A Holiday Gift from Day Health Strategies: Our Favorite Books
This year, instead of traditional gifts, we've decided to share something more personal and meaningful - our favorite reads! Each staff member at Day Health Strategies has chosen a book that has inspired, entertained, or challenged them in some way. We believe that books are a gateway to different worlds, ideas, and inspirations. They have the power to transport us, transform our perspectives, and enrich our lives. We hope that these recommendations will bring you joy and enrichment during the holiday season and beyond. Happy holidays and happy reading!
Rosemarie Day
Book Title: Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika Jaouad
Why I Chose It: Suleika Jaouad's "Between Two Kingdoms" deeply resonates with me both personally and professionally. It’s a memoir of her difficult battle with cancer. It was at once profoundly beautiful, moving, and hard. Her persistence through her journey to return to health informs any of us who have had to travel through tough times. She shows us how to learn to live with uncertainty and begin to accept that we may never fully get to the other side. I highly recommend "Between Two Kingdoms" to anyone seeking inspiration or a deeper understanding of the human condition, whether they are dealing with a health crisis, grief, or simply the unpredictable nature of life. It offers a deeply meaningful perspective on the beauty and learning found in navigating through life's hardest times.
Emily George
Book Title: Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi
Why I Chose It: “Freshwater” is a novel by Akwaeke Emezi that explores the complexities of identity, mental health, and spirituality. The story follows Ada, a young Nigerian woman born with one foot in the physical world and the other in the spiritual realm. Ada is inhabited by a host of spirits, each with its own personality and influence. As Ada navigates her life, the novel delves into themes of self-discovery, trauma, and the intersection of cultural and personal identity. While it was very emotional and painful to follow her story of compounding trauma, it painted such a vivid picture of human torment in the brain and body and underscored our need for culturally competent and accessible mental health care.
Zahra Khan
Book Title: Land of Sad Oranges by Ghassan Kanafani
Why I Chose It: “Land of Sad Oranges” powerfully captures the Palestinian experience through a series of short stories, revealing the deep resilience and emotional strength of families amidst displacement and conflict. Kanafani's narratives offer a unique lens on the human aspect of political strife, emphasizing themes of loss, hope, and perseverance. My personal connection to these stories stems from my time in Palestine in 2012, where I worked as a teacher to young children. This experience exposed me to the realities of living in a region marked by long-standing conflict and how it impacts every aspect of life, including health and well-being. Kanafani's work reminds us that at the heart of health equity lies the understanding of people's stories, their struggles, and their resilience in the face of challenges.
Allie Merfeld
Book Title: The Beauty in Breaking, by Michele Harper
Why I Chose It: “The Beauty in Breaking”, by Michele Harper, is a collection of stories by an emergency room doctor about her experience caring for her community. Dr. Harper’s memoir weaves together patient stories and the lessons they taught her about grieving, healing, and recovering. Dr. Harper is honest, authentic, and raw in describing her own journey surviving trauma, navigating racism and sexism at work, and finding beauty in brokenness. Dr. Harper’s stories prompt deep reflection and sadness, but also hope. “The Beauty in Breaking” is a must-read for anyone who needs a companion as they process the staggering grief, tragedy, and injustice we see around us today.
Helen Mylod Yee
Book Title: Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Why I Chose It: “Know My Name” is a memoir by Chanel Miller, who was sexually assaulted by Stanford University athlete Brock Turner in 2019. Through her description of the incident and the aftermath, she illuminates her experience of trauma and the complex journey she has taken to reckon with the event. Her prose, searing and poetic, is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever read. Her book felt like a revolution, subverting the public’s portrayal of her story and identity and giving voice to the deeply isolating and shameful experience of sexual assault. Chanel, a fellow mixed race half-Chinese woman, grew up two towns away from me in the Bay Area of California.
Rosemary Raymundo
Book Title: Inward by Yung Pueblo
Why I Chose It: “Inward” is a collection of poetry, quotes, and prose by author Yung Pueblo that explores, self love, unconditional love, the power of letting go, and the wisdom that comes from knowing ourselves. As an introspective person I love how each page is filled with words that make you want to pause and look within to find more understanding of your own experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Young Pueblo’s writing is relatable to all who read him but learning we share similarities such as being Latinx, Boston natives and even Boston Latin Academy alum, made my connection to his words stronger.
Melinda Stockwell
Book Title: We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman
Why I Chose It: This novel celebrates a lifelong friendship and serves as a reminder that no one is getting out of this life alive. It is funny, joyful and terribly sad. I loved this book, as it highlights the importance of having people in your life who truly, deeply know you, with all your strengths and imperfections. The author is a master of capturing those seemingly every day moments that simultaneously break your heart and bring you incredible joy.
Ross Weiler
Book Title: And There was Light [Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle] by Jon Meacham
Why I Chose It: There have been many books written about my favorite (and I believe our greatest) President, some of which were also excellent. What struck me most about Mr. Meacham’s book compared to others I’ve read are his acknowledgement that Lincoln, like all of us, had his flaws and succeeded both in spite of and as a result of these imperfections; his presentation of Lincoln’s political approach as both art and science; and the important lessons Lincoln’s leadership during such turbulent times offer to those of us living in the modern age (and facing our own turbulence). The book spans from Lincoln’s modest childhood to tragic end, which differentiates it from many others that focus on just one or a few parts of Lincoln’s life. By following his complete life journey and seeing his successes AND failures along the way, I came away with a true sense of who Lincoln was and why he did what he did. With this knowledge, I was not only able to understand how he achieved all he did for our country but found myself rooting for him all the way to his deathbed – and actually hoping for a different outcome. No other book I’ve read has helped me forge such a close connection to this great leader.