“polywise: A Deeper Dive in Navigating Open Relationships” By Jessica Fern with David Coole
Between this book and her previous book, polysecure, I have become a big fan of Jessica Fern's work. And of the two, in my opinion, polywise is the superior book, offering easy-to-digest breakdowns of some of the root causes of the problems many of us suffer through when opening up our relationships and the advice and frameworks needed to navigate them.
“The Guest List” by Lucy Foley
The Guest List is a book that didn’t grab me at first. In fact, for the first few chapters, I thought I was in for an excruciating read. But once the character introductions are out of the way, Foley gives us a fast-paced web of a story that is almost impossible to put down.
“Is Monogamy Dead?” by Rosie Wilby
Is Monogamy Dead? is a bit of a strange creature. But anyone who believes in questioning the status quo or feels they haven't managed to work out what they want from their relationships could do a lot worse than to pick this up.
“A Perfect Explanation” by Eleanor Anstruther
A Perfect Explanation is an obvious passion project for the author, detailing her own family history. But the problem with true stories is they often lack the narrative and characters that make fiction engaging, and the problem with family history is that it is rarely interesting outside of your own family. And by honouring the truth, Anstruther's obvious talent is unable to overcome these issues.
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” was recommended to me by a friend as one of those books that you just have to read. And while it’s an engaging story and very well written, I felt something was missing. Something I only figured out once I got to the end.
"Queenie" by Candice Carty-Williams
Queenie is one of those books I picked up because of an undefinable sense that I needed to read it. I didn’t know anything about it or Carty-Williams, other than that a number of people had listed Queenie in their must-read lists over the last couple of years. And boy, reading it was the right choice.
“Can I Stray” by Jenna Adams
With her debut novel, Jenna Adams takes us right back to the insecurities and struggles of adolescence. And once I reached the halfway point, I literally sat up into the early hours and finished the second half in one single sitting.
“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro
It's been a long time since I picked up a book that hit me so hard as this one. It took me a while to really get hooked, but by the end I literally could not put it down.
“Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality” by Dr. Julia Shaw
As a straight, white man, nothing is quite as useful as finding the perfect resource to open my eyes to things outside my own experience. “Bi: The Hidden Culture, History and Science of Bisexuality” is a book everyone should read, no matter their sexuality.
“The Remains of the Day” by Kazuo Ishiguro
Sometimes a “classic” is only a classic because uptight literary snobs have decreed it so. Other times, a novel becomes a classic because it tells a universal story that manages to be both readable and universally relatable. “The Remains of the Day” is the latter.
“The Science of Storytelling” by Will Storr
I was recommended Will Storr's The Science of Storytelling as a book on writing. And while it did indeed leave me with a better understanding of storytelling, I wasn't expecting it to be accompanied by an existential crisis.
Polyamory Week 2022 - Recap
All my posts for Polyamory Week 2022 are now available to read at www.DiscoveringPolyamory.com
Get ready for Polyamory Week 2022
It’s almost that time of year again. Yes, it’s the week where we celebrate everything wonderful about polyamory and ethical non-monogamy in all it’s forms!
“Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and Domestic” by Esther Perel
This is the first of Esther Perel's books I've actually read and boy can I see why she's such a big name. It took me three months to finish this book because every time I read any of it, I kept having to stop to make notes along the way.
My Interview with the Polyamory Uncensored podcast is out now
Polyamory Uncensored - Episode 84: The Freedom of Possibility with Tom - OUT NOW
“Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy” by Jessica Fern
I found Polysecure to be one of those books that had some really intelligent and insightful things to say. You just need the stamina to be able to process everything it hands you.
2020: Looking back, then forward
Well, 2020 can fuck off. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. Okay, if I have to be honest, my 2020 could have been a lot worse. A lot worse. In some very big ways, I am incredible lucky.
Book of the Year 2020: 'Out of Love' by Hazel Hayes
Sometimes my favourite book of the year is one that had the best story. Or maybe its one that displayed the most engaging writing. Or perhaps it will have introduced me to a new writer I know I’m going to love.In 2020, it’s a book that was exactly what I needed at exactly the time I read it: Hazel Hayes’ "Out of Love"