How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
Our attention is a precious and limited resource, and we must be intentional about how we use it. Jenny Odell inspires us to resist the narrative of 24/7 productivity, find meaning, and undertake what we actually want to do in the world.
House of Sticks by Ly Tran
A striking memoir and coming-of-age story by debut author Ly Tran about being a Vietnamese girl trying to honor her parents’ culture and faith, survive as a resettled immigrant family, and find her place and voice in her new home.
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
A homeless and pregnant 16-year-old girl wanders into the life of two neighbors who are dealing with their own recent tragedies. This atmospheric mystery is, at its core, a reflection on loss and redemption, anger and forgiveness, and what it means to help each other move forward.
5 QUESTIONS: FORMER FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ANN ZADEH
Tell us a little bit about yourself — anything you think readers might want to know? Presently I am recovering from seven years of serving as the Fort Worth Council representative for District 9. But in doing so, I am enjoying getting back to more personal pursuits like yoga and Pilates and family but also continuing to focus on many things I am passionate about in our city: land use, public transit, safe streets, and community engagement.
Do you tend to read more for pleasure or for learning/information, and where do you tend to find out about books you want to read? I have to admit my reading is mainly for learning and information. I try to sprinkle in a few things for pleasure once in a while, but there is so much to learn, that’s difficult. I am an avid listener of NPR/KERA, and many of the books I read come from suggestions and interviews there. Another source is a couple of podcasts I listen to regularly called “Talking Headways” and “The War on Cars.”
What role do you think books play in society? I think books play a very important role in society. Information and education are vital tools for growth and quality of life. Books (in all their forms) provide that information and education to anyone who wishes to expand their horizons. And as a lover of libraries and bookshops, I enjoy utilizing those resources and interacting with others in the community.
Would you ever want to write a book yourself? I haven’t really thought about it before … I’ve written and edited articles for publications in my area of expertise, and that might be the extent of my commitment to writing myself. My son, Michael, recently graduated from college with a double major in English and chemistry, and he really enjoys writing, including poetry. I think he’s the writer in our family.
What’s a book you’ve read recently that you would recommend and why? Two that I have read recently are both solidly in the category of learning and information — Right of Way: Race, Class and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America by Angie Schmitt and Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives by Jarrett Walker. In an effort to not always read about urban planning, I picked up How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell off the shelf at Leaves and found that the author had been an artist-in-residence at the San Francisco Planning Department. So even when I try to steer to other topics, I find my urban planning-minded people.
