of both comfort and inspiration.
How Music Works – David Byrne
Part memoir and part objective commentary on both the music industry and music as an experience, How Music Works provides me with a new lesson every time that I re-read it. Somehow, through his insights and experience, Byrne manages to subtly alter the ways in which I process my musical experiences. This time around, How Music Works has absolutely shifted me from a more mass-production (streaming/playlists and singles) based method of consumption to, when possible, a more body-of-work based method of consumption (vinyl records, albums from start to finish as intended by the artist).
Many Lives, Many Masters – Brian Weiss
Deviating from what would otherwise be a music theme this month, I also took the chance to, once again, read Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss. Weiss, a Yale educated psychiatrist, presents an intriguing and deeply personal experience with past-life regression and reincarnation theory. For those of you who choose to suspend your disbelief, I would highly recommend this book, as it has been incredibly formative in the development of my own spiritual beliefs.
While I did go through several more novels and fictional works this month, I found these three books to be the most impactful on my day-to-day thought patterns and way of living, and therefore the most valuable to share. The loss of my home internet was truly a gift in disguise, as I have now re-kindled my love for other, arguably more healthy and productive, ways to fill my time; including reading. Should any of you choose to take a look at these books, or go on an internet detox yourselves, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Til next time,
Sabina
Sabina Catherine 