The thing I love more than books is sharing the gems I discover with whomever lends an ear. (Mostly Roxane, who has a loooong list to catch up with!)
Here are 3 of my most recent reads which are absolutely worth mentioning.
Greenlights
There are books that alter our way of seeing and approaching life. It was during one of my quasi-weekly Winners visits that I discovered it. A discarded copy of Greenlights, the autobiography of Matthew McConaughey, published in 2020.
Composed by collecting and rereading 35 years of his diaries, this book takes us straight into the head of a man who saw and experienced more things than you can imagine. From his childhood to this day, Matthew shares the most glorious and hardest bits of his life to date through what he calls his “green lights,” which have propelled him in various ways into a life that goes by full speed.
If you find him exceptional for his many cinematic performances, get ready to find him admirable for so much more than that.
Mind & Body
I've been a fan of The School of Life for a while. I was first attracted by their pretty hard covers with minimal design (I'm a graphic designer by trade, remember!) and their intriguing subjects, which led me to read On Being Nice and Sex. Then, The School of life dictionary, which has pretty much become my bible on emotional intelligence.
When I saw Mind & Body, I immediately knew I had discovered our newest treasure. Not only was the design ABSOLUTELY on brand with flambette’s, its subject went hand in hand with the mission of our company; a healthy balance between body and mind. We NEEDED it.
I wasn’t going to only add it to our book selection. I had to devour it, so I grabbed a copy as soon as we received our order. It has now been living on my nightstand for a few months.
The book offers and demonstrates physical exercises to improve our mental state and its counterpart; mental exercises to help our physical state. All this, with the aim of achieving a balance between these two parts which coexist every day and forever; the body and the mind.
If you thought starting a pillow fight was purely childish and futile, think again. The School of Life explains in a skillful and in-depth manner why such an exercise is beneficial for the mind. Just like walking in the rain or simply lying on the grass.
Elle r'viendra pas, Camille
I laughed. I also cried. As a mother of a little boy with a personal mission to raise a respectful man with a healthy emotional awareness (like not telling him that crying is just for girls!), I'm always on the lookout for books that allow me into the heads of men who are not afraid to talk about their emotions (Hello, Jonathan Roberge!).
I already had a feeling that the comedian Guillaume Pineault was one of them. Reading this book confirmed my theory.
In Elle r'viendra pas, Camille, we revisit all of Guillaume's love stories, starting with the first woman of his life; his mom. Each chapter, written in chronological order, tells his story with a different woman and how she impacted his life.
It is with great humility, humanity and perfectly humorous writing that we go through the life of a boy who discovers playboys, then girls and flirtations, then girlfriends, then sex then love. with a capital L. Through all of this, he also uncovers the challenges of romantic relationships, the mistakes, the heartbreaks and the pals who will always be there when you need ‘em. It's beautiful. It's raw. It's true. And it feels good. Plus, the layout is beautiful. What more could you want?
I hope that these few suggestions will make you want to bundle up in a big blanket this fall to delve into the pages of a good book. Free therapy (or almost!).
