Reading serves many purposes: an entertaining escape, an educational enlightenment, and a soul-quaking reality check. Check out the purpose and wellness books on my “must read next” list!
As a kid, I was the girl that finished 10 books in 4 weeks at summer camp. Reading has always been both an escape and an immersion for me. I love to a good novel, but I also love to dive into a fascinating subject, new or old, with an in-depth non-fiction book.
As a result, both my favorite book list and my up-next book list are miles long. However, as I start to think about fall, I’d like to share the purpose and wellbeing books that are up next on my ‘to-read’ list (which is a far more exciting list than my ‘to-do’ list!) so we can all start the season with a fresh perspective from a fantastic read.
How to Be Well
By Dr. Frank Lipman, How to Be Well is described as “an essential manual for thriving in the modern world,” by Arianna Huffington. Dr. Lipman describes the book on his website as an “all in one wellness manual for everybody.” While I learned in marketing class that “everybody” isn’t actually a target market, I can’t help but believe him, and I can’t wait to read about his six keys to a happy and healthy life.
When
When, by New York Times bestselling author Dan Pink, describes the “scientific secrets of perfect timing.” In a review by The Guardian, the book was described as “intriguing stuff written with a light, assured touch by Pink, an expert on motivation and management who is at pains to stress that modern science shows that scheduling and careful timing of our daily routines is crucial to our wellbeing.” The review notes that the book states, “with confidence,” that “naps and leisurely daily walks are ‘not niceties, but necessities,’’ which is something I can get behind.
Fierce Conversations
Fierce Conversations, by Susan Scott is subtitled “achieving success at work and in life one conversation at a time.” Truthfully, I’m wary of any book that uses “success” in the subtitle, as I never know if my definition of success matches up with the author’s definition. If it doesn’t, the book may be a whole lot of “put in the hours” mumbo-jumbo that I don’t always agree with. However, something in the description caught my attention and made me add this book to my list. The description claims that the book can teach how to “handle strong emotions—on both sides of the table” for effective communication. In our current political climate, I would love to add that skill to my repertoire, so I’ll still be checking this book out from the library soon.
The Four Noble Truths of Love
By Susan Piver, a New York Times bestselling author of 9 books, The Four Noble Truths of Love applies traditional Buddhist teachings to modern relationships to “show that ancient philosophies have timeless-and unexpected-wisdom on how to love,” according to Susan’s website. Before you stop reading because I’ve gotten a little too “woo woo” for you, first listen to Susan talk about the book on one of my favorite podcasts, Good Life Project. In the podcast episode, she describes realistic strategies that can be applied to all loving relationships, not solely romantic ones. I’m excited to apply the tips she provides to many of my relationships, such as those with my boyfriend, closest friends, parents, and siblings.
I could go on forever, as my reading list is the ‘check one off, add two more’ kind of list, but isn’t that the fun part of reading? I could read a book a week for the rest of my life and still find something new to read each time. Do you have suggestions I should add to my list? Let me know in the comments!