The Joy of Reading
A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it. – Samuel Johnson
There’s always that one book that makes us feel good, takes us to a happy place, makes us laugh out loud, sparks inspiration, or provokes us to dig deep into ourselves. The affinity with our feel-good book is such that we don’t get tired of reading it over and over again.
A Slice of Life, Edited by Bonnie Marranca
I love consuming nuggets of soulful food stories, the kind that proffer cerebral and emotional nourishment. To be clear: this is not a cookbook. It’s a satiating 400-page anthology of a flavourful feast of stories that I can sink my teeth into. Comprising 53 chapters, each stand-alone chapter an eloquent personal essay of a writer, it examines the inevitable link between nourishment, literature and society. Each chapter describes actual meals, autobiographical memories, the cultural spectacle of eating, the concept of want, the celebration of good food, and the philosophical, spiritual and ethical aspects of a meal. Bonnie Marranca’s preface and Betty Russell’s introduction are the perfect appetisers that set the mood and whet the appetite right before the full degustation is served. It’s the penultimate gathering of 53 world-renowned accomplished writers in one book so you can just imagine what a feast it is! My favourite chapters are: W Is For Wonton by M. F. K. Fisher, From Our Kitchen To Your Table by Anthony Bourdain, Why Do I Fast? by Wole Soyinka, In Memory’s Kitchen by Cara De Silva, and My Mother’s Blue Bowl by Alice Walker. A Slice of Life is my all-time feel-good banquet that feeds my soul and fills my heart with pleasure. I never get tired of reading and re-reading it. [ Debbie | ws ]
Code of The Extraordinary Mind, by Vishen Lakhiani
I've enjoyed this audible so much because I had been practicing Vishen Lakhiani's six-phase meditation for some time, and it had always given me peace and a jumpstart to my days the past year. Some of my key takeaways from this book: (1) We’ve progressed as human beings in terms of our physical evolution, but not so much in terms of our mental progression – our mental evolution. (2) Extraordinary minds do not need to seek validation from outside opinion or through the attainment of goals. Instead, they are truly at peace with themselves and the world around them. They live fearlessly. (3) Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out our own inner voices. Most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. (4) Don’t get trapped by dogma. If you want to succeed at what you do and succeed at life at the same time, you have to tap into a spiritual core. Happiness may come from gaining things, but true fulfillment comes from giving things. (5) You don’t have to save the world. Just don’t make it a worse place for the next generation. The last is my personal favourite. [ Karmela | ws ]
Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris
David Sedaris’s classic “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is my favourite feel-good book because it is one of the few bestsellers that can make me laugh out loud over and over again. He has a particular talent for penning essays that mix the poignant with the humorous. In this collection of short stories, his quirky observations of navigating a new country and learning a new language, while trying to fit in will resonate with, and amuse, many readers (it drove me to hysterical tears.) However, his family vignettes really bring out the brilliance of his writing and they capture all the beauty, love, absurdity and drama that is present in every family. He is an astute observer of humans and doesn’t mince words, but his introspection is always laced with deep affection for the people he writes about and never comes across as self-indulgent or mean-spirited. I have since read many of his other books but this one will always remain at the top of my David Sedaris favourites. [ Michelle | ws ]
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron
I re-read the Artist’s Way whenever I need a reminder not to be too harsh on myself. It’s a must-read for anyone who has experienced setbacks or roadblocks that hinder them from finding inspiration. The author, Julia Cameron, says, “Creativity is a spiritual practice and a habit.” To stay happy and innovative, we need to stay spiritually centered and apply our creative rituals daily. These small rituals are good for the soul.
The book urges us to treat our inner creativity as a child and nurture it by meditating and writing our daily morning pages -- three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing. Each week, we need to allocate two hours of alone time to visit the museum, a gallery or any creative pursuit to experience something new.
The book is a practical and inspirational guide that also reminds us that we are more than our emotions. Our credibility lies with ourselves, God and our work. We shouldn’t doubt ourselves and actively guard ourselves against negativity. We can do this by being aware of our thoughts and feelings and actively inspiring ourselves with new experiences. [ Tisha | ws ]
The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz
The pursuit of peace. Mental health optimisation. Finding my joy. These concepts have taken on a whole new meaning and intensity given the craziness we are living through today! Mental health is not just an area of interest for me. My chapter as a mental health patient was a gift of insight to just how crucial self-care is. When I read The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz I knew in my bones that these four guiding principles hold the key to mastery of self: (1) Be Impeccable With Your Word. (2) Don't Take Anything Personally. (3) Don't Make Assumptions. (4) Always Do Your Best. As one of my favourite sayings goes, I'm a "work in progress" and this book keeps me on track! [ Roisin Hansen ]