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It's a fascinating work of speculative fiction that explores the ideas around systems of self-governance (or lack thereof), written by a brilliant thinker and writer. Some of the passages in this novel are so achingly beautiful they could turn even a salty borderline-nihilist into an idealist - even if only for a few very pretty moments.

I mean. WOW. First of all, yes, Murakami is a renowned writer with his own brand of genius. This Alice-in-Wonderlandish adventure following two lovers into a parallel world is so unconventional and strange, it's hard not to get obsessed with it. It was unpredictable all the way through, an incredible feat. But it also had some huge themes that are part of my own life, so much so that it got a little creepy at times. I'm sad I'm done with it, and I'm so grateful that it exists and that I found my way to it. It's everything a work of fiction should be - disorienting, thought-provoking, addicting, honest, and powerful. You should read this book.

Virginia Woolf is a damned hero. In 1928 she was calling out (in no uncertain terms) the sexism, misogyny, and economic stranglehold under which women have been trying to create for thousands of years. The idea that women need and deserve the same space and support as men in order to do their creative work is still considered a ridiculous notion in most of the world - including the west, where women are emancipated to work their asses off all day and then do the bulk of household work, leaving nothing for themselves and their creative endeavors.

This is a short book, so I razed through it in two days and now I'm burning with indignation and the resolve to make space for myself as a writer who is also a woman.

This book is really like a friend - or mentor. It's practical, no-nonsense, helpful and illustrative. If you're like me, you'll re-read it many times and get something new out of it each time.

I don't usually go in for productivity books, but this book is more about organizing yourself - which, yes, increases productivity - but it also is about staying focused and clear about the things that are important to you. I have a terrible habit of taking on too many things and staying too busy, and then wondering why I don't accomplish the things that are important to me. Having worked in restaurants for several years, many of these tactics resonated with me. I got a lot of inspiration from this book and began implementing it right away. Staying a day ahead in your planning makes a huge difference (and truly helps with anxiety).

I thought it was interesting and some of it was useful to me. The ways in which we overload our body's ability to process whatever trace toxins are in our foods rarely come from fresh produce, though. I do think you can reduce inflammation and lose weight simply by cutting out most processed foods, especially wheat. I appreciated the explanation of how plants defend themselves and it makes sense, but I also don't think most of us are nearly as sensitive as his theory implies. Humans have the ability to digest and extract nutrients from all kinds of sources. But yes, our diet here in the US is unbalanced and we are overtaxing our digestive systems.