In 2020, we were two months into lockdown when I read Lily King's Writers & Lovers. Like many, many people, I'd been in a dark place and it's not exaggeration when I say that this book saved me. It felt like a guidebook to persevering through terrible times and like the narrator, Casey, I found my way out of the darkness by writing.
It is, indeed. I return to it often, particularly for the riff on male entitlement (pp 231-232): "I've met ambitious women, driven women, but no woman has ever told me that greatness was her destiny."
All About Love by bell hooks. It's still on my bedside table several years after first reading it, margins crammed with all the scribbled self-reflection it prompted. Truly life-changing. And yes, I agree. Our novels are explorations of the bigger questions we find ourselves battling with. And such an effective, satisfying way to tease out the answers. Lovely article!
Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Liz Gilbert’s Big Magic sparked that fire in me. Emily Wilson’s translation of the Iliad wrote those ancient words into my bones. But all books have an invitation to learn and be transformed.
1n 1998, I read The Soul of Money by activist Lynn Twist, co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance. It changed my life. I closed that book and thought, I'm going to meet that woman and I did. Her book is about how money can be used as a source of good, how to look at life from a vantage point of sufficiency rather than greed and lack, that we have the power to do so much with what we have, even if it is just a trickle, that we can live with intention and integrity. As a fundraiser, she returned a $2 million gift to the donor because she felt bought, that the money was dirty. That act opened up channels she never would have dreamed of, channels of abundance and good-heartedness that flowed from everyday people with not a lot of money, and that money healed brokeness in ways that an empty donation of millions never could. She changed the way I look at things--from one of lack and fear to one of hope and sufficiency.
This post resonates and validates the seeker and the writer in me. I’m a junkie for helpful guideposts found through the experiences of others. The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill was one that spoke to me years ago. It had me ask myself what my Luna was? What did I value? What would I sacrifice for?
A few that have hit me hard in the last few months are What It Takes To Heal by Prentis Hemphill and A Recipe for More by Sara Elise, and Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. I’m about to start Loving Corrections by adrienne maree brown 🖤🖤 I’m a self-help, self-growth fanatic working toward licensure for therapy. Throw em all at me 😅
Hi Jami, I've studied visualization techniques for years and the two books that jump out for me are:
Shakti Gawain's Creative Visualization, and The Silva Mind Control Method, by Jose Silva. Both are excellent. Shakti was from Marin County and very popular early on in spiritual circles but Jose Silva pretty much 'wrote the book' on it. His is a super interesting story. And the technique is easy to understand and do. Highly recommended! Thanks for your post today!
I read this and all the comments so far and got excited about the books listed there but could not think of a single book to add. Then I realized it was because when I read almost anything - and I read mostly fiction -- I glean something about the biggest question I have: how to live this life I have. How to live it when I was young and how to live it now when I am not. Thinking this way, I can offer some of my most recent reads that have been important as I struggle with aging, time, grief, and love, and seek motivation to keep writing. Some examples: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, the brilliant essay in the Best American Essays 2023 by Merrill Joan Gerber, "Revelation at the Food Bank" (which can be found here: https://thesewaneereview.com/articles/revelation-food-bank). So many more come to mind but I wanted to share these.
I’ve languished in the self help world after the he death of my 33-yo brother-in-law then a year later we lost my father-in-law. This opened spiritual doors I had closed tightly through intellectual collegiate pursuits. My reading shifted to 90% nonfiction. I’m very sciencey. Why, how, does anyone or anything do what it does? Applying all of this insight to myself, I worked to become a different person. I sought and for the first time in a dark, abused life, I found ME. Positive talk, responsibility for my actions and words, avoidance of drama, knowing my judgements of others only reflect judgements of myself, being able to walk in the shoes of another…these actions and more were enforced from the self-help world. Early authors: Louise Hay (we are responsible for our own dis-ease, Wow!) and Wayne Dyer lead the way. Guru Ram Dass and that circle of people help me connect internally and externally. I’ve studied Archangels with Stewart Pearce and am learning to let go my trauma from long term living with abuse, reading No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz. Positive influence can come from anywhere. I needed solid, plain evidence that I was the only one in control of my life. I didn’t want to do therapy, so this became my way. The goal is to love and be loved, especially by oneself. This is my lesson.
In 2020, we were two months into lockdown when I read Lily King's Writers & Lovers. Like many, many people, I'd been in a dark place and it's not exaggeration when I say that this book saved me. It felt like a guidebook to persevering through terrible times and like the narrator, Casey, I found my way out of the darkness by writing.
It's a GREAT book.
It is, indeed. I return to it often, particularly for the riff on male entitlement (pp 231-232): "I've met ambitious women, driven women, but no woman has ever told me that greatness was her destiny."
I also read this book during the early pandemic days! It was such a lifeline that got me back into reading and encouraged me to keep writing.
Exactly this!
Ok. Off to go find it.
One of my absolute favorite books ever.
All About Love by bell hooks. It's still on my bedside table several years after first reading it, margins crammed with all the scribbled self-reflection it prompted. Truly life-changing. And yes, I agree. Our novels are explorations of the bigger questions we find ourselves battling with. And such an effective, satisfying way to tease out the answers. Lovely article!
Just Kids by Patti Smith
Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Liz Gilbert’s Big Magic sparked that fire in me. Emily Wilson’s translation of the Iliad wrote those ancient words into my bones. But all books have an invitation to learn and be transformed.
I saw Emily read from this last month at the Napa Valley Writers Conference. She’s amazing
Awesome! I would love to meet her!
1n 1998, I read The Soul of Money by activist Lynn Twist, co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance. It changed my life. I closed that book and thought, I'm going to meet that woman and I did. Her book is about how money can be used as a source of good, how to look at life from a vantage point of sufficiency rather than greed and lack, that we have the power to do so much with what we have, even if it is just a trickle, that we can live with intention and integrity. As a fundraiser, she returned a $2 million gift to the donor because she felt bought, that the money was dirty. That act opened up channels she never would have dreamed of, channels of abundance and good-heartedness that flowed from everyday people with not a lot of money, and that money healed brokeness in ways that an empty donation of millions never could. She changed the way I look at things--from one of lack and fear to one of hope and sufficiency.
For me, that book was Quiet by Susan Cain. I never felt more seen and understood.
Lost & Found by Katherine Schulz. Incredible.
This post resonates and validates the seeker and the writer in me. I’m a junkie for helpful guideposts found through the experiences of others. The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill was one that spoke to me years ago. It had me ask myself what my Luna was? What did I value? What would I sacrifice for?
A few that have hit me hard in the last few months are What It Takes To Heal by Prentis Hemphill and A Recipe for More by Sara Elise, and Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. I’m about to start Loving Corrections by adrienne maree brown 🖤🖤 I’m a self-help, self-growth fanatic working toward licensure for therapy. Throw em all at me 😅
meditation teacher Sebene Selasse’s You Belong. also, lately, all of Pema Chodron via audiobook. thx!
MY GRANDMOTHER'S HANDS by Resmaa Menakem
RETURNING HOME TO OUR BODIES by Abigail Rose Clarke
OUR LADY OF THE DARK COUNTRY by Sylvia V. Linsteadt
The latter of these is fiction and I had to stop reading every few pages just to reread certain passages and weep.
Hi Jami, I've studied visualization techniques for years and the two books that jump out for me are:
Shakti Gawain's Creative Visualization, and The Silva Mind Control Method, by Jose Silva. Both are excellent. Shakti was from Marin County and very popular early on in spiritual circles but Jose Silva pretty much 'wrote the book' on it. His is a super interesting story. And the technique is easy to understand and do. Highly recommended! Thanks for your post today!
I read this and all the comments so far and got excited about the books listed there but could not think of a single book to add. Then I realized it was because when I read almost anything - and I read mostly fiction -- I glean something about the biggest question I have: how to live this life I have. How to live it when I was young and how to live it now when I am not. Thinking this way, I can offer some of my most recent reads that have been important as I struggle with aging, time, grief, and love, and seek motivation to keep writing. Some examples: A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, the brilliant essay in the Best American Essays 2023 by Merrill Joan Gerber, "Revelation at the Food Bank" (which can be found here: https://thesewaneereview.com/articles/revelation-food-bank). So many more come to mind but I wanted to share these.
Anam Cara … a John O’Donahue admirer forever. He helps deepen the breath of life.
Yes!!❤️ Even a phrase by John O’Donahue will shift me into my humanity.
: )
I’ve languished in the self help world after the he death of my 33-yo brother-in-law then a year later we lost my father-in-law. This opened spiritual doors I had closed tightly through intellectual collegiate pursuits. My reading shifted to 90% nonfiction. I’m very sciencey. Why, how, does anyone or anything do what it does? Applying all of this insight to myself, I worked to become a different person. I sought and for the first time in a dark, abused life, I found ME. Positive talk, responsibility for my actions and words, avoidance of drama, knowing my judgements of others only reflect judgements of myself, being able to walk in the shoes of another…these actions and more were enforced from the self-help world. Early authors: Louise Hay (we are responsible for our own dis-ease, Wow!) and Wayne Dyer lead the way. Guru Ram Dass and that circle of people help me connect internally and externally. I’ve studied Archangels with Stewart Pearce and am learning to let go my trauma from long term living with abuse, reading No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz. Positive influence can come from anywhere. I needed solid, plain evidence that I was the only one in control of my life. I didn’t want to do therapy, so this became my way. The goal is to love and be loved, especially by oneself. This is my lesson.
What a great question, Jami! Three come to mind right away:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Golden Age by Joan London
Diary of a Girl by Anne Frank