June 2025 Reading Wrap-Up: Birds, Big Ideas, and a Little Self-Reflection

June ended up being one of those quietly well-rounded reading months—some pop science, a bit of history, a dash of self-help, and a few reads that made me pause and reconsider how I’m spending my time (still a work in progress).

There wasn’t one dominant theme, but looking back, this month feels like a mix of curiosity-driven reading and ongoing self-improvement attempts—with mixed results.

Nature & Birding Reads

A Wing and a Prayer: The Race to Save Our Vanishing Birds by Anders Gyllenhaal — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An engaging pop science read that hits the sweet spot: informative without being overwhelming. It’s a compelling call to action, especially for birders. Approachable, interesting, and quietly motivating.

The Birds That Audubon Missed by Kenn Kaufman — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A fascinating look at birding history through what Audubon didn’t document. While it touches on his flaws (unsurprising, given the era), the real strength is in highlighting overlooked species. A great pick if you enjoy nature mixed with history.

Big Ideas, Society & Communication

How to Trust and Be Trusted by Rachel Botsman — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A practical, broadly applicable book on trust—useful whether you’re building relationships, making sales, or (apparently) starting a cult. Not groundbreaking, but full of solid insights. Notable for being an audio-first Pushkin title.

Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection by Charles Duhigg — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A good entry in the communication genre, though not my favorite. There are useful takeaways here, but it didn’t quite stick with me as much as I hoped. Still worth a read if you’re interested in improving how you connect with others.

Money & Self-Development

Millionaire Milestones: Seven Steps to Seven Figures by Sam Dogen — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nothing revolutionary—if you’ve read The Millionaire Next Door, you’ll recognize most of the ideas. Still, it’s a solid refresher and reinforces principles that work.

The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery by Brianna Wiest — ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A thoughtful self-help book focused on internal barriers. Not everything felt new, but it’s reflective and useful, especially if you’re trying to get out of your own way.

Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human by John Mark Comer — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This one stuck. A strong reminder about rest, balance, and being intentional with time. It’s been months and I’m still trying to apply it—which probably says enough. This feels like a yearly reread kind of book.

History, Politics & Biography

The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars, mainly because it gets dense in places. But it’s also incredibly timely and eye-opening. This feels like essential reading for understanding current events—even if it requires a bit more focus.

Source Code: My Beginnings by Bill Gates — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A fascinating origin story. Regardless of how you feel about Gates, this is an engaging look at the early life and mindset behind one of the most influential figures in tech. Definitely a must-read.

Books About Books

Bibliotherapy: Books to Guide You Through Every Chapter of Life by Molly Masters — ⭐⭐⭐
I suspected going in that I wasn’t the target audience, and that held true. It leans heavily toward a specific “book club” vibe, and even with that expectation, it didn’t fully land for me.