I was thrilled to contribute when Miya and Elisabeth asked me to put together a few words on what I've been reading lately for their amazing new project The Equals Record.
I have most identified with the label "atheist" just about my whole life. It could be something about entering my 30s that has brought a new kind of spirituality to the forefront but lately I cannot get enough when it comes to reading about philosophies of life. So over at The Equals Record I share a couple of reads that put eloquent words and a new vocabulary to some feelings about the universe I've always felt to be true and at the same time opened my mind to new (and a little bit groovy) ways of thinking. Check it out here and feel free to share what you've been reading (offline).
P.S. I can't wait to check out Erin and Joslyn's picks too.
I've read the Alchemist probably 4 times, each at different stages of my life. Each time I read, I'm always surprised how I relate and respond....each time different but each time I've loved it.
ReplyDeleteNow I want to read the Alchemist. I have been largely reading leadership books, since I just finished a course on it. We had to read "Leading with Soul" by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal. I must say, it is one of the most impressive books I have read. Ever. I highly recommend you read it, since you are, in many ways, a leader. The other books were good too, but not as self reflective as that one. I cried at one point in the book. How many assigned books in an MBA course can people say that about?
ReplyDeleteKD - It's so funny because the first time I (tried to) read it I was kind of into it but completely lost. The second time I picked it up it was magical. I'm looking forward to the 3rd and 4th and so on to see how I relate.
ReplyDeleteBobbi - Oooh, thanks for the recommendation. I'll definitely check it out!
Dude... I just could NOT get into The Alchemist at ALL. Maybe I just can't hang with allegories. Plus it was a bit God-heavy. I realize now I enjoy reading real people's stories and the lessons they learned from them. But maybe I just need to mature a bit.
ReplyDeleteI, like you, sort of consider myself an atheist or at the minimum, very skeptical about religion but I'm often interested in it. A friend recommended The Alchemist before my trip to Spain this month so I put it on my kindle and started it. I didn't like it at all -- in fact, I really struggled to finish it. I could certainly see how it might be powerful for some, but it just wasn't for me.
ReplyDeleteLiz - Nothing beats a good memoir.
ReplyDeleteJay - You know I could only get into the alchemist after I had taken a class on dream interpretations. So when I approached the whole book like one big dream it was more interesting to read. Now, I'm not saying go out and take a dream class - it's just what made a really difficult read a really enjoyable one for me.