AJ Feuerman

Publicist | Social Media Strategist | Brunch Fanatic

Holiday Gift Guide: Books

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I don’t typically get too deep into holiday gift guides but something moved me to do it this year. Probably chief among my motives is all the amazing books I read in the last year or so and wanting to pass those on. I don’t know about you, but I find as I get older, books have become more and more a source of comfort and solace for me — and they have become more important. So this is volume one — “Holiday Gift Guide: Books” for your consideration. With more editions to follow, no doubt.

Holiday Gift Guide: Books

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Moth Presents All These Wonders: True Stories about Facing the Unknown 

I had never heard of “storytelling phenomenon” The Moth.  But it’s a non-profit that preaches the fine art of crafting and telling stories. I love that. So when I needed a book to get lost in on my mini staycation this year, I grabbed this hardcover from The Last Bookstore. It is filled with 45 unforgettable true stories about risk, courage, and facing the unknown from both unknowns and celebrities like Tig Notaro, John Turturro and Meg Wolitzer. Almost every story surprised me — mostly because I am such a cynic. In its pages I found a lot of happiness, sadness and inspiration. It is filled with passion, courage, truth and humor. I pretty much inhaled this book. [MORE]

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

I’m not one for “self help” books, but this one, by Mark Manson, grabbed my attention with its in-your-face title and bright red cover. So there I was, curled up on my couch, essentially having a religious experience and, for the first time in years, putting a highlighter to work with portions of the text I did not want to ever forget. And the book is not actually telling you to not give a f*ck. It’s only explaining that sometimes, we just give too many f*cks and we’d all benefit from figuring out what is actually worth our time and what isn’t. Stop trying to be some beacon of positivity and light, and just get right down to the shit that makes you happy. (Yes, it’s easier said than done.) [MORE]

Buffering: Unshared Tales of a Life Fully Loaded

I guess I inadvertently sought out a lot of “self help” with the inclusion of this book in my reading list this year because I felt like this book’s author, Hannah Hart, can really help a lot of people in sharing her story. She is funny and smart and complicated with a family history that stunned me a little but ultimately inspired me because of how much she’s accomplished — from her YouTube channel to her new Food Network show. (Have you seen it? I’m obsessed.) I encourage you to give this a read and try your hand at Hannah’s patented brand of “reckless optimism.” [MORE]

Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape

I’m also realizing how many personal memoirs I read this year — not a genre of book I was ever really into before, actually. Go figure. But if you want to read a book that will make you say “HOLY SHIT” out loud every six minutes, than this is the book for you. Jenna Miscavige’s (niece of Scientology leader David Mascavige) life story is so incredulous that it’s more like reading a work of fiction because it’s just so hard to believe anyone endured what she did, growing up in the so-called “church.” At 21, she made her break, risking everything she’d ever known and loved to leave Scientology once and for all. It’s harrowing. [MORE]

I’m Just a Person

Right up front I will tell you, if you or the recipient of the gift are not Tig Notaro fans, you may not enjoy this book. It is written with the same short, dry humor she infuses into her stand-up and into her Amazon series, “One Mississippi.” If you are not familiar, it follows her insane journey and mostly focuses on a span of four months in 2012 when Notaro was hospitalized for a debilitating intestinal disease called C.Diff, her mother unexpectedly died, she went through a breakup, and she was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. Her mere survival of this marks her as strong and brave but the way in which she shares her story also, in my opinion, makes her courageous as well. [MORE]

BOOKS I WANT TO READ

There are presently 401 403 books on my Goodreads “want to read” list, which is a little alarming. I don’t know if I’ll live long enough, guys….

Bad Feminist: Essays

A co-worker told me about Roxane Gay and now I want to read everything she’s ever written. In these funny and insightful essays, Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman of color while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years and commenting on the state of feminism today. It is a sharp, funny, and spot-on look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better. I’m in. [MORE]

Topless Prophet: The True Story of America’s Most Successful Gentleman’s Club Entrepreneur

Weird choice, right? But I heard about this on the morning radio show I listen to, and I’m hooked. It’s a wild autobiography by Alan Markovitz, who while only in his early twenties transformed a modest Detroit bar into the first prototype of the truly modern gentleman’s club . . . and then to parlayed that win into a string of wildly popular and highly profitable chain of topless venues that continues to expand today, nationwide. What really sold me, though? He bought the house next door to his ex-wife, just so he could erect a statue in the front yard that held up a giant middle finger in his neighbor’s direction. COME ON. How do you not want to read this guy’s autobiography? [MORE]

How to be Champion: My Autobiography

I’d never heard of Sarah Millican but fell in love with her when she appeared on the Graham Norton show. Her debut book delves into her super normal life with quirky stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life’s blips – like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS (right???) and how to blossom post divorce. If you’ve ever worn glasses at the age of six, worn an off-the-shoulder gown with no confidence, been contacted by an old school bully, lived in your childhood bedroom in your thirties, cried so much you felt great, been for a romantic walk with a dog, worn leggings two days in a row even though they smelled rather bad, then I’m told this book is for you. [MORE]

Holiday Gift Guide: Books

So what have a learned? Well, this year I was super into self-help, memoirs and comediennes. Nothing wrong with any of it, though.

And in conclusion, I ask YOU as well — got a book to recommend?

I’d LOVE to grow my list past 403 — no joke! Do share in the comments, please. 

Note: You will not find any affiliate links in this post or any of my gift guide posts. That probably doesn’t make me the savviest of businesswomen but I honestly cannot be bothered with it. I just want you to discover something new to enjoy or to gift someone you love.

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 — And Why I Did Not

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BlogHer 2016 was a bastion of both happiness and predictability.

Remarkably, 2016 marks my 14th year of blogging. Sometimes I can hardly believe it. But at BlogHer 2016, I really felt it – in ways both good and bad. The good: Walking up and down the halls, I ran into a lot of familiar faces and brand reps; people from all over whom I’ve seen at conferences over the years. Lots of smiling, excited hugs and selfies. The bad: A tipping point has hit — blogging is not what it used to be. We live in an economy of “influencers” now and straight-blogging doesn’t seem to mean much anymore.

Why I Really Loved BlogHer

  • I know a lot of people! And it was AWESOME to see them. I prioritized hugs, hugs and photos.

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 -- And Why I Did Not

  • My tribe. I am part of a “Blogger Tribe” and a lot of them were also at the Conference. I was at my happiest with these women.

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 -- And Why I Did Not

  • Hewlett Packard. When Chris Lam (What I Run Into) texts you and says “come over here,” all you should reply with is “Okay.” In this instance it meant I got to spend time in the HP suite, which was absolutely lovely, and I got to take home my very own HP Deskjet Compact All-in-one Photo Printer. I AM SO EXCITED! I never get invited to the “cool kids” table at blog conferences so this was a massive treat. The HP reps were so wonderful, and I am very grateful.
  • Mayim Bialik and Tig Notaro. There were a lot of celebrities present at BlogHer. These two were my favorite. They are smart, talented, provocative women who are worthy of the term “role model.”
  • My smart friends on panels. Seeing Xenia (Raised by Culture) talking about politics and social media and seeing Anne teaching people about Pinterest marketing was wonderful. I only had a few minutes to spend at Tiffany Romero’s media kit workshop but I still learned a ton in that short time. I mean, I know my friends are the smartest, but now a few more people do, too.

What I Didn’t Like About BlogHer

  • Greedy swag hoarders. There I was, listening to a very smart woman from the AdCouncil talking about all the causes bloggers could potentially align themselves with, when a blogger interrupted to whisper to me “don’t worry, I’m not cutting in, I just heard there were free shirts here.” I find that sentiment and motivation to be far too present at blog conferences.
  • Believe it or not, the biggest trainwreck at the Kim Kardashian keynote lunch was not a Kardashian. It was the mismanaged lunch preparation and the behavior of incredibly rude, tacky bloggers fighting over plates, which were in short supply.
  • I loved Tig Notaro’s event — we got to watch the pilot episode of her new Amazon series, “One Mississippi.” But it took 20 minutes to figure out how to stream the show. Did no one think to put it on a DVD? Or do a test run? And she was in the room. People were snickering at the horrid tech as I was slumping down in my seat, embarrassed to be there.
  • The Expo Hall.  Dear lord, what happened, BlogHer? This used to exist in a convention center, now it exists in a ballroom. With some really unappealing, unrecognizable brands, might I add. Even more sad, less than halfway through Saturday, some of the brands had packed up and gone home.

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 -- And Why I Did Not

What Was Predictable About BlogHer

  • Cliques. I saw a few posts and tweets about unfriendly people at BlogHer 2016. It’s a heartbreaking truth. I learned at my very first conference that this is the reality of attending these things. People hang out with the people they know and I’ve found that is the only way I meet new people — through the people I know. There will always be “mean girls” and “popular girls” in a giant crowd of women. I say that as fact, not as a judgement.
  • There was never enough water; there weren’t any snacks between meals. And what there was, was only in one ballroom.
  • The sponsors are still very mom-heavy. Lots of breakfasts and activities did not apply to me. Many expo “hall” vendors wanted moms. Lots of take-home items were for kids. When I got home, I found fertility vitamins in my giftbag. (Not to mention Vagisil — ew.)
  • The panels were filled with other bloggers and I don’t need to pay what BlogHer costs to hear from other bloggers. Especially as so many bloggers are monetizing and running their mini miedia empires as full-time gigs. We all know what we’re doing now. There has been a pervasive rumor for years that BlogHer may soon break out into smaller, more niche conferences and I think that would be a smart move. A conference for newbies, a conference for pros, a conference for full-timers or part-times. There’s a lot of ways to do it; to break the mold. This many years into the conference, it surprises me that as an organization, BlogHer still refuses to up their game and set themselves apart by recruiting notable brand reps, publicists, social media practitioners and marketers to present on panels (and yes, I’m really frustrated that the same people keep getting asked to speak year after year and I am always passed over). Blogalicious does this well. ConnectHER does this well.

Anyway….

From a business standpoint, I must concede that attending BlogHer is still a good experience. Buy the networking badge and collect business cards. Get a feel for the climate of the blogging universe. Walk the Expo and see what brands are doing to work with influencers. BlogHer is reliable for that. It’s clearly not the giant it used to be but it’s still valuable in this sense. And perhaps as they further integrate with SheKnows Media, we’ll see a new incarnation of the event in years to come that will blow our minds. I sincerely hope that is what happens.

After BlogHer 2014 in San Jose, I declared that I would never attend another BlogHer. I made an exception this year because it was here in Los Angeles. If it is elsewhere next year, which is likely because it does rotate, and it remains stagnant, I’m resting back on my post San Jose declaration again. But I had a really, really terrific time seeing friends and colleagues at BlogHer 2016.

Oh — and meeting Tiny. Obviously.

Why I Loved BlogHer 2016 -- And Why I Did Not

What’s In My Pocket Friday

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I Can’t Feel My Face… But I Love it

I save things in my pocket all week long and look forward to sharing highlights with all of you! It’s been a while so grab the nearest bucket of popcorn, kids. (Note: It was a little tricky to do “What’s in my Pocket Friday” since when I went to open up my Pocket, Pocket was actually offline. But I didn’t feel like changing the name of the series. COME BACK POCKET! I’m lost without you!)

Pocket enables users to save something they find online for later. I find it especially handy as a Google Chrome extension — I only have to click a button to immediately save something to my pocket. Once something is saved, the content is visible on any device — phone, tablet, computer, and even offline.

  • I’ve been travelling a lot for work. I am exhausted. But then I lay down and I can’t sleep. It’s super annoying. Also, on an even more personal note, I have a sty on my left eyelid that absolutely refuses to go away and would appreciate any suggestions, home remedies, miracle solutions, etc.
  • During said trip, I stopped by Buzzfeed’s NY HQ. I cannot tell a lie — it was pretty cool.

What's In My Pocket Friday - Buzzfeed NY

  • There’s a new bar in town and this Medium post tells us all about it, whatever it is, wherever it is. Perfection.
  • I thought the MTV Video Music Awards were terrible. Like, really terrible. It was so incredibly staged and packed with bullshit and when does MTV even show music videos anymore anyway? But you know who I loved? The Weeknd. I have this song on repeat right now.

  • I also very much enjoyed dancing Kanye. Which is about the only 30 seconds I enjoyed him for. If he really runs or President, I’m defecting.

What's In My Pocket Friday

  • I asked Facebook what I should read next. I added about ten new books to my Goodreads queue but settled on downloading The Martian because a few people endorsed it and I would like to read it before the movie comes out next month.
  • If you get HBO and have not yet seen “Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted,” you’re missing out. Her Netflix documentary is pretty fucking great, too. She may be my new hero.
  • Tomorrow I am taking a vacation day. I will be at the spa for at least three hours. Then I may take myself out to lunch and/or to a movie. Please don’t bug me. 😉

Earlier This Week….

 

 

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AJ@AJFEUERMAN.COM