Reading List

There are too many tempting books in the world.

I was straightening my bedroom and realized I'm part way through at least four books,

and the reason I haven't finished any of them...

wait, 

there is never just one reason...

Currently on my shelf:

I do really like this one, it is personal and practical and lives up to its subtitle quite well. Osheta Moore is a gifted leader as well as writer, and she writes vulnerably and powerfully about being people who step out and make positive changes in our own worlds of influence.

I borrowed this book from a friend, so I need to put it on the priority list, but the subtitle is another good reason to put it on the priority list. 

This one is on my phone so I can read it under the covers when I can't sleep. I recognized the author's name from one of the books my son had to read in high school. I read it after he did. Now I'm reading this other book she wrote, based on her detailed interviews with one of the men who was on the last ship of people, kidnapped from Africa and forced into slavery, that came to American soil. Reading his first hand story is humbling. The book is written so that his dialect and pronunciation is preserved, and this adds to the sense of being present as he tells his story, bit by painful bit, to the author.

This is a book of daily meditations on loss and grief. A friend gave it to me after Dad died. I bought an extra copy for Mom. Then I passed my copy on to someone else who lost a loved one. When Mom died, I wanted the book again, so I found the copy I gave her. The book has one or two paragraphs for each day, with a quote and a thought to carry with you, that nearly always find the mark.

Natalie Goldberg has written several books on writing. This is the second one I've read. Short chapters with prompts for practice make it a good one for taking my time and trying new things.

The Miracle of Mindfulness is one I've purchased in it's audio version, and probably an appropriate follow up to a book entitled Wild Mind. It has been helpful to me in conquering racing thoughts about things I can't control. Learning to be present in the moment, experiencing fully what is happening now rather than living in the past or the future is a skill I'm still learning. 

There are other books on my reading list, but I'll end with one I don't have yet but really really want to read.

I've seen several very positive recommendations for Four Gifts, by April Yamasaki, so this one is on my wish list. It looks like it will be different than the others, more focused on spiritual growth and self-care. I'm excited to discover the insights others are extolling.