Okay, the list is going to be in no particular order, I’m just not that organized. And, while I was a snooty English major, this isn’t a snooty English major kind of list, so I’m going to include my favorite beach reads, as well. Okay, here goes:
1)Pay Attention for Goodness Sake: The Buddhist Path of Kindness by Sylvia Boorstein
I try to read this book regularly, especially when I find myself getting a little lost from the key tenets. I am not a Buddhist, the lessons in this are really universal. She has chapters on Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Truthfulness, Determination, Lovingkindness and Equanimity. This is one of a very few books that I would say is life changing. Sylvia Boorstein is very wise, and you feel that radiating off of the page. I found the ideas about really thinking about what you are afraid of when you don’t want to do something helpful, as well as the ideas around having compassion for others who aren’t behaving as you like, because that is probably coming out of a place of their own unhappiness. The first chapter, on generosity, is very profound.
2) Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Every woman I have recommended this to loves this book. Yeah, maybe it’s a little trashy, but it’s well written, and Gabaldon is a terrific storyteller. This is a book to stay in bed with all afternoon on a rainy day. It’s the story of a WWI era nurse who ends up in 18th century Scotland. The characters are great, the story is great, and there are several sequels! If you want a good book for a vacation, or just for an escape, this is the one.
3)Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon Michael Chabon was the “it” guy in the literary world for a while, but he hasn’t had a big book out in a couple of years. This is my favorite book by Chabon, and my husband loved it too. The movie, starring Michael Douglas and Toby Maguire, is also well done, and fairly true to the book. The story of a failing professor at a college in Pennsylvania, who smokes a little too much dope, and hasn’t published anything in far too long, and his Very Bad Weekend. Lots of fun.
4)The Practice of the Wild: Essays by Gary Snyder I first read this book at UC Davis, where Snyder was a professor at the time. These essays look at the connections between humanity and nature, and our connection with place. His thoughts on our disconnection with place (do you know where the water running from your tap comes from? really comes from, the watershed, the path it takes to get to you?) and what it means for us as human beings is especially important. Essential.
5)The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
I didn’t really think I would love this book, but I did. I think that they way she writes from multiple point of views is really interesting. Apparently she wrote every scene from each point of view to make sure she got it exactly right. Now that’s dedication!
