When I was 13,
my most prized possession was a black t-shirt withQuestion Authoritywritten on the front. It fit my personality, being the contrarian little brat that I was. In fact, I’d be wearing that shirt to this very day if I hadn’t accidentally burnt a hole in it. Illegal fireworks may have been involved.
These days, my contrarian nature is less about childish rebellion and much more about championing the underdog. But my negative nature still reigns: I’m drawn to conflict despite being terrified of it, I’m compelled to criticize the things I love most, and I actively avoid pursuing paths that align with my natural abilities.
But it’s not apathy that drives me. In fact, every
nopein my life springs from a secret place of hope. Hope that the world can be a better place. That our leaders can better serve us. That I can be a better person.
Whether your default is hope or
nope,we can all agree that apathy is the enemy. And this month’s recommended listens have got your back in the battle against indifference.
-
Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk
- And Other Truths About Being Creative
- By: Danielle Krysa
- Narrated by: Danielle Krysa
- Length: 2 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 852
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 773
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 770
This book is duct tape for the mouth of every artist's inner critic. Silencing that stifling voice once and for all, this salve for creatives introduces 10 truths they must face in order to defeat self-doubt. Each encouraging chapter deconstructs a pivotal moment on the path to success - fear of the blank page, the dangers of jealousy, sharing work with others - and explains how to navigate roadblock.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A Lot Covered In Less Than 3 Hours But--
- By Gillian on 04-10-18
Your inner jerkface
Is your inner critic a big jerk? Yeah, mine too—and we’re not alone; I’ve heard many award-winning, respected writers admit that they feel like rudderless frauds every single time they start a new writing project. If the best of us struggle to feel that their talent is real and their successes are earned, then what hope is there for the rest of us? Danielle Krysa has the answer: Slap some duct tape over the mouth of your inner critic—and let your inner child take the wheel. From the talking donkey on the cover to Krysa’s admission that she suffered from imposter syndrome while writing a book about imposter syndrome, Your Inner Critic Is a Big Jerk is authentic and playful to the core. As a result, your journey to overcome crippling self-doubt will feel less like hard work and more like play.
Play Harder, Work Easier
-
Everything Is F*cked
- A Book About Hope
- By: Mark Manson
- Narrated by: Mark Manson
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,410
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,239
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,208
In Everthing Is F*cked, Mark Manson turns his gaze from the inevitable flaws within each individual self to the endless calamities taking place in the world around us. Drawing from the pool of psychological research on these topics, as well as the timeless wisdom of philosophers such as Plato, Nietzsche, and Tom Waits, he dissects religion and politics and the uncomfortable ways they have come to resemble one another. He looks at our relationships with money, entertainment, and the internet, and how too much of a good thing can psychologically eat us alive.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good content, bad delivery
- By MommaJ on 05-31-19
Hope is where the heart is
Stoicism and toughing it out
are definitely thematic trends in self development these days, so it’s super refreshing to hear a pivotal writer in the genre advocate the importance of feelings—especially because Manson cleverly slips in the message beneath a veneer of cool, occasionally cuss-y apathy. His acerbic prose and in-your-face analogies belie the absolute necessity of emotional acknowledgement when it comes to motivation. Manson lays out a convincing case that emotions and logic serve specific roles in getting yourself to do what you want—and an over or underbalance of either is a surefire way to fall into the pits of hopelessness. Full of laughs and insightful parables, this is the perfect listen to gift to the feeling-averse (or highly illogical) friend in your life.
Take Heart
-
The Philosopher's Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room
- By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick Grim
- Length: 12 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,177
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,002
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 991
Taught by award-winning Professor Patrick Grim of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, The Philosopher’s Toolkit: How to Be the Most Rational Person in Any Room arms you against the perils of bad thinking and supplies you with an arsenal of strategies to help you be more creative, logical, inventive, realistic, and rational in all aspects of your daily life.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
This should NOT be an audio book
- By Brooks Emerson on 03-21-20
Avoid mental traps
Have you ever wanted to become a master of defusing bogus arguments? Or develop mental shortcuts (heuristics) that make life more efficient? Do mental models, game theory, statistics, and visualization pique your interest? Then this Great Course has your number. Far from a dry series of college lectures, this detailed but tightly written title is designed to provide you with a strong, working knowledge of logic that will immediately and positively affect your day-to-day life.
Think and Act Reasonably
New Releases
-
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
- No Guilt. No Excuses. No B.S. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition)
- By: Ramit Sethi
- Narrated by: Ramit Sethi
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,232
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,758
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,673
Buy as many lattes as you want. Spend extravagantly on the things you love. Live your rich life instead of tracking every last expense with Ramit Sethi’s simple, powerful, and effective six-week program for gaining control over your finances. This isn’t typical advice from a money expert. In this completely updated second edition, Ramit teaches you how to choose long-term investments and the right bank accounts. With his characteristic no-BS perspective, he shows how to squeeze every hidden benefit out of your credit cards.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Repetitive - should be retitled.
- By Truth on 06-20-19
-
Dear Universe
- 200 Mini-Meditations for Instant Manifestations
- By: Sarah Prout
- Narrated by: Sarah Prout
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 297
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 243
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 245
Ten years ago, Sarah Prout walked away from an abusive marriage with two suitcases, two kids, and $30,000 in debt. Today she is happily married, running a million-dollar business, and helping people around the world achieve the life of their dreams. She credits her success to manifesting and the law of attraction, beliefs that thinking positive or negative thoughts attracts positive or negative experiences into your life. Prout’s message is simple - when you choose to guide your emotions, the Universe will show up and support you to find success, love, and more.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
exhale your anger?!
- By Serene on 04-13-19
-
Every Tool's a Hammer
- Lessons from a Lifetime of Making
- By: Adam Savage
- Narrated by: Adam Savage
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,333
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,822
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,798
Adam Savage is a maker. From Chewbacca’s bandolier to a 1,000-shot Nerf gun, he has built thousands of spectacular projects as a special-effects artist and the cohost of MythBusters. Adam is also an educator, passionate about instilling the principles of making in the next generation of inventors and inspiring them to turn their curiosity into creation. In this practical and passionate guide, Adam weaves together vivid personal stories, original sketches and photographs from some of his most memorable projects, and interviews with many of his iconic and visionary friends.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
I love Adam Savage and I returned this book
- By Shane Brown on 06-18-19
-
The Pursuit of Motherhood
- By: Jessica Hepburn
- Narrated by: Jessica Hepburn
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
If you've ever felt a crumpling in your chest when another friend tells you that they're pregnant... If you've ever wondered why everyone else seems to find it so easy... If you've ever experienced the pursuit of motherhood... This audiobook is for you. It is currently estimated that one in five couples have difficulty conceiving. Hepburn’s audiobook, which describes her long and, at times, heartbreaking journey to have a child has been called a cross between Bridget Jones's Diary and Eat Pray Love for the infertile generation.
-
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
- No Guilt. No Excuses. No B.S. Just a 6-Week Program That Works (Second Edition)
- By: Ramit Sethi
- Narrated by: Ramit Sethi
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,232
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,758
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,673
Buy as many lattes as you want. Spend extravagantly on the things you love. Live your rich life instead of tracking every last expense with Ramit Sethi’s simple, powerful, and effective six-week program for gaining control over your finances. This isn’t typical advice from a money expert. In this completely updated second edition, Ramit teaches you how to choose long-term investments and the right bank accounts. With his characteristic no-BS perspective, he shows how to squeeze every hidden benefit out of your credit cards.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Repetitive - should be retitled.
- By Truth on 06-20-19
-
Dear Universe
- 200 Mini-Meditations for Instant Manifestations
- By: Sarah Prout
- Narrated by: Sarah Prout
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 297
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 243
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 245
Ten years ago, Sarah Prout walked away from an abusive marriage with two suitcases, two kids, and $30,000 in debt. Today she is happily married, running a million-dollar business, and helping people around the world achieve the life of their dreams. She credits her success to manifesting and the law of attraction, beliefs that thinking positive or negative thoughts attracts positive or negative experiences into your life. Prout’s message is simple - when you choose to guide your emotions, the Universe will show up and support you to find success, love, and more.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
exhale your anger?!
- By Serene on 04-13-19
-
Every Tool's a Hammer
- Lessons from a Lifetime of Making
- By: Adam Savage
- Narrated by: Adam Savage
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,333
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,822
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,798
Adam Savage is a maker. From Chewbacca’s bandolier to a 1,000-shot Nerf gun, he has built thousands of spectacular projects as a special-effects artist and the cohost of MythBusters. Adam is also an educator, passionate about instilling the principles of making in the next generation of inventors and inspiring them to turn their curiosity into creation. In this practical and passionate guide, Adam weaves together vivid personal stories, original sketches and photographs from some of his most memorable projects, and interviews with many of his iconic and visionary friends.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
I love Adam Savage and I returned this book
- By Shane Brown on 06-18-19
-
The Pursuit of Motherhood
- By: Jessica Hepburn
- Narrated by: Jessica Hepburn
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 3
If you've ever felt a crumpling in your chest when another friend tells you that they're pregnant... If you've ever wondered why everyone else seems to find it so easy... If you've ever experienced the pursuit of motherhood... This audiobook is for you. It is currently estimated that one in five couples have difficulty conceiving. Hepburn’s audiobook, which describes her long and, at times, heartbreaking journey to have a child has been called a cross between Bridget Jones's Diary and Eat Pray Love for the infertile generation.