Issue #13: I will not judge you by your bookshelf (at least I’ll try)

If the last two issues were a reflection of my sometimes-dormant but very much existent obsession with aviation, this thoughtpiece is a reflection of my obsession with words. I’m always writing which is why I carry a notebook around a lot, and before I was a writer, I was a reader. I’ve been a bookworm all my life - I’ve loved books even before I could read and was blessed with a family that read books together.

Here are this week’s reads! Go through to the end for one of my favorite music pieces 🎶

Language vs. Reality: Why Language is Good for Lawyers and Bad for Scientists - N. J. Enfield

The description for the book goes like this: “A fascinating examination of how we are both played by language and made by language: the science underlying the bugs and features of humankind's greatest invention.”

I’m only a third of the way through but I’m already seeing the implications of each chapter’s takeaways. The book is less about people who are lawyers or scientists for a living, and more about the lawyer and scientist in us - our daily interactions in which we search for the truth like scientists and persuade by presenting the truth like lawyers. One chapter, for example, starts by showing how English construction (subject-verb-object) versus Japanese construction (subject-object-verb) affects the perceived amount of agency a person has in an accident. An English speaker would say “She knocked the vase over” while a Japanese person would say “The vase got knocked over.” The author proceeds to make the case that different languages portray and construct reality differently. The more we know this, the more we can be enabled and not imprisoned by language as a tool.

The book makes heavy use of examples from all kinds of languages, from widely known ones like German and English, to less popular ones like Kri in Laos. Observing how language plays out reminds me of why I read actual books instead of trying to get the summary.

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf - Grant Snider

The thoughtful and delightfully creative artwork of Grant Snider never disappoints. I bought this book in Spanish (Lo Que Tu Biblioteca Dice De Ti…) and am relishing each comics’ nuggets and profound message.

I’m genuinely interested in people and prefer to celebrate that people read at all, which is why I don’t judge people by their book preferences (at least I try…) People have asked me why I visit people (like professors) just to have chats, and my only answer is “Because it’s fun?” I do believe that you learn a lot about a person and what they think when you ask for book recommendations and see what’s on their shelf.

Here’s one of my favorite comics. That stage 6 is real.

You can check out the rest of Grant Snider’s work here.

Music of Note: Little Voice by Sara Bareilles

This short but sweet single by one of my favorite artists of all time stumbled into my life on a day that I was feeling down and needed it most. For people who feel like they haven’t been good enough and who turn to the arts to express what they want to say, it’s an anthem of hope. In this video she plays live, with the raw energy and humble strength of someone who has struggled and overcome.

Somehow reminiscent of its emotion, the song itself wasn’t considered good enough for Sara Bareilles’ breakout album. That’s right, the Little Voice album (which features popular songs like Love Song and Gravity) does not have the titular song that inspired it.

Here’s the song on Spotify:

And here’s a link to every song I’ve recommended on the newsletter:

See you next week, and happy reading!

-Isa