Alex and I have talked about starting a book club, but sometimes the obligation and deadline of it all can steal the joy of just reading. And that is definitely not the vibe for summertime. So, no book club, yet. Instead, here are five books we’ve been loving and learning from, while wearing sunblock.
The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur C. Brooks
Super chill title, right? Arthur C. Brooks is one of our favorite writers of life’s big questions, like: What is happiness? Why are we here? Are we doing any of this correctly? The Meaning of Your Life is his best yet. He asks what is the point of it all, and then actually delivers the answer. Meaning isn’t something you stumble upon after quitting your job and moving to Bali. It’s something you build, largely through relationships, purpose, and the stories you tell yourself about your own life. He makes it sound so easy. Maybe it is.
The Pivot Year by Brianna Wiest
Iman Jordan told us about The Pivot Year a few months ago. So, we haven’t finished it yet because it’s 365 short meditations on habits, desires, fears, and ideas about who you’re supposed to be. (Although there is technically no Pivot Police if you happen to read twelve in bed on a Sunday.) It’s particularly helpful if you’re in that strange territory between knowing something needs to change and actually changing it. And let’s be real, who isn’t?
The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh
Alex read this one on the beach in Ibiza (which is obviously the ideal setting for spiritual enlightenment). In his words: I’d reached a plateau on my spiritual journey/journey to know myself and was feeling like I wouldn’t be able to find peace because *raises arms and looks around* how could anyone find peace when every day feels like another step to oblivion? Then I was introduced to Buddhism and the concept of accepting things as they are. Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh’s writing is so gentle and lucid that none of it feels like doctrine. I’m now starting to understand how things like suffering, mindfulness, compassion, the idea of “self vs others,” and impermanence can lead to that peace I’ve been searching for. Which, as it turns out, is already in me.
The Power of Caring by Dr. Tony Nader
I discovered Dr. Tony Nader through Transcendental Meditation, which is not a cult, but the one form of meditation I’ve been able to stick with. I’d love to have him as a guest on the pod one day. In the meantime, I’m reading The Power of Caring. Dr. Nader makes the case that caring isn’t just a nice personality trait, but fundamental to who we are as humans. Drawing on science, philosophy, and consciousness, he explores what happens when we expand our sense of concern beyond ourselves and start seeing our well-being as connected to everyone else’s.
Calypso by David Sedaris
And because I believe laughter is the solution to most things, I present you with one of Sedaris’ best. I’ve bought Calypso for at least a dozen people because no book has ever made me lol more. It’s a collection of essays about family, aging, death, and the tiny absurdities of being alive. Read this when you would like to contemplate the human condition through something lighter, like a Fitbit obsession or a vacation home named The Sea Section.
I am reading the Brooks upon your recommendation. But the homework slows me down.