Tag Archives: book lovers

5 Inspiring Books to Give This Holiday Season

We love books. We love reading them, collecting them and, above all, giving them as gifts. Since the holiday season is a time for reflection and resolutions, we’ve gathered our top inspiring books from thinkers, present and past, to jumpstart creativity and connection in the coming year.

 

Brave Enough

by Cheryl Strayed

Brave Enough

Released in October, this little canvas-bound book compiles some of the most provocative and beloved quotes from Cheryl Strayed. Drawn from her wildly successful books Wild, Torch and Tiny Beautiful Things, the quotes appear formatted one per page without attribution. Together, there are 160 pages to dip into when you need a little push of inspiration, encouragement or bravery, including this one: “Believe in the integrity and value of the jagged path. We don’t always do the right thing on our way to rightness.”

 

 

The Little Prince

by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Little Prince

As Antoine de Saint-Exupéry himself put it, The Little Prince is a book for children written for grown-ups. This classic French novella tells the story of an aviator who crashes into the desert. There, he meets a young boy, “the little prince,” who tells him tales of his unusual and otherworldly life in outer space. Each allegory illuminates an aspect of human nature and our collective potential. The accompanying watercolor illustrations are beautiful in their own right.

 

 

 

The War of Art

by Steven Pressfield

warofart_book (1)

Though we generally shy away from any books with “self” or “help” in the genre description, we’re making an exception for this energetic manifesto geared toward writers. Written in 2002, The War of Art is a straight-talking book about fighting the inner resistance that keeps us from achieving our goals, whether it’s writing a book, starting a diet or founding a company. Pressfield asks, “Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

 

 

Letters to a Young Poet

by Rainer Maria Rilke

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It’s the correspondence that has inspired millions. Over the course of 10 beautifully written letters, Austrian poet, Rainer Maria Rilke, gives advice to an aspiring writer enrolled at his alma mater. Not only do these letters offer insight into the author’s own poetry, but they provide gems of wisdom and strength for anyone, poet or otherwise. He writes, “If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.”

 

 

 

The Year of Magical Thinking

by Joan Didion

inspiring books

Death is part of life. Life is part of death. In recent years, no one has written about these truths as movingly as Joan Didion. The Year of Magical Thinking is a memoir of mourning, but it is also a memoir of surviving. Didion wrote the book following the death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, while they were both dealing with the hospitalization of their daughter. Didion frankly describes her “magical thinking” and the difficulty she had grappling with the enormity of her grief. Whether you’ve experienced the death of someone close to you or not, Didion’s simple and elegant prose will inspire you to look at your relationship with your emotions and the ones you love.

Bookish Instagram Accounts for Readers

Readers find much camaraderie through the various outlets available in the virtual world. From blogs to groups to Facebook pages and Twitter hashtags, the literary world is at the tip of one’s fingers. The world of Instagram has embraced the literary as well. Here are five IG accounts completely worth a look at.

1. Subway Book Review

Ever wondered what your fellow subway passenger was reading? Now you don’t have to. The account’s creator, Uli Beutter Cohen, found that the New York subway system is a “literary microcosm,” to use her words. She decided to start asking passengers what they were reading and if they were willing to give a short review of the book. Thus, Subway Book Review was born. You’ll find everything from the traditionally published to the self-published, literary to children’s lit to nonfiction, chick lit and beyond.

2. Book Riot

The writers and editors at the Book Riot blog want you to know what they’re reading, what they’re doing and how they should be (but they’re reading instead) spending their time. Everything from pictures of pets with books to memes that every book nerd can relate to is found on the Book Riot IG account.

3. Book Baristas

Miami based blogger Natasha gives us the best of books and brews as she leads you through her literary journey. She’ll show you what she’s reading and what she’s drinking—usually coffee, but she’s privy to something stronger every now and then as well. She’ll give you a glimpse of the picturesque locations where she enjoys a good read and lead you through a local bookstore. She also provides book reviews and takes review requests.

4. Make Blackout Poetry

Is poetry more your thing? This innovative account spotlights the ability to make poetry out of a page of words. By taking a page from a book and “blacking out” most of it, the inspirational lines of hidden poetry emerge.

5. Hot Dudes Reading

There’s really nothing better than a good looking man engrossed in an old-fashioned book. This community-based, no-kindles-allowed page feels the same way. Literary fans can browse this page for a look at NYC’s plethora of literary eye candy. Have you recently spotted a good looking man in the coffee shop? Snap a photo of him and submit it to the page so more can enjoy.