I figured the best way to uphold the vow to myself to read more was to write down and share what I learn. Below are links to PDF files containing notes on the books I’ve read. These range from illustrated summaries to formal outlines, and cover topics ranging from science and philosophy to poetry and fiction. My hope is that you’ll gain a bit of knowledge, inspiration, and enjoyment from this collection.
Systems Thinking for Social Change: A Practical Guide to Solving Complex Problems, Avoiding Unintended Consequences, and Achieving Lasting Results by David Peter Stroh
My notes on Systems Thinking for Social Change. Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, fiery protests erupted just 10 minutes from where I lived. More than ever before, I was alerted to the systemic prejudices that plague the national psyche and the social problems adjacent to police brutality. I started thinking about the intersectionality of these issues: how concentration of wealth exacerbates societal gaps, unjust policing, and mass incarceration. I’ve started to see myself as a proponent of the change that needs to occur. A friend lent me this book which seemed like it would answer the questions I was asking myself: what needs to change, how, and how in a way that lasts?
How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
My notes on How To Be An Antiracist. While impossible to cover everything I learned from Kendi in this book and foolish even to try and reduce it, I hope to share the pearls of insight I gained as a reader, paint a picture of what it means to be antiracist, and provide some kindling for book club discussion with these notes.
God: A Human History by Reza Aslan
As someone who was raised as a Muslim in a Muslim household in the middle of white, suburban America, I always had questions about religion—its purpose, its origins, its validity. Why did my friends tend to think of god as this old white man with a beard, when I saw god as more of a shapeless force? I remember my self-identification as an atheist being met with gasps from the parents in our Muslim circles. Now, however, I’ve grown to see that religious and spiritual expression is an extension of what it means to be human. This book was instrumental in helping me see religion for what it is. (Reading in progress.)
Misery by Stephen King
Words I Learned From Stephen King’s Misery. As COVID-19 began to reap its toll and corral society into lockdown, I suddenly got an itch for a hysterical thriller. What came to mind was the novels of Stephen King, which I’d fallen off of since a phase in 8th grade. I thought to give this author a long overdue visit and record the (many) words I learned along the way. Misery: a word and title that fit my frame of mind perfectly as I began to realize all my future plans were being warped by the new world. However, I think I’ve made something nice out of it.
Ishmam Ahmed 