Reading Recommendations- Anatomy DORKS

We try to keep your bookshelves lively in our reading recommendations with a wide span of categories to tickle parts of your brain that help you imagine, escape or emote. This round however we are unleashing our love of anatomy reads. There are so so many great books on this subject but here are a few of our favorites!

Image from Albinus on Anatomy

Albinus on Anatomy: If you have stretched at the ladder barrel and discussed the deep front line while doing so, you too already love this book. 

Anatomy of Movement: This book gives excellent movement and imagery that help you understand the anatomy from a more somatic perspective.

Netter's: This is a serious amatomy book for great, detailed anatomical drawings.

Anatomy Trains: You may have been hearing a lot about fascia in the last few years. This book breaks down anatomy from the lens of how the fascia interacts with the body. This is a different understanding than your average muscle and bone understanding.

Anatomy Coloring Book: For the visual learners out there, this is a really great workbook that is only a slight step away from a color by number.

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A Wild Swan By Michael Cunningham

The New York Times Magazine recently ran this short story by Michael Cunningham while featuring metamorphosis as the Culture Issue theme. 

CreditIllustration by Yuko Shimizu from The New York Times Magazine Website. 

Buy his newest book of short stories, including this beautiful tale! 

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Stretching....?

There are some current approaches and research coming out about stretching that have us contemplating order, sequencing, why we stretch, how we stretch, when we stretch, and what's actually stretching. Some of this information is new and some of it has been around for a long time but doesn't seem to make it to the forefront of the conversation quick enough. 

Here are a few good reads to help you inform your practice!

You think you are stretching your muscles but perhaps you are stretching your mind. Check out this breaking muscle post from Brooke Thomas of The Liberated Body. 

Staying with Brooke for a moment, she interviews Jules Mitchell here (check the show notes or listen to the whole podcast).

Just in case you don't believe it until it's written in the Times :) - Here is a recent Times article discussing two studies about static stretching.

Sometimes the sensation to need to stretch is leading you in the wrong direction. That longing to make length might mean you have a firing pattern that needs addressing or some group of muscles is already being stretched too much. Here is a clearly articulated example from Dr. Kathy Dooley of Dooley Noted. 

Are tight muscles short muscles? This article by Yoga Dork breaks down misconceptions in strengthening vs stretching. Follow up the first read with another Yoga Dork post, Stretching Is In Your Brain.

This subject goes on and on and we love to share! Check out the #stretching tag for all related posts. 

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Reading Recommendations -- Celebrating nature in novels

There is something in the air in early fall, a sense that anything is possible and life should be lived a bit more deeply for a while. I think it might the impending cold weather. Or maybe it is the relief from the hot hot heat of summer. It could also be that after years of living on a public school schedule, my subconscious gets geared up for projects and deadlines this time of year. Whatever it is, exploring in the fall is one of my most favorite things. Nature is fascinating all year around, but I think about it most in fall and want to be out in it most in fall.

These books are all excellent "put on a sweater, grab a coffee, and go sit in the park" reads. Nature is a central theme of all of these titles, but each one explores and presents it in different ways. Enjoy these warm/cool days and take some time for yourself!

Little, Big by John Crowley

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill

The Orchardist by Amanda Coplin

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Love, Life & Elephants by Dame Daphne Sheldrick

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OVERWORK

There have been some great reads, podcasts and contemplation about the culture of overwork recently. We all feel it in our lives and we see the physical affects of overwork in the studio all the time.  Here are few standouts for your reading pleasure. 

NY Times Article by Claire Cain Miller addressing 24/7 work expectations intersections with families and equality across genders. 

Josh Kruda Podcast - How to Get Things Done Without Being Busy

Yoga Dork post by J Brown discussing how hard it is to unplug and feeling stuck not able to do so. 

NY Times  recent article about Amazon by Jodi Kantor and David Streitfeld addresses how over work is a culture and sometimes it's very hard to leave. 

NY Times Opinion piece by Arthor Brooks that touches on the more is better mentality as it relates to promotions. 

NY Times Op-ED piece by Adam Grant discussing the decline of friendships in the work place and it's affect on the workplace. 

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Reading list for your Gut

Do you love to eat?  Do you love your gut? Your viscera? Think about where your food comes from and how that affects you? How it affects your physical performance, your emotional balance, your cognitive ability? Do you feed your gut things that not only nourish your entire body but keep your gut specifically healthy as well?

The more we learn about digestion, nutrition, alkalinity, food sourcing, food preparation and gut bacteria, the more we want to know. We love to read about this aspect of our health! Like movement we don't subscribe to the idea that one approach works for every individual body. We believe we are as unique in our needs for nourishment as we are in our ways of moving.  Also our viscera, internal body and digestion change just like the rest of our body. What used to make you feel great might not work so well anymore. Bottom line -- everyone has the right to make well informed, nourishing food choices that make them feel wonderful! There are two different discussions going on right now- one about food industry and sourcing and another about microflora. In our eyes, taking in all this information, they belong in the same room as they affect our internal balance and gut health. None of these are provided to turn you into an internet doctor about your gut! 

Here's a list of books, podcasts and articles we've been influenced by in understanding what we eat, why we eat it and how it affects both worlds -the one inside us and the one that holds us.  

Books:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell a cookbook that is so much more than just recipes! Based on the research of Dr. Weston Price Morell gives the science of why we need nutrient dense food, what that means and how to cook with nutrient density as the leading principle. 

Omnivore's Delimma  by Michael Pollan. Couple this with the Podcast from Joel Salatin below to consider your food sourcing. 

The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates. This book is geared towards candida sufferers. The guidelines are a hard transition from a traditional American diet and not for everyone. What enjoy using it for reference for things like alkalinity, expanding vs. contracting foods and how to incorporate fermented foods into your diet. 

Articles:

There are tons of reads available. Two key starting points are learning about the existence of your enteric nervous system and the many affects of your gut flora. Both of which science is still understanding. From there it makes sense to think deeper about how food affects not only your physical performance but endless aspects of your internal landscape. 

Here is a starter on understanding your enteric nervous system.

The microflora that live in your gut do things like affect your mood. 

Michael Pollan has a slew of articles on his site. 

Breaking Muscle interviews Sally Fallon Morell about her dietary recommendations and how they work for athletes. 

Websites:

Check out Megan Kimble's site and her book. She took a challenge to eat totally unprocessed for a year and quickly found that definition is a slippery slope. Processed food is also deeply woven into our social interactions and culture. Making choices for your gut can be isolating. 

The Weston A. Price Foundation, a non profit organization for nutrient dense foods. Set aside a weekend to dig into this site and realize you only skimmed the surface. 

Some recipe inspirations from The Body Ecology website. 

Podcasts:

This Bulletproof Executive podcast with Joel Salatin deeply affected how we think about pasture raised and why it matters to your internal balance and physical performance.

Here is an interview with Sally Fallon Morell discussing Paleo and traditional culture diets. Get ready to hear about organ meats, liver consumption and vitamin sources. When you are ready to expand your tastes for nutrition and not just what tastes good- this could be a stepping stone. 

Movies:

King Corn. Understand corn subsidy and how corn makes it's way into a syrup form as well as almost every food processed food you dare to eat.

Fed Up unpacks the development of the food industry, how processed food affects your body and how that manifests in childhood obesity, food addiction and the changing landscape of disease in our country. 

Want to get in a step further? Take a butchery or sustainable cooking class. We had a great experience at Craft Butchery in Westport. We navigated through some of the confusing language found in food labeling today while we learned how to appreciate the art of butchery. Slow U. from Slow Food New York City has a ton of events from lectures to classes. 

Things on our to check out next list!

 Excited to read this book by Giulia Enders cataloging her personal experiences with healing and her gut.

That Sugar Film with Damon Gameau. Damon investigates sugar "Super Size Me" style

The Art of Fermentation by Sando Elix Katz

The Weston A. Price Foundation's resource list is a gold mine of options.

The Heal Your Gut Cookbook: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Intestinal Health Using the GAPS Diet  By Hilary Boynton and Mary Brackett

Nourishing Broth: An Old Fashioned Remedy for a Modern World  by Sally Fallon Morrell and Kaayla T. Daniel

Polyface Farms has a reading list we are dying to get deeper into posted here. 

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Reading Recommendations -- Fantasy as a Summer Escape

In the dog days of summer, escape is on everyone's minds. Are you eagerly awaiting that vacation in August, or desperately trying to think of things to do to forget that there are no vacations on the horizon? Are you just trying to beat the intense city heat in whatever way you can? Whatever it is that you are trying to escape from or take your mind of off, these books are here to help.

Fantasy is not for everyone, but it is also so much more than you might imagine. Its rep has gotten significantly better over the years with Harry Potter, The Lord of The Rings and Game of Thrones making their way into popular culture. Not to knock those books or their screen adaptations, but if that is all you know about fantasy (and you dig it) this list is perfect for you. And since there is just so much fantasy in the world, this list is good for all you die hards out there too. So go buy a new book at your local bookstore and begin your escape today!

The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
A classic. The world Ms. Le Guin creates is nothing short of perfect. This book, and the subsequent books of the series, are forever in my top 10 best books of all time. (I had to cheat long ago and count series as one cuz there are so many amazing books in the world!)

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
A rare stand-alone in a world dominated by series, this novel taps into the mysteries of London and what it really means to experience and be a part of life. London below is both terrifying and captivating.

Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country by Rosalind Miles
A list of must-read fantasy novels is not complete without at least one Arthurian legend retelling. This is the first book in a series of three which approaches this classic topic from the perspective of Guenevere, casting her as the heroine pitted against an evil Morgan Le Fay.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Talking polar bears, witches, gypsies, a journey to the icy north, parallel universes and animal companion "deamons", a physical manifestation of a persons inner being. Intrigued yet? This is just the beginning of a complex and compelling series. Don't bother watching the movie adaptation though.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherine M. Valente
Complex and quirky, each page of this novel is a riot of words and descriptions. Valente adds a darkness to her fantasy writing that is really genuine and beautiful. She takes "the tropes of fairy takes and quests and folklore and portal fantasy and old school children's books" and adds "complexity" and "emotional crunchiness"

The Witch's Boy by Kelly Barnhill
A lovely and lyrical novel about the importance of words and friendship. Barnhill weaves classic fairytale elements with excellent writing and a few good ole twists. It is one of those beautiful novels that just stays with you!

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Another must have on any great fantasy book list would have to be a tale about dragons. Anne McCaffrey is the dragon tale queen. Telepathic dragons, time travel, love and a strong female protagonist...what more can you ask for really?!

Mermaid in Chelsea Creek by Michelle Tea
Set in the not so idyllic town of Chelsea, Mass. this book about a "radical Polish mermaid" will give you a new appreciation for pigeons. It is grimy and grungy and beautiful!

**If you are in a bookstore and cannot find one of these titles, take yourself on over to the kids section and see if it is there. Some of the titles were originally written for kids, but that is one of the beauties of fantasy, and books in general. If the writing is good and the story is compelling who cares if the protagonist is 16 or 60. I strongly advocate not reading for or to your age so I do not make distinctions between intended age ranges for books.

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Reading Recommendations -- Hibernation Reads

In search of a story so compelling that you will not be able to put it down? Be careful what you wish for, and also plan ahead! Set these aside for extremely cold weekends, where going out just seems impossible, or those glorious and elusive snow days, when you do not have to work from home. Winter is rough people. Indulge in a little you time with a good book! 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman is a masterful writer of fantasy, always rooting his work in worlds that feel so real that you immediately suspend your disbelief. If you are already a fan, this book will not disappoint. If you have never read any of his work and are wondering what all the hoopla is about, this will make a lovely introduction. 

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson

There is something so compelling, calm and sparse about this novella set in the American west in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The story follows one Robert Grainier through a life of travel, adventure, love, sorrow, and solitude. Exquisite writing and some moments of laugh out loud humor make for a perfect read-it-in-one-afternoon book.

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

Best know for his epic, genre-spanning novel, Cloud Atlas, Black Swan Green contains all the best parts of Mitchell's writing style in a less ostentatious package. The story chronicles one year in the life of thirteen year old Jason Taylor. It is a painfully accurate portrait of youth with all of it's secret trials and tribulations. 

Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood & the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright

Need some nonfiction in your life? Perhaps you think of all nonfiction as dry and without compelling narrative. This is the book that will change your mind. There are so many fascinating things to know about in the world. Why not start with one of the most controversial religious movements of the 20th century!

The Terrible Thing that Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne

Set aside all of your silly preconceived notions about children's literature and do yourself a huge favor. Read this book. The moral of the story is simple: never be ashamed of who you are and don't judge others for being who they are. This seems to be a moral we could all stand to be reminded of. Zany characters and charmingly off-kilter adventures might put you in mind of those Roald Dahl stories you could not put down as a kid!

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Reading Recommendations -- Picture Book Edition!

In honor of Picture Book Month (November of every year), and because I am sure your Christmas list includes one or two wee ones, here is a list of ten of my most favorite picture books. Some are classics and some are well on their way. They all have lovely illustrations and stories that endear them to both kids and adults. There are thousands of amazing picture books in the world so narrowing down to ten is a practically impossible task. It is only made possible when I remind myself that discovering one new book you love opens the door to hundreds more. Use this list as a jumping off point. Go to your local bookstore. Read. Explore!

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish with illustrations by Fritz Siebel

Generations have fallen in love with this literal-minded maid and her antics. Amelia turned 50 in 2013, and an anniversary edition, with original illustrations, was published to celebrate. You will find some tidbits on the evolution of Ameila in the back! 

Hooray for Hats by Brian Won

A new picture book about being grumpy and having good friends, this book is perfect for story tellers who aren't afraid to do a few voices when reading aloud. Hat lovers young and old can unite under a new book-inspired slogan. "If you are grumpy, find some friends, put on some hats and get happy!"

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

It is almost impossible to select Barbara Cooney's "best" picture book. A prolific writer and illustrator, Ms. Cooney's picture books speak of a bygone age that still resonates today. Miss Rumphius is her most autobiographical picture book. With the message of making the world a more beautiful place and a less than typical female protagonist (especially for the time period), this book is undeniably lovely!  

Harold and The Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson 

The ultimate book of imagination, Harold is just a boy with a big purple crayon who goes on the most wonderful adventures. In this, the first of his many explorations, Harold goes for a walk with his trusty crayon, drawing himself into and out of the most lovely and kid adored situations. In the end, he just wants to find his way back home so he can draw himself in to bed and get some sleep. A sentiment that kids and adults can both relate to!

If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano with illustrations by Erin E. Stead

I do not know about you, but I have always wanted to see a whale -- a wish I believe is shared by pretty much everyone, however subconsciously. This book gives some pretty excellent suggestions for seeing one of these creatures of the deep, with amazing illustrations to boot. One of those new but already classics for me, If You Want to See a Whale has everything that makes picture books great -- wit, whimsy, a touch of humor, and compelling pictures that kids love (adults might love even more).  

A Near Thing for Captain Najork by Russell Hoban with illustrations by Quentin Blake

With an outlandish adventure, tongue twisting text, and illustrations by Roald Dahl collaborator Quentin Blake, this book is all around wonderful. It has the underestimated but highly important quality of being entertaining even after many many bedtime reading sessions.  

Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran with illustrations by Barbara Cooney

Celebrating the ingenuity of imagination, Roxaboxen tells the true story of a "town", built out of stones, old crates and broken glass, in the desert of Arizona. Brought to life by beautiful illustrations and simple text, the author was inspired by stories told to her by her mother, aunts and other children who grew up in Yuma in the early 1900's. 

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant with illustrations by Stephen Gammell

Drawing on her childhood in Appalachia, many of Cynthia Rylant's books are about the bonds of family. In this winsome tale, the relatives pile in their car once a year and drive hours for an extended visit. From the hugging to the eating to the way a house sounds different with so many extra people breathing in it at night, The Relatives Came tells a funny and loving story. The humorous details in each illustration make it a treat to read over and over!

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

When I was young this book was nothing short of magic to me. The story begins early in the morning, as a family gets in it's car for a trip to the city. But, as the title implies, this is a tale of the entire trip, including the return home. What you think is the end is not because you turn the book upside down to experience the drive home. The illustrations are ingenious! What were bushes by the sea on their way to the city are fireworks going off on the way home and so on. You really have to read it to get the full effect! 

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Phillip C. Stead with illustrations by Erin E. Stead

Winner of the 2011 Caldecott medal, this is the story of Amos McGee who works at the city zoo. He is an excellent friend to all of the animals there, and when he gets stuck at home with a cold, they prove to him what excellent friends they are in return. Who doesn't love a chess playing elephant and a shy penguin, illustrated in Erin E. Stead's signature style. It is a sweet and thoughtful story, with animals!

Awesome Dallas Clayton

Dallas Clayton shares ideas, images, inspiration and thoughtfulness with children, through his Awesome Books, and with adults, via his blog and social media presence. You may have stumbled across Dallas Clayton's work on Instagram or at a book store.  He has contributed his positive heart and endless imagination to book tours across the states visiting elementary schools, hospitals or book stores to do readings and have super fun events for children.  His books are some of our favorites and we tend to give them out to new mothers right and left.  He creates beautiful and hilarious drawings that kids adore as well as lovely, tear-jerking poetics adults love.  We have known Dallas for as many years as we've known each other.  He has always been creating, putting on shows, inspiring and making people happy and we are still so excited to see what he will come up with next.  Check out his Awesome Books and his Blog and have FUN!

Image from 'An Awesome Book Of Thanks!'

Image from 'An Awesome Book!'

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