There are a million reasons why I love books, but here are the top three reasons why I love books and hope to encourage you to love them too.
Despite bookstore closings, people are consuming books in many forms: paperback/hardback, ebooks, and audio books.
Reason 1) Books Are a Free or Cheap Source for Priceless Learning
From a free library rental to a $26.99 hardback, books offer endless opportunities for learning. Whatever subject you want to learn about, a problem you want to solve, there’s probably a book written on that. I call that priceless!
Books are like oxygen to me. I must always have at least one book to be reading each day. That’s because I love to learn.
Stories teach us lessons learned. But this learning goes beyond the conscious or intellectual level.
Throughout this post are links to some of my favorite books where you can read more about them and the authors on Amazon. If you decide to make a purchase, as an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission for qualifying purchases.
How Books Teach Us on an Unconscious Level
It may seem obvious that you pick up a book to consciously learn something, but there’s unconscious learning that takes place, too.
Let me explain. As a writer, I love to read. In Stephen King’s brilliant book, On Writing (a must have for any writer), he says, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life.”
While he advocates reading from a writer’s perspective for the story telling aspect, character development, and style, I discovered the unconscious rewards in reading a lot. For me, it translated into an expanded vocabulary.
Words will come out of my mouth that I never used before. It’s uncanny (like the word, uncanny). : ) The only explanation I can give to this new phenomenon is my exposure to so many new words.
Reason 2) Books are Portable Entertainment, Escape, and Reduce Stress
You can take any form of book with you wherever you go. Books give you an opportunity to be lost in another world even while sitting next to someone on an airplane, park bench, or beach chair surrounded by people.
You can escape by living through another person’s life via biography or autobiography or through characters that you love in any number of fiction genres.
Books are a great way to relieve stress as you get lost in the pages and forget about the outside world of deadlines and demands.
Reason 3) Books Provide Inspiration, Encouragement, and the Opportunity for Self-Transformation
When my mother turned 92, we decided to become volunteers to help school children who were struggling with reading.
At the orientation, we sat in a big circle. Each person was asked to stand up, introduce themselves, and tell why they wanted to help others with reading.
My mother stood up and said, “You never know when a book will change your life.” Wow! I didn’t see that coming. But it’s so true.
I’m a big believer in being open to any opportunity, whether it’s a book, movie, concert, or hearing a speaker. You never know what nugget of wisdom will speak to you. (By the way, that’s part of living life in FLOW, which is step 3.) Click here for a copy of The Four Steps to FLOW.
A Transforming Book Nugget for Me
Three words transformed my life from a book called The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris.
I read the book in 2009. Robert and I had been married for five years. Our first conversation (before we even went on a date) was about Italy. Robert had just returned from a trip there.
We started dating in the fall of 2003. At dinner on New Year’s Eve, we talked about our love for travel and wrote on cocktail napkins all the places we wanted to go.
In The 4-Hour Work Week, it talks about the deferred life plan. Those were the three words.
The deferred life plan is the traditional plan that most of us were raised to follow. You go to college, get a great job, save money, work until you are 65, then do what you want to do with your life in retirement.
Looking at this plan in black and white seems ludicrous! What happens if you have health issues? What happens if you are downsized? There are so many factors to get in the way of this plan. Not to mention the fact that you are deferring your life!
Robert and I had not done any of the traveling that we wrote on those cocktail napkins. After reading the book, we started traveling in earnest. The first trip we took was to Italy in 2013. Since then, we have fulfilled many napkin destinations.
With Robert’s Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2014, we are not wanting to defer what we want to do and are able to do now.
That is just one example of the many books that have transformed my life. Now that I am a published author, I hope that my books will contain nuggets of information to transform someone’s life, too.
Do you have a book that has meant a lot to you? Please share it in the comment section below.
If you’d like a free sample from my book, The Freedom to EAT – 10 Secrets for Lasting Weight Loss and Inner Peace, put in your first name and best email below. I’m confident you will find lots of nuggets. : )
Books from My Book Shelf
Here are books that I shared on a Facebook live when I did a tour of my book shelf. Hope you find some to inspire and entertain.
Remember that authors not only write because it’s what’s in their heart to do, it’s also how they make their living. If you want your authors to be successful and keep writing, you can support them by:
- Telling other people if a book has touched you like I’m doing on this page – costs you nothing but is worth everything to an author.
- Tell your library if they don’t carry a book you want to read to order it. I couldn’t possibly buy all the books I read or have space to keep them! But libraries have budgets and they can buy the books. : )
- Purchase a book for someone if you loved it. You can purchase a very inexpensive Kindle version and if it’s an older book, hard covers and paperbacks can be less than the price of a pricey greeting card.
Inspirational
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom https://amzn.to/2VL5P8I
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto https://amzn.to/3cWZpZH
Tuesday’s With Morrie – https://amzn.to/2WaYr5y
The Shack by William Paul Young – https://amzn.to/2xjK1aJ
Of course, I need to add my own book, God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement.
I’ve been so blessed to meet many of my favorite authors. This is me with Tom Hill, who arranged this meeting, and author, William Paul Young, author of The Shack, Crossroads, Eve, and Lies We Believe About God.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – ranks up in my top books for sure! https://amzn.to/3f2yL3x
The In Between – Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing by Jeff Goins. He also writes a lot for writers with his books: Real Artists Don’t Starve, The Art of Word, You are a Writer, and Wrecked – He also has a podcast called The Portfolio Life which I enjoy. https://amzn.to/2KIJfap
Spiritual
I’ve read this book over and over again. Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Realty by Anthony De Mello: https://amzn.to/2KMVsLj
Wishful Thinking by theologian Frederick Buechner. This is one of my go to books for theological questions answered https://amzn.to/3cSI0Bs
I’ve discovered this recent series of books by Father Jacques Philippe. Each book is small but powerful, and he does not duplicate the content, which I find most refreshing! These are the ones that I own: Searching for and Maintaining Peace: A Small Treatise on Peace of Heart 1St Edition, Interior Freedom, Time for God, In the School of the Holy Spirit, Called to Life, and The Way of Trust and Love, a Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux. You can also purchase a 5 book set.
Traveling Mercies – Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott (a word of caution, Ms. Lamott can curse like a sailor) https://amzn.to/2Wau7YD
Falling Upward by Richard Rohr: https://amzn.to/2xfJpSS
Father Richard Rohr is such an inspiration. He’s written many more books like The Naked Now, The Divine Dance, Immortal Diamond, just to name a few.
Wayne Muller is my favorite spiritual author. He wrote these two books. Sabbath – Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight In Our Busy Lives: https://amzn.to/2IReYno
A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough, also by Wayne Muller: https://amzn.to/2sgFcIz
I had the honor to spend two days with Wayne Muller during an Advent retreat, and it was a treat!
And, of course, God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement. : )
For Writers and Creatives
War of Art by Steven Pressfield one of my top choices and a must for creatives : https://amzn.to/2semGkg
On Writing by Stephen King – fabulous, one of my top picks: https://amzn.to/2xed6DM
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Will have you laughing as a writer: https://amzn.to/2LvZ0kl
On Writing Well by William Zinsser – great resource: https://amzn.to/2IRfCkO
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat, Pray, Love fame (love that book too), but this is a must for creatives to keep encouraged: https://amzn.to/2xfKQ3I
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron – classic – love it – https://amzn.to/3c0hNRi
Healing
Co-Dependent No More by Melody Beattie – opened my eyes and changed my life: https://amzn.to/2sesg68
Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen – love this book: https://amzn.to/2KYtFWl
The Freedom to Eat – 10 Secrets for Lasting Weigh Loss and Inner Peace by me : ) : https://joyandflowstore.com/collections/books/products/the-freedom-to-eat-book
Mystery
Louis Penny first book, Still Life – https://amzn.to/2W9w1sz
Thanks to my local librarian turning me onto Louise Penny. I was able to meet her and share my news of being published for the first time. This was her sweet reaction. She is such a great writer and great human being.
Deborah Crombie first book – A Share in Death: https://amzn.to/3aPC4Ia
Robert B. Parker first book, The Godwulf Manuscript. Sadly, Robert Parker died, but he has two writers that have taken over his characters and are spot on with his voice: https://amzn.to/35i2Urm
I LOVE good mysteries that don’t have graphic violence and do have great characters. Would love recommendations!
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