The Sunday Post #398

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The Sunday Post is a chance to recap the past week, talk about next week, tell you what I’m reading, and share news. It’s hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Readerbuzz, and Book Date.

The Sunday Post

On The Blog Recently

• Subjects I Want To Learn About In 2026
• 2025 Reading Statistics
• I Read 200+ "Best Books Of 2025" Lists
• What Would Make Me Enjoy A Romance Book?
• Books Set Outside The USA

In My Reading Life

I am continuing my search for a self-help book that actually helps. I've been asking more people for recommendations. A librarian at my local library recommended Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.

I think this book could be helpful! Even if it's not helpful, it's a pretty fascinating story. The author was an Austrian neurologist, psychologist, philosopher, and Holocaust survivor. In the first part of the book, he shares stories from his life and explains how the events shaped the way he thinks. The author believes that the search for meaning is what keeps humans motivated. If we lose our desire to find meaning, then we lose our will to live.

This idea resonated with me because I was a severely depressed teenager. Every time I made a plan to kill myself, I would stop and think, Wait . . . if I'm dead, I'll never be able to write a book. That thought is literally the only reason I'm alive right now. The belief that I could write a book someday was my meaning. My meaning was stronger than my depression. I think Viktor Frankl does an excellent job of exploring this concept.

I also appreciate how the author approaches his life story. It's balanced and compassionate. He looks at all the people involved in an event and tries to figure out what was driving their behavior. It feels grounded. The author is examining people's actions instead of instantly judging the actions as right or wrong. He wants to know the "why" behind them.

The second half of the book lost me a little. It feels like an article in a medical or theology journal. I was not interested enough in "logotherapy" to stay focused. That might be my own problem. I can see how other readers would get something out of it.

I recommend this self-help book. I think it could help!

Okay, next self-help book. This one was recommended by a brain doctor. (Neurologist? Psychologist? I honestly don't remember all the letters after her name.) Anyway, she told me to read What Happened To You?: Conversations On Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey. (Yes, that Oprah Winfrey.)

The book is a conversation between Oprah and Dr. Perry. They mostly talk about childhood trauma and how it wires your brain to behave in certain ways. If the adults in a child's life don't understand the child's trauma, then the child's behavior will seem like disobedience. Punishing the child for disobedience won't fix the behavior because trauma is causing the behavior. The trauma is what needs to be addressed.

I can't judge the helpfulness of this book because I'm not the target audience. The authors are talking about big trauma, like child abandonment or attempted murder. The stories in this book are the kinds of things you would have seen on Oprah's talk show. I have not experienced Oprah-level trauma. If you have, then this book is probably helpful. It's an easy-to-understand introduction to the topic.

In The Rest Of My Life

In addition to judging self-help books, I've been teaching myself about different kinds of AI. I feel like we're being shoved toward using AI, and I want to understand the impact of what I'm doing.

As part of my not-so-scientific research, I fed this blog to NotebookLM. Then I asked, "What should the narrator* write about next?"

*It's me. I'm the narrator of my blog.

I thought NotebookLM's answer was hilarious. My blog is not super serious, but the AI took its assignment seriously. Here's what it told me to write about:

To attract more readers, the narrator should consider blogging about their ongoing quest to find a "self-help book that actually helps," a topic that aligns with their current life stressors and successful past content. The sources indicate that the narrator is currently in EMT school, which they describe as a "six-month-long panic attack," while also working as a park ranger. A post blending these personal experiences—what the narrator calls their signature "narcissism style"—with reviews of books about resilience or high-stress professions would likely resonate with an audience that enjoys their "stupid anecdotes."

1. The "Self-Help Quest" Series

The narrator has already mentioned asking doctors and "random ladies at the gym" for recommendations to find a life-changing book. A blog post or series titled "I Read the Most Popular Self-Help Books So You Don't Have To" would leverage the narrator's skeptical and witty voice. This topic would also appeal to their interest in psychology, seen in their anticipation of books like Supercommunicators and Sociopath: A Memoir.

2. High-Stakes Professional Memoirs (Park Rangers and EMTs)

Since the narrator has been a park ranger since 2019 and is nearing the end of EMT school, they could create a curated list of "Books That Capture the Stress of Saving Lives". They previously loved Ranger Confidential, a book that unveiled the "behind-the-scenes stuff" of national parks, despite finding it stressful to read. This topic would allow the narrator to use their own "gallows humor" to attract readers interested in nature and emergency services.

3. Niche History and "Morbid Stuff"

The narrator explicitly states that "History + Morbid stuff" might result in their "favorite book ever". To attract readers who share their obsession with cults, true crime, and "traumatizing" literature, they could blog about:

• The History of Cults: Building on their experience of having read "a billion cult books" and their interest in titles like The Prophet Calls and Helter Skelter.

• Medical and Forensic History: Following their interest in This Way Madness Lies (the history of Bedlam hospital) and The Buried Soul (how humans invented death).

4. Visual-Heavy "Aesthetic" Lists for Pinterest

Because most of the blog’s traffic comes from Pinterest, the narrator should prioritize topics with high visual potential. They have already seen success with posts about minimalist covers and "swirly" art. A post titled "The Most Beautifully Designed Short Books for a Reading Goal" would combine two of the narrator's successful strategies: an aesthetic focus and a practical tip for meeting a Goodreads goal.

Okay, that's enough from NotebookLM. This is me writing now. The AI clearly missed the part where I graduated from EMT school. (Or I forgot to mention it on the blog). Either way, I'm graduated and have all my certifications.

What do you think of the AI's analysis? Would you read any of the suggested blog posts? Would you feed your blog to an AI?

If You Read This Entire Post, You Deserve A Girl Scout Cookie

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Take care of yourselves and be kind to each other. See you around the blogosphere!