By no means am I declaring myself the biggest bookworm there ever was, but I have loved reading from the tender age of four. My favourite gifts have always been books, a little fact that my mother learned early on. I read various versions of several fairy tales growing, leading to the more gory original stories that were told. Many afternoons were spent pretending to enjoy the nap that my parents have declared quite vital to a child's growth, when, truth be told, I would quietly reach for a book I secretly placed under my pillow to read. As a 12 year-old, I was allowed to browse the more "adult" sections of the public library. I reached for Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, as cliche as that might sound. The librarian gave me a funny look when I borrowed it. Why in the world would a pre-teen girl read this book? To be honest, I actually really liked the cover of that particular edition and the title! I mean, Pride and Prejudice. It took a few more reads as I got older for me to grasp the essence of the book, of course. My immature 12 year-old brain knew squat about love. This is why the Harry Potter series were my love affair at this point. The next one could not come soon enough. So you see, books get me rather excited. Very much so. 

Nothing much has changed as I grew older. Except, perhaps, now I do not unfortunately have enough time to read, but of course, once a book lover, always a book lover. I make it a point to read a few books every month. Gone are the days I would greedily finish a book in one day. But I do try. 

Here are some of my favourites from the last year. 

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

After taking an art history course on feminism, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to various female authors, painters, photographers, artists, revolutionaries, musicians, actresses, etc., who have shared their talents in order to spread the word about feminism. Even after I finished the course, I continued to read feminist essays, listen to talks about feminism and learn about feminist art. This all lead me to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's brilliant TEDx talk. This particular talk moved me so much because, as a woman, I have been a recipient of sexist remarks and experiences. I do not know if you identify yourself as a feminist or if you have particular qualms about feminism, but I urge you to watch this TEDx talk. It is concise, brilliant and rather funny. 

From the popularity of her TEDx talk, Adichie published an essay adapted from this particular TEDx talk. Believe me, I almost wanted to highlight every line of this essay. It speaks to me. I was that girl, who had to sit back because a boy was deemed to be a better choice as head of a school project. I was that girl, who was ignored by a salesman because he had assumed the guy with me would pay for my purchases (I was with my brother and though I know he loves me, I highly doubt he is open to pay $200 of dresses). I am that girl, who continually receives comments about my single-hood. When are you getting married? There must be something wrong with you. You need a man! Aren't you scared you'll end up alone? Or childless? So, Valentine's Day must be a sad day for you. This all makes me angry, but I smile through it all and I let you have it, calmly. Because, no, my identity as a woman does not rely on a man putting a ring on it. 

Adichie also points out how boys and girls are raised today and how this impacts the attitude of males and females when they become adults. With witty remarks and funny personal stories, Adichie is able to make her point: that feminism is not solely for the well-being of women, but that men can profit from it as well. She also admits that our beliefs that have been long-standing and so ingrained within us are not necessarily easy to erase, but that we can reverse some of the effects by changing how we raise our children, both boys and girls. Adichie defines feminism simply to avoid getting lost in translation. No, feminism is not about the supremacy of women. It is not about women claiming they are the better sex. It is not about slashing men's faces and burning them at the stake. As Adichie points out, men also suffer from gender inequality, that they also have to face unfair expectations as well. So what is feminism? It is about bringing this inequality to a fair level so that there is no one gender that is better or worse off. 

Thus, I highly recommend this tiny book of just a few pages. Well worth it. 

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Have I created much these past few years? No. I stopped painting. I stopped creating handmade birthday and holiday cards. I barely wrote anymore. My time was spent mostly working in the corporate world, and yes, it is like a newborn baby that demands all your attention. My solution was simplistic actually: I created an Instagram page that featured all my breakfasts. I continued to bake, tried (very simple) food styling and started taking photographs. I have been on/off with blog writing, just because for the longest time I was being too hard on myself. 

Reading Elizabeth Gilbert's Big Magic was an eye-opener. Really. There is something so honest with her writing. She does not hide her failures, she joyfully describes the details of what has not been fruitful in her endeavours. I loved that she not only gave examples from her past experiences, but also shared stories about how others have resolved their creative funk. There is no I-am-better-than-you sound from her tone; she is encouraging and insightful. 

Sometimes, Gilbert sounded like she was a cheerful high school guidance counselor who was giving pep talk and you know what? I really found that refreshing. It gave me the boost I needed to continue with my writing (and now I write at least a line every single day). I brought out my old water colours, sketchpad, the works, so I can start drawing and painting again. Because, as Gilbert points out, what you create does not have to be validated by someone else. All that matters is that the products of your creativity bring you joy. I completely agree. 

Sure, of course I daydream that perhaps one day I will publish something, anything! But that is not my main driver for creating. Gilbert repeats this more than once: Your creativity should not be rooted simply to create for others. It is foolish to do so. 

If you want your creative juices to start flowing and you need some warm character to give you a nudge, please do yourself a favour and read this wonderful book. No regrets. 

Creamy & Crunchy: An Informal History of Peanut Butter, the All-American Food by Jon Krampner

Look, being a vegan who is not allergic to peanuts translates to a peanut butter monster. My mum actually saved some space in one of our cupboards to place all the jars of peanut butter I had "hoarded" (her words, not mine). My luggage has been searched many times over between flights from New York City to Montreal just because I kept on buying jars and jars of different flavoured peanut butter from Whole Foods. No, sir, that is clearly not a jar of peanut butter; that is my underwear. Put it back. There has not been a day I have not had a spoonful of peanut butter. (Okay, perhaps when I travel to Europe I go without but that is just because it is not North America. I cannot find Justin's Squeezepack, can I?) But, you see, when I found this book about peanut butter by Jon Krampner, I just new I had to read it. 

Perhaps, like peanut butter, it is not for everyone. Especially if you are not the type of person who likes history, but truth be told, I quite enjoyed this book. Krampner describes the different types of peanut butter from classic smooth to more adventurous crunchy to far newer forays into creativity involving various flavours. He also points out the different kinds of peanuts that are used to make peanut butter (my favourite is actually Valencia peanut butter, but it is not very popular). Aflatoxin mold was also in the picture, which is unavoidable when narrating peanut butter's history. It sounds scary. It is scary. But I suppose this is a risk I am willing to take. 

There are stories about peanut butter that made me shake my head, some that had me feeling quizzical, others that I simply could understand. All in all, if you love peanut butter and would actually want to know more about its history, from where it first originated to how it came to the American household, you should give this one a go. Now spread some lovin'. 

Spinster: Making a Life of One's Own by Kate Bolick 

Being a 26 year-old single woman, who has "no prospects" in sight means a lot of questioning from the marriage police. It also means a lot of judgments of my character. Why is it that I am the one accused of having a difficult personality? As if wonderful men who are financially stable, responsible, mature with a good sense of humour fall down the sky every minute or so. No, I am not being picky or difficult. I just have not found someone with whom I am willing to share the comforts of my existence. 

Spinster came into my life at a rather angry point and what good timing that was. I really started to feel like there was something wrong with me (and yes, I go through periods of continuous self-questioning and self-doubt), but when I read the words of Kate Bolick, I felt relieved. Here was a woman, who had a man who loved her, but because she was searching for something that felt more right, she left that behind and went on her own journey of self-discovery. Bolick thus starts with her own journey and then expands on the more global experiences of women, both historical and present. She examines the lives of female personas, such as poet Edna St. Vincent Millay and novelist Edith Wharton. Some of these women did get married, other chose a more solitary life. Some of these women enjoyed the company of many lovers, whilst others pined over one. All in all, Spinster gives a good glimpse of the varying journeys of women and that the social norm does not translate to it-works-for-everyone. Because it does not. 

There are women in my family, who either chose not to marry at all or who married later in life because they wanted to focus more on their careers and other passions. Sure, they heard their biological clock ticking, but they reaped more pleasure in seeing the fruits of their hard labour. Love can wait and it did. Bolick describes the progression and somewhat entanglement of her love life, but throughout it all, she braved the snide remarks and the pitiful glances. Ever the single girl. When someone feels sorry for me, I punch this person on the inside. Please do not feel sorry for me. Perhaps you mean well, but this kind of reaction only makes me feel inadequate and insecure. It helps no one. 

Bolick's book helped me cope with the endless questioning of my non-existent relationship and of what, for some people, seem to be a rather dire-looking future. I am fine. I will be fine. With a man or without one. If you are a single girl, especially if you are in your 20s, and feeling very self-conscious and alone, give this one a read. You are not alone.

Enjoy xx

Sylvia Plath photo credit: Playbuzz