The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator

“Joy returns us to everything good and beautiful and worth fighting for. It gives us energy for the long labor. . . . Joy is the gift of love: it makes the labor an end in itself. I believe laboring in joy is the meaning of life.”

~Valarie Kaur

A wise teacher of mine once gifted me with the awareness that, along with Creativity and Ease, Joy is a primary Essence, or state of being, for living a meaningful life. Who could argue with that? But, how in the world do we ‘get there’? In my experience it’s not so much a matter of ‘getting’ as it is ‘cultivating’. If we are guided by the concept that energy follows intention, then surely intention is where we need to begin. It’s worthwhile to check in with ourselves throughout the day to notice if we are giving dominion to our mental chatter or to our heart’s desire to experience Essence.

What follows are some titles to help support your journey into Joy!

I’m a big fan of Alain de Botton’s The School of Life Press whose Small Pleasures is a lovely encouragement to notice the gifts of simple joys in life, which - if we only paid them more attention - could daily bring us more solace and delight. Yes, please!

See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur asks important questions; how do we love in a time of rage? how do we fix a broken world while not breaking ourselves? Valarie Kaur, renowned Sikh activist, filmmaker, and civil rights lawyer, describes revolutionary love as the call of our time, a radical, joyful practice that extends in three directions: to others, to our opponents, and to ourselves. It prompts us to not see a stranger before us, but instead to look at others and say: You are part of me I do not yet know. Starting from that place of curiosity, the world begins to change. It is a practice that can transform a relationship, a community, a culture, even a nation.

The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy edited by John Brehm is a wonderful book to keep by the bedside as a reminder of how words have great power to transform human consciousness. Comprised of over 125 ‘poetic companions’ from Basho to Billy Collins, Saigyo to Shakespeare, it’s what this Book Doctor orders for whatever energy slump or bout of existential loneliness you may be experiencing.

Astrologer Briana Saussy’s new book Star Child: Joyful Parenting Through Astrology helps parents to better understand and nurture their children and, in the process, become more joyful and effective themselves. Suassy brings substantial expertise, humor, and wisdom to this engaging guide. Far from putting kids into into boxes based on their signs, she invites us to recognize where the zodiac’s archetypes live within each of us, to honor these differences, and joyfully raise our children more mindfully.

Metaanatomy: A Modern Yogi's Practical Guide to the Physical and Energetic Anatomy of Your Amazing Body by celebrated yoga teacher Kristin Leal takes us far beyond our often-limited understanding of our amazing human bodies. She helps us to develop a new level of ‘body literacy’ - a deep and vital relationship with the physical, emotional, and energetic aspects of being. She writes, “You are a symphony of synapse and strength; valves and vulnerability; potential, power, and promise. It is my hope that these teachings and practices will ultimately lead you to remember and honor your fundamental wholeness.”

I simply adore the memoir Finding Freedom: A Cook's Story; Remaking a Life From Scratch by Erin French for its down-to-earth fierceness as she tells her story of love, loss, grief, and renewal. As a young woman determined to live her passion come what may, she falls, fails, grows, and thrives. Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its extraordinary seasons, she reveals her path of transformation and we are the better for having walked beside her. If you’re in the midst of a big and daunting challenge in your life, with self-doubt threatening to overwhelm you, then give this book a try. I promise you will be inspired.

“Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night."

‍~Rainer Maria Rilke

Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies: And Other Rituals to Fix Your Life, from Someone Who's Been There by Tara Schuster is a brutally honest, often hilarious account of hard-won lessons in learning to love, care for, and reparent yourself. This is the book Tara wished someone had given her during her times of stress and self-doubt with a message many of us can appreciate.

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If you have children in your life who are getting ready for a new school year, here are a few special books to help ease any anxieties that may come up, both for you and them. In fact, I recommend these for anyone on the threshold
of a new adventure about which they may have a few reservations.

All Welcome Here by James Preller with illustrations by Mary Grandpre is all about the first day of school and its excitement, challenges, and tensions. A diverse cast of characters all start - and finish - their first days of school and have experiences that all children can relate to.

Never, Not Ever! By Beatrice Alemagna is a perfect back-to-school book told with great humor and charm about a young bat named Pascaline who really, really, really doesn’t want to leave her home and family for her first day of school…until she does.

Then there’s this gem: Lena's Shoes Are Nervous: A First-Day-Of-School Dilemma by Keith Calabrese, illustrated by Juan Medina. Today is a big day! Today, Lena starts kindergarten. She is very excited. But there's just one problem...Lena's shoes are nervous! Lena doesn't want to miss out on her first day of school, but she can't go without her favorite shoes! How can she convince them to be brave?

If you’ve made it this far, I’m willing to bet that it’s because you are a steadfast fellow bibliophile. If you also love books about books, I bring you this debut novel, The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. Set in contemporary West London, this is a tale of two lonely souls connected through a love of books and how fiction can create a bridge to joy and healing.

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“Know what you want and all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.” 

~Paulo Coehlo

Please visit our online Bookshop to see our full selection of lists and titles.

May you be inspired, supported, and delighted by what you find here.