It’s book review day! You could say that Aidan and I started to get into a groove in June just from the sheer number of books I was able to listen to this month versus over two months when he was first born. :).

This first book I really looked into only after seeing a trailer for a movie based on it and wanting to see the movie.

Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands. 

In 1962, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and created a company with a simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost athletic shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his lime-green Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed $8,000 his first year. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In an age of start-ups, Nike is the ne plus ultra of all start-ups, and the swoosh has become a revolutionary, globe-spanning icon, one of the most ubiquitous and recognizable symbols in the world today. 

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, in a memoir that is candid, humble, gutsy, and wry, he tells his story, beginning with his crossroads moment. At 24, after backpacking around the world, he decided to take the unconventional path to start his own business – a business that would be dynamic, different. 

Knight details the many risks and daunting setbacks that stood between him and his dream – along with his early triumphs. Above all, he recalls the formative relationships with his first partners and employees, a ragtag group of misfits and seekers who became a tight-knit band of brothers. Together, harnessing the transcendent power of a shared mission and a deep belief in the spirit of sport, they built a brand that changed everything.

I love a good memoir. Lifting the veil on someone’s life and engrossing myself in another person’s journey is just particularly fascinating for me. And this combined with a business book was just simply fascinating.

What really was alarming and such a nice surprise was how wonderful a writer Phil Knight is in this book. His descriptions of his runs, to business dealings was so well done and interesting.

Now I can officially see the new Nike based movie with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (two of my favs!)

After Shoe Dog, I decided to pick a book that everyone has raved about this year…

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late. 

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Like so many of you before me, I loved this one. I love a story where individual characters that seemingly have nothing to do with each other somehow become woven together. And I just simply loved that dang octopus. It was a relatively easy “read”/listen. The characters were easy to keep straight and I found the story easy to follow and engaging as well. This book was my type of “beach read.” A little more meat to the story but sweet. This book was worth the hype, in my opinion.

And I ended the month finishing up…

The 5 Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell

You know you love your child. But how can you make sure your child knows it?

The #1 New York Times bestselling The 5 Love Languages® has helped millions of couples learn the secret to building a love that lasts. Now discover how to speak your child’s love language in a way that he or she understands. Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell help you: 

• Discover your child’s love language
• Assist your child in successful learning
• Use the love languages to correct and discipline more effectively
• Build a foundation of unconditional love for your child

Plus: Find dozens of tips for practical ways to speak your child’s love language. 

Discover your child’s primary language—then speak it—and you will be well on your way to a stronger relationship with your flourishing child.

Pretty much everyone has heard of or read the Five Languages book for couples/adults, myself included. I thought I’d listen to this version regarding showing love for our children to see if there were any helpful tips. I’ve been trying to pin down for years what I think Harrison and Jonathan’s love language is for each of them. While I think I have a pretty good hunch for Harrison, Jonathan is still a bit of a mystery sometimes for me. I think I know….but then I’ll question myself. :). I like this concept of the five love languages, and I enjoyed the practical examples in the book. I listened to the whole book in a couple of days, so it went super quick!

What has been your latest favorite book? What do I need to add to my reading list??

My 2023 Books:

• January:
  • Hunt, Gather, Parent by Michaeleen Doucleff
  • Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey
• March:
  • The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
  • Spare by Prince Harry
  • Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi
  • The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
• March/April:
  • The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
  • Cribsheet by Emily Oster