2020 Book Club Selections

Welcome to the UPLIFTing Book Club...a take-what-you need format to explore a variety of books in a calendar year. For 2020, the second year of Book Club, I have compiled a new list filled with some great reads.

Why should you read-along?

Reading helps to develop the mind and reading a variety of subjects helps to develop a broad perspective of the world around you. There is no meet-up or time commitment (other than reading the book). If you'd like, you can join the UPLIFT Community Facebook Group where you can share any thoughts, feelings, insights, etc. along with others each month.

What is a "take what you need" book club?

I publish the full book selection list in January so you can review and choose what you want to read. Each month focuses on a different topic so the entire year offers something for each facet of your life helping you become the healthiest, well-rounded version of yourself. You can read the selections whenever you want, however, I have organized them by month and each month has a theme that aligns with the astrological House for that month.

What are the monthly themes and book selections?

The monthly themes are based on the astrological Houses for each month and how they generally overlap the calendar. "When planets visit a house, they light up that part of your chart, and energize that house’s traits." (AstroTwins article) The AstroTwins outline, with brevity, the 12 Houses and traits. I am not an astrological expert, but I do believe in how it works, so I used the Houses as the basis for the themes. Reading about a topic that is in line with the House for a particular month helps you get more energy into that process.

Below I outline each month, which Sign generally rules, the theme, keywords and the book selection:

JANUARY

Sign: Capricorn

Theme: Career + Productivity

Keywords: Career, long-term goals, structure, status, reputation, public image, masculinity, men, fathers, experts, fame

2020 Book Selection: Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life

Author: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Read more about this book

FEBRUARY

Sign: Aquarius

Theme: Community + Collaboration

Keywords: Groups, friends, social awareness, humanitarianism, technology, hopes, wishes, the future

2020 Book Selection: The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters

Author: Priya Parker

Read more about this book

MARCH

Sign: Pisces

Theme: Spirituality + Feeling

Keywords: Endings, healing, closure, spirituality, solitude, karma, old age, the afterlife, what's hidden, limiting beliefs, subconscious

2020 Book Selection: One Day My Soul Just Opened Up

Author: Iyanla Vanzant

Read more about this book

APRIL

Sign: Aries

Theme: Leadership + New Beginnings

Keywords: Self, appearance, beginnings, the body, first impressions, attitude, identity, approach to life

2020 Book Selection: Rise Sister Rise: a guide to unleashing the wise, wild woman within

Author: Rebecca Campbell

Read more about this book

MAY

Sign: Taurus

Theme: Finances

Keywords: Money, work, income, daily routines,values, material possessions, priorities, habits, your job and work ethic

2020 Book Selection: You Are A Badass At Making Money

Author: Jen Sincero

Read more about this book

JUNE

Sign: Gemini

Theme: Clear Communication

Keywords: The mind/thinking, communication, siblings, social activity/interests, neighbors, early education

2020 Book Selection: Seven Thousand Ways To Listen

Author: Mark Nepo

Read more about this book

JULY

Sign: Cancer

Theme: Home + Family

Keywords: Home, Roots, Family, Self-Care, emotions, foundations, mother, children, women, femininity

2020 Book Selection: Raising Good Humans: a mindful guide to breaking the cycle of reactive parenting and raising kind, confident kids

Author: Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE

Read more about this book

AUGUST

Sign: Leo

Theme: Adventure + Play

Keywords: Romance, love affairs, play, creativity, fertility, childlike spirit, joy, self-expression, drama

2020 Book Selection: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Author: Cheryl Strayed

Read more about this book

SEPTEMBER

Sign: Virgo

Theme: Health + Vitality

Keywords: Health, fitness, systems, analytical nature, pets, work habits, organization, sense of usefulness, service given

2020 Book Selection: The Hormone Cure

Author: Sara Gottfried, MD

Read more about this book

OCTOBER

Sign: Libra

Theme: Love & Relationships / Sensuality &

Sexuality

Keywords: Relationships, marriage, contracts, business partners, equality, sharing, interpersonal style

2020 Book Selection: Choosing Me Before We: every woman's guide to life and love

Author: Christine Arylo

Read more about this book

NOVEMBER

Sign: Scorpio

Theme: Change + Personal Growth

Keywords: Merging, sex, intimacy, shared finances, taxes, loans, assets, property joint ventures/goals, mystery, partner's resources

2020 Book Selection: Humble Sexy Power

Author: Sheila Royce Garcia

Read more about this book

DECEMBER

Sign: Saggitarius

Theme: Freedom

Keywords: Travel, wisdom, philosophy, higher education, law & religion, cross-cultural, relations, learning, ethics

2020 Book Selection: Women Who Run With The Wolves

Author: Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd

Read more about this book

What do you think of the line-up for this year? I keep the Book Club list stored HERE so you can always have easy access to it. If you want to go back to check out the books from 2019, they are on the bottom half of the page.

Don't forget to join the conversations in the UPLIFT Community Facebook Group. You'll have the opportunity to share what you've learned from each book AND to participate in weekly challenges to help you identify healthy habits that may need more work, so you can become your healthiest self.

NOTE: Book selection links are for Barnes & Noble for all but one (because they don't sell it). These links are NOT affiliate links (at this time). I try to support stores that have a physical footprint in my local area to keep storefronts alive, and oftentimes to get my physical books quicker. I'll also choose ebooks at times to save paper/trees and my bookshelf.