What To Do When I'm Gone by Suzy Hopkins, Hallie Bateman (2018)

Subtitled: A Mother's Wisdom to Her Daughter

This is a slight but lovely graphic novel memoir by a mother and daughter and the step-to-step, day-to-day instructions for the daughter in the event of the mother's death. Sigh.

So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson (2015)

An interesting look at the relatively recent phenomenon of public shaming via the internet. Ronson explores several recent stories in the news, including his own experiences, that of discredited journalist Jonah Lehrer, and people such as Justine Sacco and Lindsey Strong. 

Although the topic really intrigued me--particularly the element of anonymity that seems to fuel this shaming--I was uneasy about how he dismissed the idea of a difference between shaming of women and men. The fact is that with public shaming of women there is often a sexually aggressive and violent aspect that is horrifying. His perspective felt a bit male privilegey to me. (Note to self: Find a good feminine perspective on this issue.) 

It's a very quick read and interesting enough as a cultural study of modern shaming (despite a rather irrelevant digression into pornography). Ronson is most successful when he compares internet shamings to old-school, colonial ignominy (think stocks and pillories). An awfully scary analogy, if you ask me.

You Say More Than You Think by Janine Driver (2010)

Subtitled:  The 7-day Plan for Using the New Body Language to Get What you Want.  Fascinating book about the 'new' body language. Outlines a number of principles about how we express ourselves through body language and how to read other's body language. As a former ATF agent, her examples are from real life (not just the corporate world). Also, she points out the fact that not every body language signal necessarily means something. Amazingly useful book for anyone who is interested in human nature and professional and personal interactions with others.