I am a voracious reader. Comes with the territory when your mot
her is an English teacher and an annual family tradition is swapping reading lists. (And yes, we try to impress each other with our lists!).
Books influence me. They stick with me. And I re-read good ones over and over again until the spines break and pages start to fall out. My family will tell you that when I am engrossed in a book, Armageddon could be happening all around me and I would be oblivious to it. That’s how much I put into reading!
I am often asked for reading suggestions or about what books inflenced me the most. So I thought I would share my list of the books that have fundamentally shaped the person I am today:
1) The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.
Doesn’t matter whether you think you are creative or not. We all have a creative spark and Julia (whom I’ve met in person) does an amazing job at helping everyone uncover their unique creativity. I’ve had to replace this book twice because I wore my copies out.
2) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Don’t let the short length of this book mislead you on it’s power. It is a masterfully crafted parable about finding one’s Personal Legend, facing adversity, having the universe conspire on your behalf and the power of perseverance. I even have the CD version and Jeremy Irons reads the beautiful language to me when I need extra TLC for my dreams.
3) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.
The only novel I know of where entrepreneurs are the heroes. I know it’s long. But I’ve read it at least ten times and the whole thing is practically one big underline because the writing is so powerful.
4) Tie: Finding Your Own North Star & Steering By Starlight by
Martha Beck.
At one time in my life, I was a self-help book junkie. I owned a ton of them. Read them all. And they all left me lacking (well except for The Artist’s Way). UNTIL I read Finding Your Own North Star. This book lead to my meeting and working with Martha Beck (she writes a column for Oprah magazine) and eventually being personally trained by her as a coach.
Her follow up, Steering By Starlight is just as powerful – if not more so. These are the first books I recommend to clients who are struggling to discover what they want and who they want to be.
So, there you have it. The five books I return to over and over again. When I feel unclear or a little shaky or just need to get myself regrounded, the words contained in these books always deliver the boost I need.
What books would you add?
Original art uploaded on November 5, 2006
by Faeryan
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