Page 33 - Dainfern Precinct Living 7 2021

BOOK REVIEWS

3. The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Now obviously, that is not the author's real name. It was a name given to her by
Native American elders and means one who likes to push the edge and can help
others to do the same. The best way to describe this book is to give you a tiny
taste of it.

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are. I want to know if you will risk looking like a
fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon. I want to know if you
have touched the centre of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life's
betrayals or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain! I want to
know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it,
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with
wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without
cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

The book starts with this poem, of which there are seven more stanzas, each one
as profound as the previous. They are unpacked further in the chapters that follow.
This book is real, raw, unfiltered, practical, complex, honest and beautiful.

4. Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Maya Angelou said, "Everyone who can read should read this book." Enough said.

This is not an easy read. The author's writing style is very rich and mature, much
like the feeling you get when indulging in a beautifully cooked lamb shank with a
velvety red wine jus. It is a remarkable book though.

She unpacks and rewrites fables and folklores that different cultures have kept
alive over generations, through storytelling to their children and grandchildren.
Many of these stories, heard in our younger years, are so entrenched in our belief
system that they have become a part of who we are. What I have found most
intriguing is how these stories have dictated the way we view women, love and
power. Just think of all the old Disney princess movies.

So, if you have the appetite for magic
and medicine, this one is a must!

5. Educated by Tara Westover
This is an extraordinary memoir
of the life of a girl, born in rural
Idaho, to parents who, for lack of a
better description, were doomsdays
prophets. They believed the FBI and
government were watching their every
move. They refused to send their
children to school, get medical care
or associate with people who were
not stockpiling food for the coming
end-of-days. As shocking and sad as
her story is, she compensates for it There are so many incredibly talented female
with her exquisite writing style. This authors. Jane Austin, Chimamanda Adichie,
book will appeal to anyone who has Margaret Atwood, Charlotte Bronte, just to
experienced any form of childhood name a few. Let's celebrate the diversity and
trauma (so basically everyone). creativity they and all women bring to the
world.
It is not a sad book per se, but
rather an astonishing account of Happy Women's Month!
how far a person can come and
what they can accomplish despite Contact Michelle via her website for
an imperfect upbringing. This one coaching and well-being resources –
is for the bubble bath! michellelraymond.com
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