I signed out of FB and IG a few weeks ago and I can't say I really miss them. Like you, I have experienced an increase in attention span and reading is so much more enjoyable. At the moment, I'm reading the 40th anniversary edition of the Dragonlance Chronicles. So fun to revisit a favourite from so long ago. I'm also enjoying "Jane Austen's England" by Roy & Lesley Adkins.
P.S. I 'discovered' you a few years ago through the Illustrated Herbiary. A most beautiful and soul-stirring set. Thank you!
Follows the lineage of a Native American boy that survives the Sand Creek Massacre up to present day and the impossible task of understanding who, what, and where you come from when the history and culture has been mostly erased.
I am compelled to share that I did not find you, Maia Toll, on social media. I was pulled into the Herbiary at Reading Terminal (on my very first trip to Philly) while looking for lunch. I bought some tea and found myself on an email list. That was ~2 years ago. Love a good email newsletter!
I just read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and haven’t loved a novel that much in a long time. Addie makes a deal with the devil (who is also an interesting character) and she lives forever but no one remembers her the moment she leaves their sight. It’s so endearingly well done.
My mom (who does not normally read speculative fiction or fantasy) said the same thing! I had stopped reading Victoria Schwab because there was always some... flatness... to the stories. But it sounds like this one is worth a read!
The last book I read was Fever in the Heartland. It's very good, written like a novel but a true story. It's about the Ku Klux Klan rise and fall in the 1920's. The book focuses on Indiana but notes all 50 states had branches. There are a lot of similarities to what's happening now. I read it in late 2024 I think it came out in 2023.
Been reading a lot. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois Bujold McMaster. Sci-fi. The first couple books focus on Cordelia, a space Captain. The rest is about her disabled son Miles finding his way in the world. Her writing is engaging, humorous and the shenanigans Mike's gets up to are so creative and compelling.
The Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey. These fantasy novels come in groups of 2-3 with each sub series introducing us to different people and cultures within the world of Valdemar. The first trio features Talia, and without any spoilers, she is a fan favourite.
The Telling by Ursula K LeGuin. A short novel written in 2000 that could have been written today because she was so prescient. The details are delivered within the story, so I don't want to spoil anything but the main thrust is how the stories we tell shape our culture and experience.
i read Very Far Away and enjoyed it very much. i think i read it years ago and didnt quite appreciate it or understand it. thank you for the recommendation!
You have been reading a lot! Thank you for these great suggestions. I have a copy of a lesser known book by Ursula LeGuin-- Very Far Away from Anywhere Else-- that is an all time favorite. I usually re-read every few years but haven't for a while. Thank you for putting that back in my consciousness!
I am such a big fan of hers as well!! Tehanu, an adult sequel to Tombs of Atuan moves me to tears every time. I am still discovering more of her books- I now need to find a copy of the one you mention.
Great job! Cutting the strings from one of the many social media groups. I'd hate if you left everything, because I do enjoy these posts ❤️
I just read for a bookclub:
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall
It was a page turner trying to figure out who was good and who was bad. The ending kept me thinking about it for days. Can't wait for bookclub meeting discussion.
I deleted Instagram on November 3rd and didn't get on it again until the end of January. I want to go back to that time so thanks for the inspiration! As for a book suggestion, I just visited Parnassus Books and had to pick up a souvenir so Ann Patchett's State of Wonder...so good.
Honestly, I never got myself tied up with Instagram, Tik Tok, etc. I stayed with FB only for the animal videos and keeping abreast with what is happening in my town in CR. I discovered a great storyteller/writer. Try "There Are Rivers in the Sky" by Elif Shafak. In fact all of her books have a different story angle, which is refreshing, as some writers have the same "formula" to all of their books.
Yes to all of this! I have gone back and forth on my relationship with social media - deleting the app while also finding my finger hovering over the phantom icon, finding myself bored, but also reading more and engaging with life more. I’m still on it and trying to navigate my relationship with it as I’m holding out with a new business starting in summer. Thank you for putting to words the last few months experience.
Books: Inanna by Emily Wilson that incorporates the stories of Gilgamesh, Inanna, and Ninshubar in a weaving journey of the myths.
And in terms of Instagram for business, I would say mileage will definitely vary. If you happen to hit it just right, it’s gold. But the chances of that are so slim and the amount of time, money, and energy make really questionable in terms of return on investment..
I would recommend Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life for any neurodivergent folks or anyone who loves a ND person. It's truly a balm to the soul and made me feel so seen.
It is sitting on my shelf, as yet unread. I need to put it somewhere I'll see it. I just never quite get into the none fiction (confession: I only made it through three chapters of Braiding Sweetgrass.... enough to know people who like non-fiction would really enjoy it.🤣)
Service Berry isn’t has “hard” to read. It isn’t as dense as Braiding Sweetgrass. Braiding Sweetgrass took me three years to read, to process all the feelings that came up in me. I feel like Service Berry is more hopeful, if that makes sense.
Braiding Sweetgrass, in my humble opinion, should be read via the ears (audiobook), one chapter at a time, like a reallllllyyy good and dark chocolate (or whatever decadent dessert you fancy). 💚 I've owned the book for several years, but have not yet once been able to read it with my eyes.
I'm so glad to have read your comment! I purchased Braiding Sweetgrass awhile ago, because it came so highly recommended by persons I respect, but I honestly wasn't connecting with it. Listening to a work can make all the difference, and I truly enjoy connecting with the energy of voices, so I'm going to give the audio a try - thanks for the insight!
Now that is fascinating! Another confession? I have never listened to an audio book.🤣 I've tried.... but it just rolls over me and I don't take it in. But maybe doing one chapter at a time and focusing, as though I was reading, would work.
It's also interesting to think about the differences in storytelling from an oral, rather than written, tradition. I would be curious how Robin Wall Kimmerer took in stories growing up-- whether she was used to hearing or reading-- and if that's reflected in her writing.
Once upon a time, I could not stay tuned in to an audio book to save my life, but I think it was meditation that changed that for me. The energy of the reader has to be spot on for me, and I can still find myself drifting, but I accept this and rewind to the place in which I mentally left. I'm aware that it requires me to focus in a different way and clear extraneous mind chatter, and this somehow makes my brain happy 😀 I went from the story of I'm just not an auditory person to I am (though visual is my jam).
This is SO inspiring!! Thank you for sharing. It's so true. The struggle between using it for business and getting off entirely is such a hard one.
*also if we need proof that the algorithm on there is designed to mess with us, I posted a fixed post about something I wrote on here (Substack) the other day and was met with CRICKETS. No engagement, no likes, no visibility, less than I have *ever* had in all my years on Instagram. Instead of being annoyed by it, it was just the final reinforcement that the meta apps really are just designed to promote the meta apps. Full stop.
YES. For while people were not saying the word "substack" or replacing characters because it seemed to be banned on IG.... and then that eased up... but from your experience it sounds like that ban might be in place again.
I read a great article on social media that was talking about how you have to take the same message and present it in a way that each of the social apps and the users on those apps, appreciates. It's actually what convinced me that it was time to leave IG. I don't want to do video and spend a lot of time making fancy images: I want to use my words. :)
Yes yes yes!! This is what I’m feeling these days, too. My Instagram is becoming a place where I promote my retreats and that’s it— because dreamy pictures and videos of European summer make me happy. But Substack is where I will write and my goodness that makes me happy.
I was down with the flu in early February and The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer found me. I listened to it on audible, and it has truly enriched my life. I read The Untethered Soul several years ago when a woman giving me a tour of a holistic store pointed it out on a shelf and said that it changed her life. I really like his journal that accompanies it. I usually don't care for marketed journals, but his is quite different.
I am going to read that book now, thank you for the suggestion. I currently read The Magic Path to Intuition by Florence Scovel Shinn and my mind was opened and bled out and restored once again! I am now reading her complete works collection.
That has been on my list for a while! And I never read non-fiction-- it always languishes on my shelf. I am finally owning this tendency so haven't added it to the pile of "books I should read but never choose to when there's a novel on hand."🤣 But we have a lot of non-fiction readers here and someone's gonna love this suggestion!
I am a writer, and I was a high school English teacher years ago. I've only been reading non fiction books for as long as I can remember. Recently I've stepped my toe back into fiction with The Rules of Magic - and I'm loving it. Why do you think some readers embrace fiction over non fiction and vice versa? I'm super curious!
I read both! However I consciously have to make myself commit to the non fiction book and even then it doesn't happen sometimes. I'll replace it with another non fiction book. I'm always reading many genres at the same time, but I finish way more fiction than non fiction. It's like my own brain tells me that I shouldn't have to read certain self help or magical books because I should already intuitively know them somewhere in my psyche 😂 I don't think that's necessarily true but it sounds like a good cop out when I've got thousands on the TBR. If I could theorize your question it would be that some people are comfortable with what they know and like and maybe never had the opportunity to find that masterpiece in the opposite genre. Before I began reviewing books I only owned fiction and I was introduced to many universes reading books I never would have on my own and now my nonfiction collection out rivals my fiction! I hope you have the best every moment ever. Thanks for your comment, I'm sorry I'm just seeing them now.
Congrats! I went cold turkey a couple weeks ago and feel SO MUCH BETTER. It's what inspired me to start writing again (casually). I've been devouring books lately. I LOVED The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier, the debut horror novel from a Philly area artist I've admired for years. Haunting hellish, dreadfully relevant, and weirdly wonderful. Really gripped me.
I'm still on FB - mostly because I moved "away" and have gone through life changes, and it's an easy easy to keep a little in touch with folks and their lives. I am on IG, and try to curate it as mock as I can. I keep all suggested posts out of my main feed, unfollow almost everyone who doesn't bring me joy or info that I want (e.g., van life, crystals, writers, artists, colorists bring me joy) and (recent follows bring be condensed relevant info on tht impact of "this new administration" on health, etc). I'm starting to figure out Substack, but am not sure about it yet. I do like the option to see only those I'm following/subscribed to.
..... On books - Audible: "Let Them" by Mel Robbins; "The Hail Mary" by Andy Weir - wonderful, fun story! And mixed in frequently "Women who Run with Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes - and any of her other books. And, relevant but rather depressing "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
In Print: I have reread "The Hobbit" and books 1 & 2 of The Lord of the Rings; I'm about to start book 3.
I’m right here with you Maia! I deleted Facebook, then IG from my phone. Haven’t deleted the accounts but I only pull them out of the cloud when there’s back to school pics from friends, or Sunday at 10:00 to read Sarah Addison Allen’s short, short stories. This Substack accounts I follow are growing but I’ve realized (finally 😳) that I don’t have to read each and every post from each and every writer. Positively freeing! My mind feels richer as there are always interesting thoughts and ideas rattling around in there instead of…too many opportunities to separate me from my 💰, with the occasional adorable child, animal, spectacular view to keep me coming back. And I almost spit out my teeth when you shared what book you are reading 🤣 as I’d just put Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales down to scan my email for the last time tonight. I loved the first two books in her series.
I’ve so enjoyed each of your books and all your oracle decks for their wisdom and your voice. I’m so grateful for your magick.
Substack notes is too much like social media. Game changer? When I realized I could click on the inbox on the app and only see articles from people I subscribed to.
Game changer #2? When it finally sunk in that those I follow post on different days of the week! So now I check my inbox in the morning, read Heather Cox Richardson who is gold and publishes daily, and see who else has published. Usually I have one or two new articles a day which is delightful-- perfect for in-between moments. It also means I can easily follow a couple dozen people (given the variety of publishing schedules) without feeling overwhelmed.
I signed out of FB and IG a few weeks ago and I can't say I really miss them. Like you, I have experienced an increase in attention span and reading is so much more enjoyable. At the moment, I'm reading the 40th anniversary edition of the Dragonlance Chronicles. So fun to revisit a favourite from so long ago. I'm also enjoying "Jane Austen's England" by Roy & Lesley Adkins.
P.S. I 'discovered' you a few years ago through the Illustrated Herbiary. A most beautiful and soul-stirring set. Thank you!
Oooo I haven't thought about the Dragonlance Chronicles in years-- need to look at those again. TY!
And so glad you have enjoyed The Herbiary. My first book baby! :)
Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange
Follows the lineage of a Native American boy that survives the Sand Creek Massacre up to present day and the impossible task of understanding who, what, and where you come from when the history and culture has been mostly erased.
I am compelled to share that I did not find you, Maia Toll, on social media. I was pulled into the Herbiary at Reading Terminal (on my very first trip to Philly) while looking for lunch. I bought some tea and found myself on an email list. That was ~2 years ago. Love a good email newsletter!
I'm so glad you're here (and such a better story than "I found you on social media!").
And thank you for the book suggestion-- it's not one I have read!
I just read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and haven’t loved a novel that much in a long time. Addie makes a deal with the devil (who is also an interesting character) and she lives forever but no one remembers her the moment she leaves their sight. It’s so endearingly well done.
My mom (who does not normally read speculative fiction or fantasy) said the same thing! I had stopped reading Victoria Schwab because there was always some... flatness... to the stories. But it sounds like this one is worth a read!
I don't any social media accounts, never have.
The last book I read was Fever in the Heartland. It's very good, written like a novel but a true story. It's about the Ku Klux Klan rise and fall in the 1920's. The book focuses on Indiana but notes all 50 states had branches. There are a lot of similarities to what's happening now. I read it in late 2024 I think it came out in 2023.
Sounds like a timely read, Patricia!
Been reading a lot. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois Bujold McMaster. Sci-fi. The first couple books focus on Cordelia, a space Captain. The rest is about her disabled son Miles finding his way in the world. Her writing is engaging, humorous and the shenanigans Mike's gets up to are so creative and compelling.
The Valdemar Series by Mercedes Lackey. These fantasy novels come in groups of 2-3 with each sub series introducing us to different people and cultures within the world of Valdemar. The first trio features Talia, and without any spoilers, she is a fan favourite.
The Telling by Ursula K LeGuin. A short novel written in 2000 that could have been written today because she was so prescient. The details are delivered within the story, so I don't want to spoil anything but the main thrust is how the stories we tell shape our culture and experience.
i read Very Far Away and enjoyed it very much. i think i read it years ago and didnt quite appreciate it or understand it. thank you for the recommendation!
You have been reading a lot! Thank you for these great suggestions. I have a copy of a lesser known book by Ursula LeGuin-- Very Far Away from Anywhere Else-- that is an all time favorite. I usually re-read every few years but haven't for a while. Thank you for putting that back in my consciousness!
I am such a big fan of hers as well!! Tehanu, an adult sequel to Tombs of Atuan moves me to tears every time. I am still discovering more of her books- I now need to find a copy of the one you mention.
Great job! Cutting the strings from one of the many social media groups. I'd hate if you left everything, because I do enjoy these posts ❤️
I just read for a bookclub:
The Last One by Rachel Howzell Hall
It was a page turner trying to figure out who was good and who was bad. The ending kept me thinking about it for days. Can't wait for bookclub meeting discussion.
Ha! So many people complain about book club reads-- so glad to hear about a good one.
And I plan on focusing all my social energy here. I like writing and people here like reading. :)
I deleted Instagram on November 3rd and didn't get on it again until the end of January. I want to go back to that time so thanks for the inspiration! As for a book suggestion, I just visited Parnassus Books and had to pick up a souvenir so Ann Patchett's State of Wonder...so good.
I read State of Wonder years ago— so good. Couldn’t get into Tom Lake. At all.🤷🏻♀️
Honestly, I never got myself tied up with Instagram, Tik Tok, etc. I stayed with FB only for the animal videos and keeping abreast with what is happening in my town in CR. I discovered a great storyteller/writer. Try "There Are Rivers in the Sky" by Elif Shafak. In fact all of her books have a different story angle, which is refreshing, as some writers have the same "formula" to all of their books.
Ooooo thanks for the suggestion, Jan. She came up recently…. I can’t remember where…. NPR interview? Anyway, I was curious.
Yes to all of this! I have gone back and forth on my relationship with social media - deleting the app while also finding my finger hovering over the phantom icon, finding myself bored, but also reading more and engaging with life more. I’m still on it and trying to navigate my relationship with it as I’m holding out with a new business starting in summer. Thank you for putting to words the last few months experience.
Books: Inanna by Emily Wilson that incorporates the stories of Gilgamesh, Inanna, and Ninshubar in a weaving journey of the myths.
You know I love me a little Inanna!
And in terms of Instagram for business, I would say mileage will definitely vary. If you happen to hit it just right, it’s gold. But the chances of that are so slim and the amount of time, money, and energy make really questionable in terms of return on investment..
I would recommend Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life for any neurodivergent folks or anyone who loves a ND person. It's truly a balm to the soul and made me feel so seen.
Don't we all need a Guide to Life? Thank you for this rec!
The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
It is sitting on my shelf, as yet unread. I need to put it somewhere I'll see it. I just never quite get into the none fiction (confession: I only made it through three chapters of Braiding Sweetgrass.... enough to know people who like non-fiction would really enjoy it.🤣)
Service Berry isn’t has “hard” to read. It isn’t as dense as Braiding Sweetgrass. Braiding Sweetgrass took me three years to read, to process all the feelings that came up in me. I feel like Service Berry is more hopeful, if that makes sense.
Ah! Thank you. That makes it feel a little more approachable.
Yes
Braiding Sweetgrass, in my humble opinion, should be read via the ears (audiobook), one chapter at a time, like a reallllllyyy good and dark chocolate (or whatever decadent dessert you fancy). 💚 I've owned the book for several years, but have not yet once been able to read it with my eyes.
I'm so glad to have read your comment! I purchased Braiding Sweetgrass awhile ago, because it came so highly recommended by persons I respect, but I honestly wasn't connecting with it. Listening to a work can make all the difference, and I truly enjoy connecting with the energy of voices, so I'm going to give the audio a try - thanks for the insight!
Now that is fascinating! Another confession? I have never listened to an audio book.🤣 I've tried.... but it just rolls over me and I don't take it in. But maybe doing one chapter at a time and focusing, as though I was reading, would work.
It's also interesting to think about the differences in storytelling from an oral, rather than written, tradition. I would be curious how Robin Wall Kimmerer took in stories growing up-- whether she was used to hearing or reading-- and if that's reflected in her writing.
Once upon a time, I could not stay tuned in to an audio book to save my life, but I think it was meditation that changed that for me. The energy of the reader has to be spot on for me, and I can still find myself drifting, but I accept this and rewind to the place in which I mentally left. I'm aware that it requires me to focus in a different way and clear extraneous mind chatter, and this somehow makes my brain happy 😀 I went from the story of I'm just not an auditory person to I am (though visual is my jam).
This is SO inspiring!! Thank you for sharing. It's so true. The struggle between using it for business and getting off entirely is such a hard one.
*also if we need proof that the algorithm on there is designed to mess with us, I posted a fixed post about something I wrote on here (Substack) the other day and was met with CRICKETS. No engagement, no likes, no visibility, less than I have *ever* had in all my years on Instagram. Instead of being annoyed by it, it was just the final reinforcement that the meta apps really are just designed to promote the meta apps. Full stop.
I love you for posting this. Thanks again!!
YES. For while people were not saying the word "substack" or replacing characters because it seemed to be banned on IG.... and then that eased up... but from your experience it sounds like that ban might be in place again.
I read a great article on social media that was talking about how you have to take the same message and present it in a way that each of the social apps and the users on those apps, appreciates. It's actually what convinced me that it was time to leave IG. I don't want to do video and spend a lot of time making fancy images: I want to use my words. :)
Yes yes yes!! This is what I’m feeling these days, too. My Instagram is becoming a place where I promote my retreats and that’s it— because dreamy pictures and videos of European summer make me happy. But Substack is where I will write and my goodness that makes me happy.
A great nonfiction read I'm finishing up is The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. You're absolutely inspiring! Thank you for sharing!
I was down with the flu in early February and The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer found me. I listened to it on audible, and it has truly enriched my life. I read The Untethered Soul several years ago when a woman giving me a tour of a holistic store pointed it out on a shelf and said that it changed her life. I really like his journal that accompanies it. I usually don't care for marketed journals, but his is quite different.
I am going to read that book now, thank you for the suggestion. I currently read The Magic Path to Intuition by Florence Scovel Shinn and my mind was opened and bled out and restored once again! I am now reading her complete works collection.
That has been on my list for a while! And I never read non-fiction-- it always languishes on my shelf. I am finally owning this tendency so haven't added it to the pile of "books I should read but never choose to when there's a novel on hand."🤣 But we have a lot of non-fiction readers here and someone's gonna love this suggestion!
I am a writer, and I was a high school English teacher years ago. I've only been reading non fiction books for as long as I can remember. Recently I've stepped my toe back into fiction with The Rules of Magic - and I'm loving it. Why do you think some readers embrace fiction over non fiction and vice versa? I'm super curious!
I read both! However I consciously have to make myself commit to the non fiction book and even then it doesn't happen sometimes. I'll replace it with another non fiction book. I'm always reading many genres at the same time, but I finish way more fiction than non fiction. It's like my own brain tells me that I shouldn't have to read certain self help or magical books because I should already intuitively know them somewhere in my psyche 😂 I don't think that's necessarily true but it sounds like a good cop out when I've got thousands on the TBR. If I could theorize your question it would be that some people are comfortable with what they know and like and maybe never had the opportunity to find that masterpiece in the opposite genre. Before I began reviewing books I only owned fiction and I was introduced to many universes reading books I never would have on my own and now my nonfiction collection out rivals my fiction! I hope you have the best every moment ever. Thanks for your comment, I'm sorry I'm just seeing them now.
Congrats! I went cold turkey a couple weeks ago and feel SO MUCH BETTER. It's what inspired me to start writing again (casually). I've been devouring books lately. I LOVED The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier, the debut horror novel from a Philly area artist I've admired for years. Haunting hellish, dreadfully relevant, and weirdly wonderful. Really gripped me.
Cold turkey! Brave woman. I have been slowly extricating myself. Feb 28 is the all the way gone date.
Just looked up The Redemption of Morgan Bright and it sounds eerily perfect for the times we are living in.😬
I'm still on FB - mostly because I moved "away" and have gone through life changes, and it's an easy easy to keep a little in touch with folks and their lives. I am on IG, and try to curate it as mock as I can. I keep all suggested posts out of my main feed, unfollow almost everyone who doesn't bring me joy or info that I want (e.g., van life, crystals, writers, artists, colorists bring me joy) and (recent follows bring be condensed relevant info on tht impact of "this new administration" on health, etc). I'm starting to figure out Substack, but am not sure about it yet. I do like the option to see only those I'm following/subscribed to.
..... On books - Audible: "Let Them" by Mel Robbins; "The Hail Mary" by Andy Weir - wonderful, fun story! And mixed in frequently "Women who Run with Wolves" by Clarissa Pinkola Estes - and any of her other books. And, relevant but rather depressing "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood.
In Print: I have reread "The Hobbit" and books 1 & 2 of The Lord of the Rings; I'm about to start book 3.
I haven't reread Lord of the Rings in decades! Great suggestion!
I’m right here with you Maia! I deleted Facebook, then IG from my phone. Haven’t deleted the accounts but I only pull them out of the cloud when there’s back to school pics from friends, or Sunday at 10:00 to read Sarah Addison Allen’s short, short stories. This Substack accounts I follow are growing but I’ve realized (finally 😳) that I don’t have to read each and every post from each and every writer. Positively freeing! My mind feels richer as there are always interesting thoughts and ideas rattling around in there instead of…too many opportunities to separate me from my 💰, with the occasional adorable child, animal, spectacular view to keep me coming back. And I almost spit out my teeth when you shared what book you are reading 🤣 as I’d just put Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales down to scan my email for the last time tonight. I loved the first two books in her series.
I’ve so enjoyed each of your books and all your oracle decks for their wisdom and your voice. I’m so grateful for your magick.
Substack notes is too much like social media. Game changer? When I realized I could click on the inbox on the app and only see articles from people I subscribed to.
Game changer #2? When it finally sunk in that those I follow post on different days of the week! So now I check my inbox in the morning, read Heather Cox Richardson who is gold and publishes daily, and see who else has published. Usually I have one or two new articles a day which is delightful-- perfect for in-between moments. It also means I can easily follow a couple dozen people (given the variety of publishing schedules) without feeling overwhelmed.