What Caught My Eye Online #40

Being brave, bookish podcasts, fall reads, and more

Photo by Christopher Lowe on Unsplash

Welcome to this week’s roundup!

In these weekly posts, I've been listing a few things I loved that week before getting to the links, but I wanted to share something different today, hoping it might help someone.

The thing I loved this week was being brave. Last Friday, I stopped by a drive-up coffee stand to get some breakfast. I didn't realize it before I ordered, but bees were flying everywhere, and a couple nearly ended up in my car. This situation would have sent me spiraling before, but not anymore.

For most of my life, I lived with a pretty severe phobia of bees and wasps. By the time I was in my early 20s, it got to a point where it was affecting my daily life in the spring and summer seasons. I would start dreading spring as soon as it was January. One summer afternoon, I wanted to go to a coffee shop to read, but I chose to stay home because I was too afraid to walk from my front door to my car parked on the street in front of my house. That's when I knew I needed to get help, and so I did.

I was only working part-time then and had no insurance, so I knew affording therapy wasn't an option. I had a friend ask their therapist what options I had, and she recommended a local place that charged based on income. After a handful of affordable sessions, I spent the entire therapy hour outside at a nearby park and was okay. My therapist even got an old wasp's nest off her porch, brought it in, and asked me to hold it in my hands, which I did. Those few sessions changed my life. I still don't like bees and wasps, but they no longer keep me from living.

I tell you all of this because it's good to celebrate your own courage, but also because phobias affect a lot of people and are an essential part of the conversation about mental health. If you're struggling with a phobia, reach out and ask what help is available to you. You might be surprised at what's accessible. It could change your life like it did mine.

And now, links!

• Author and librarian Kelly Jensen has been an essential voice in the fight against book bans. She recently talked with Publishers Weekly about censorship and the current book ban movement.

• You can also read the Jensen article in the online version of PW’s September issue, which focuses on the freedom to read.

• If you’re looking for a bookish podcast, here are 50 to check out. What Should I Read Next? is my favorite.

• ‘Tis the season for dark academia books. Here are 20 recommendations from Modern Mrs. Darcy, and here are 20 more campus novels.

• I like this Atlantic piece about how people use their Notes app. I use mine for many things, but tracking my favorite things throughout the year is the best. I have categories you’d expect, like albums and TV shows, but I also have moments, meals, accomplishments, and conversations. Jotting down those memories and revisiting them later brings me so much joy.

• The Baby-Sitters Club books were a huge part of my childhood and helped shape the reader I am today. The BSC author, Ann M. Martin, recently talked with People about her thoughts on the series and where the characters would be today.

• Lit Hub offers up the ultimate fall 2024 reading list featuring 78 titles.

• I’ve never read a book set in Croatia, but Electric Lit suggests 10 of them.

• I clicked on this book list so fast: 10 thrilling books about women on the verge. Yes, please. I was pleasantly surprised to have already read most of the titles.

• Here are 63 reading recommendations for every fall reading vibe.

• Kayla from the YouTube channel BooksandLala posted a video in which she read one book from each Goodreads Choice Awards category. The video is nine months old, but I just watched and loved it. I have very different reading tastes than Kayla, but I like how she reviews and explains books. Plus, her interest in horror and fantasy help me better understand what’s popular in those genres.

• I always appreciate the insight and thoughtfulness of Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers, the hosts of Pantsuit Politics. Here they discuss the Harris-Trump presidential debate. I always learn something from this show and highly recommend it if you want political commentary focused on truth and how the law applies. (Both hosts have legal backgrounds.)

• Anne Lamott shares her thoughts on getting older.

• The Cut takes us into the closets of 15 stylish people.

• As someone with matching spice jars organized alphabetically, I appreciated this look at Anne Bogel’s favorite spices and seasoning blends.

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What’s caught your eye lately? Do you have thoughts on what I shared here? Thanks for reading!