03/27/2023
Elise, founder of the sustainable catering company Harvest & Revel, urges readers to embrace an “abundance” mindset in her empowering debut. The author writes of her own burnout on Wall Street, culminating in her fainting on the subway, and deciding she needed to change. To that end, she encourages readers to, as she did, develop a recipe for a life that celebrates all elements of one’s identity. For Elise, this included embracing her “visibility” (as “Black & Indigenous, queer, autistic, a leatherdyke, femme, an energy worker and a mystic, a womanist”); harnessing uncomfortable emotions (“when we’re able to... transform our fear and rage into creative outlets, what results are some of the most powerfully revitalizing tools for our community”); and abandoning useless, energy-sucking productivity drills (one chapter is entitled “Fuck Being Busy”). She also recommends indulging in moments of pleasure, and eschewing toxic positivity. While the author’s own frequently discussed outlets for creating an abundant life, such as BDSM, might not be for everyone, her call to question received wisdom and consider personal desire afresh is empowering and confidently delivered. This is perfect for those seeking to make a change but need a bit of a kick in the pants to get started. (May)
