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Liza Achilles - Literary/Autobiographical Author. The Blog for the Discerning Reader.

Literary / Autobiographical Author

♡ Books to make you laugh, hope & ponder ♡


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Incidental Musings

2023 Resolutions

December 29, 2023 by Liza Achilles No Comments
One year ago, I wrote down six resolutions at the front of my planner. This morning, I checked my planner again—yep, six resolutions in my handwriting. When I wrote them, I knew that some of them, or even most of them, were a stretch. I understood that I might need several years to achieve them all. I figured, it’s perfectly...
professional woman working from home
Incidental Musings

Sitting All Day

October 9, 2023 by Liza Achilles 6 Comments
Did you catch the recent Washington Post article about the dangers of sitting too much? “The negative effects of extended sitting can be so strong, researchers found, that even people who exercise regularly face higher risk if they sit for much of the day.” —Sitting All Day Increases Dementia Risk — Even If You Exercise, The Washington Post Apparently, sitting...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Passes Someone

September 1, 2023 by Liza Achilles No Comments
The inquisitive one was running. Up ahead, moving in the same direction as the i.o., was a woman with a baby carriage and six dogs. The i.o. imagined the worst-case scenario, which was in fact quite likely: getting tangled up in all six of the leashes, flailing about and knocking the baby carriage over, and all the chaos which would...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Goes on Yet Another Date

April 28, 2023 by Liza Achilles 2 Comments
The inquisitive one arrived at the appointed restaurant at the appointed time. The date had already arrived and was sitting at a quaint wooden table adorned with a little candle. “Hello, nice to meet you!” said the inquisitive one, sitting down at the table. “Greetings,” said the date. “Would you like to order a drink?” said the i.o., picking up...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Acts

April 14, 2023 by Liza Achilles No Comments
“Caffeine is bad for you,” said the doctor to the inquisitive one. “Do not drink it.” “Loud colors are obnoxious in clothing,” said the friend to the inquisitive one. “Wear black.” “Running is bad for you,” said the neighbor to the inquisitive one. “You will end up hurting yourself more than helping yourself.” “Work on this soul-sucking project,” said the...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Writes a Poem

March 22, 2023 by Liza Achilles 2 Comments
The inquisitive one sat down and wrote a poem. It went like this: !!!!!!!!!??????,,,,,,, ,,,,,,???????!!!!!!!!! !!!!,,,,?,,,,,!!!!,,,? ??????,,!,!,!,!,!,!!!! Satisfied, the inquisitive one smiled and went out for a run. The next day, the i.o. reread the poem and frowned. It was not quite right. So the i.o. edited the poem. It now went like this: !……..??????,,,,, ,,,,???????……..! !…,,,,?,,,!!!!,,,? ??????,,.,…,.,!!!! Satisfied, the...
woman running with skyline in background
Incidental Musings

Reminder in My Ear

February 3, 2023 by Liza Achilles 2 Comments
Our bodies can contain reminders of the past, sometimes big and pervasive, sometimes small and persistent. Let me tell you about a small and persistent reminder that my body carries from my concussion, sustained 3+ years ago. A few months after my concussion, I was able to start running again. I usually run with earbuds, but at that time I...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Falls Into a Pit

October 21, 2022 by Liza Achilles 1 Comment
The inquisitive one was running at dusk, without a flashlight. It became very dark, and the inquisitive one was falling . . . falling . . . thud. The thud was the inquisitive one’s hat, which had fallen off during the fall, slamming into dirt. The inquisitive one landed quite nimbly, considering the depth and darkness of the pit. “Help!”...
walking up steps
Book Previews

Exercised by Daniel E. Lieberman

October 17, 2022 by Liza Achilles No Comments
Everyone knows that exercise is good for you (as noted in my last blog post). But do you know why that’s the case? What’s the science behind why we must exercise to stay healthy? Do you know how people in modern, first-world countries compare to traditional hunter-gatherers in their exercise levels? Do you know how modern humans compare to our...
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Tales

The Inquisitive One Witnesses the End of an Era

July 1, 2022 by Liza Achilles No Comments
Someone knocked on my door. It was the inquisitive one, panting, and wearing fashionable running clothes that stank like rotten food tossed on a hot compost pile. “Come in!” I said warmly. “What an unexpected surprise! Would you like to join me on my back porch?” “What’s that big truck in your driveway?” said the i.o. “That’s my landscaper. Would...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Solves the Mystery

November 24, 2021 by Liza Achilles No Comments
The inquisitive one woke up determined to solve the mystery of whether the i.o.’s house was in the U.S. or Canada. “I can do this,” the i.o. said, sitting up in bed, and frowning at the nearby maple syrup and hockey gear. “I can solve this mystery!” At that moment, the wise ant was sauntering in through a crack in...
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Book Previews

You Are Your Habits

September 20, 2021 by Liza Achilles No Comments
I’ve seen this piece of advice over and over in my years of reading books. And I tried it, and it works. I see so many people not doing this that it amazes me, as the advice is everywhere (though I haven’t seen it stated so succinctly and broadly as by James Clear in his book Atomic Habits). So in...
reaching toward flowers
Book Previews

How to Get What You Want

September 15, 2021 by Liza Achilles No Comments
Self-help books are a dime a dozen—sometimes literally—but this one is special. James Clear has written a book that, true to his last name, is remarkably clear, in the senses of well written and insightful. If you’ve been wanting to make a change, and you’re wondering how to get what you want, this book is for you. There are so...
cute beagle dog on forest path
Incidental Musings

Don’t Hit the Dog

April 1, 2021 by Liza Achilles 2 Comments
I was on a run yesterday, and in front of me I saw a man walking a dog. The dog was pretty far ahead of the man, and I thought to myself, That’s a long leash. I considered turning and taking a different route. It wasn’t clear that the man could rein in his dog in time, if I passed...
cartoon art of the inquisitive one running through trees
Tales

The Inquisitive One Storms the Capitol

January 11, 2021 by Liza Achilles 8 Comments
A wise ant was living in the inquisitive one’s house. (The wise ant was living there full time, now that it was winter.) “Interesting about all those people storming the U.S. Capitol building,” remarked the wise ant. The inquisitive one was just waking up from a weeklong fest of alternately sleeping and listening to a podcast about how to care...
woman boxer
Book Previews

A One-Two Punch

December 2, 2020 by Liza Achilles No Comments
When I was halfway through writing my last blog post, I took a break from the computer. I went for a run. Thoughts on the novel Death in Her Hands, by Ottessa Moshfegh, were flowing through my mind. Revelation As I was running, it came to me. The loose pieces of the novel came together. It made sense. Finally! This...
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Hi! I’m Liza

selfie of Liza Achilles literary and autobiographical author writer blogger

About this blog

THE BLOG FOR THE DISCERNING READER: This blog will feed your mind and soul, plus the soles of your feet, if you're ticklish there. Read previews of intellectually and artistically great books, as well as insights on living life well, always with sprinkles of humor.

Categories of posts

  • Author Interviews (7)
  • Book Previews (348)
  • Guest Posts (8)
  • Incidental Musings (158)
  • News & Events (70)
  • Tales (82)

Featured books


candlestick with lit candle on round table with books in living roomNote that the link for the most recently added book(s)Ā will not work until I have published the corresponding blog post.

Vigil George Saunders
When Nothing Feels Real Nathan Dunne
Just Love Me for Who I Am James Styers
The Glory of Giving Everything Crystal Haryanto
Strange Houses Uketsu
On the Calculation of Volume II Solvej Balle
The Literati Susan Coll
Bring the House Down Charlotte Runcie
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain George Saunders
Intimacies Katie Kitamura
On the Calculation of Volume I Solvej Balle
Hunchback Saou Ichikawa
Pop! Mark Polanzak
Dreaming Reality Steven Jay Lynn & Vladimir Miskovic
Audition Katie Kitamura
Free Amanda Knox
The Pleasure Plan Laura Zam
Shakespeare’s Sisters Ramie Targoff
Unshrunk Laura Delano
The Vegetarian Han Kang
Viable Chloe Yelena Miller
Animal Liberation Now Peter Singer
A Little Life Hanya Yanagihara
Ghost Pains Jessi Jezewska Stevens
Hope for Cynics Jamil Zaki
Midnight in Chernobyl Adam Higginbotham
Cork Dork Bianca Bosker
The Scent of Bright Light Jean K. Dudek
Rejection Tony Tulathimutte
Intermezzo Sally Rooney
Do I Know You? Sadie Dingfelder
James Percival Everett
There Is No Ethan Anna Akbari
The Other Significant Others Rhaina Cohen
Slow Productivity Cal Newport
Blue Ruin Hari Kunzru
Get the Picture Bianca Bosker
Lawn Boy Jonathan Evison
Congratulations, The Best Is Over! R. Eric Thomas
Kairos Jenny Erpenbeck
Exhibit R.O. Kwon
All Fours Miranda July
The Year of Living Constitutionally A.J. Jacobs
Ghosted Jana Eisenstein
Disease Of Kings Anders Carlson-Wee
Why We’re Polarized Ezra Klein
Molly Blake Butler
The Big Bang of Numbers Manil Suri
Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow Steve Almond
Doppelganger Naomi Klein
King Jonathan Eig
The Rachel Incident Caroline O’Donoghue
The End of Loneliness Benedict Wells
Poverty, by America Matthew Desmond
The Trees Percival Everett
The Great Experiment Yascha Mounk
Study for Obedience Sarah Bernstein
Some People Need Killing Patricia Evangelista
The Words That Remain StĆŖnio Gardel
Pageboy Elliot Page
Post-Traumatic Chantal V. Johnson
Stuart: A Life Backwards Alexander Masters
The Girls / The Guest Emma Cline
Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs Kerry Howley
The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol Nikolai Gogol
I’m Glad My Mom Died Jennette McCurdy
Unlearn Your Pain Howard Schubiner with Michael Betzold
The Way Out Alan Gordon with Alon Ziv
The Best Minds Jonathan Rosen
Monsters Claire Dederer
Spare Prince Harry
As I Lay Dying William Faulkner
Rebuilt Michael Chorost
Losing Music John Cotter
Kokoro Natsume Sōseki
Party Going / Living / Loving Henry Green
Chatter Ethan Kross
Tender Is the Night F. Scott Fitzgerald
Stay True Hua Hsu
The Invisible Kingdom Meghan O’Rourke
How to Be Perfect Michael Schur
Orfeo Richard Powers
Unwinding Anxiety Judson Brewer
The Confidence Men Margalit Fox
Liberation Day George Saunders
Pandora’s Jar Natalie Haynes
Night of the Living Rez Morgan Talty
The Journalist and the Murderer Janet Malcolm
Mislaid Nell Zink
Exercised Daniel E. Lieberman
Lapvona Ottessa Moshfegh
Empire of Pain Patrick Radden Keefe
Furious Hours Casey Cep
First Person Singular Haruki Murakami
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
Dead Souls Sam Riviere
The Pale King David Foster Wallace
Lightning Flowers Katherine E. Standefer
Beautiful World, Where Are You / Normal People / Conversations With Friends Sally Rooney
Swan Dive Georgina Pazcoguin
A Passage North Anuk Arudpragasam
Lucky Jim Kingsley Amis
Projections Karl Deisseroth
The Indian Lawyer James Welch
Atomic Habits James Clear
The History of Philosophy A. C. Grayling
Dusk, Night, Dawn Anne Lamott
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick
Nothing to See Here Kevin Wilson
Change Damon Centola
Homeland Elegies Ayad Akhtar
Becoming Attached Robert Karen
Piranesi Susanna Clarke
Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes
Solitary Albert Woodfox
Girl, Woman, Other Bernardine Evaristo
Enlightenment by Trial and Error Jay Michaelson
Death in Her Hands Ottessa Moshfegh
The Cooking Gene Michael W. Twitty
The First Bad Man Miranda July
Upheaval Jared Diamond
A Journal of the Plague Year Daniel Defoe
Creatures Crissy Van Meter
Indelicacy Amina Cain
Say What You Mean Oren Jay Sofer
Habits of a Happy Brain Loretta Graziano Breuning
Bad Behavior, This Is Pleasure Mary Gaitskill
The Brother Gardeners Andrea Wulf
Severance Ling Ma
How to Be an Antiracist Ibram X. Kendi
The Museum of Modern Love Heather Rose
Why I Write George Orwell
The Woman Destroyed Simone de Beauvoir
Educated Tara Westover
The Gift Hafiz
The Collected Schizophrenias EsmƩ Weijun Wang
Your Duck Is My Duck Deborah Eisenberg
Sapiens Yuval Noah Harari
Milkman Anna Burns
Under the Banner of Heaven Jon Krakauer
Waiting for Bojangles Olivier Bourdeaut
A Mind Unraveled Kurt Eichenwald
EugƩnie Grandet HonorƩ de Balzac
The Body Keeps the Score Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
The Bookshop Penelope Fitzgerald
Digital Minimalism Cal Newport
The Sisters Brothers Patrick deWitt
Dare to Lead BrenƩ Brown
My Year of Rest and Relaxation Ottessa Moshfegh
Almost Everything Anne Lamott
Born to Run Christopher McDougall, Bruce Springsteen
The Ladies’ Paradise Ɖmile Zola
The World Beyond Your Head Matthew B. Crawford
All the Birds, Singing Evie Wyld
Barracoon Zora Neale Hurston
Dandelion Wine Ray Bradbury
JavaScript & jQuery Jon Duckett
Home Fire Kamila Shamsie
The Weather Detective Peter Wohlleben
Play It As It Lays Joan Didion
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Mark Manson
Convenience Store Woman Sayaka Murata
Perfect Me Heather Widdows
Sorry to Disrupt the Peace Patty Yumi Cottrell
Why Buddhism Is True Robert Wright
What Is Real? Adam Becker
Kudos Rachel Cusk
The Days of Abandonment Elena Ferrante
F*cked Corinne Fisher & Krystyna Hutchinson
Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine Alan Lightman
Wide Sargasso SeaĀ Jean Rhys
Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace
A Room of One’s Own Virginia Woolf

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Best. Modern. Books.

Intellectually great nonfiction. Artistically great fiction and poetry. Get the inside scoop on the best 21st-century books!
 
Your free gift: 20 Best Books in the Last 10 Years