Take Some Time and...

First, I would like to wish you a Happy 4th. Unfortunately for my husband, this is the first year in his life that he can’t celebrate independence from the British since he has chosen to enter into a trans-Atlantic alliance!!!!!

I cannot believe that we are at the half way mark of 2013. I bet you can’t either! And, if we are not careful, the months of summer that we have waited for will be a distant memory. (If you are in the South or Southwest, you may not feel the pain of this observation the same way that us Four Season Folks do…)

So, this week, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite books that I have read, or reread, recently. I sincerely hope that you will find one exciting or interesting enough to pick up or, as we often do now, download. I am amazed at how many books I am able to read now that I have the Kindle app on my iPhone. It is surprisingly easy to read on the phone, which opens up the possibility of different moments to read.

This is also probably a good time to let you know a desire that I have had for some time – and that is to have a “virtual” book club. I would love to invite authors to join us for a discussion or interview, and when the author is not available have passionate discussions with like-minded people. With today’s technology, joining in will be as easy as making a phone call or connecting via your computer. As you will see from my list, the books run the gamut from self-awareness to “beach reads.” Each has its place in my heart, and I have personally learned something from every one of them, even if it was as simple as a new way of looking at something. 

In the meantime, here’s the list in no particular order and if you click on each title it will take you to the Amazon description.

1. My Beloved World, by Sonia Sotomayor – a memoir written by the Supreme Court Justice
   
2. Hot House Flowers and the Nine Plants of Desire, by Margot Berwin – I really loved this book and that way life takes us on unexpected turns.
   
3. The House at the End of Hope Street, by Menna Van Praag – A really easy read that shows us that most of the things we need in life show up exactly when we need them.
   
4. The Winter Sea, by Susanna Kearsley – Historical fiction with lots of déjà vu moments.
   
5. The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks – a self help book that shows us how when we are about to expand we find ways to stay small
   
6. Vagina: A New Biography, by Naomi Wolf – a total MUST read if you really want to understand how complex we women really are, and how we are wired to be that way
   
7. Wild, by Cheryl Strayed – A journey of one woman on the Pacific Coast Trail and what it takes to make this journey.
   
8. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova – a book about  a 50-year-old woman’s sudden descent into early onset Alzheimer’s.
   
9. Mama Gena’s School of Womanly Arts, by Regina Thomashauer – A bible for woman who want to create pleasure in every moment.
   
10. The Parrots Perch, by Karin Keilt – written by a friend on mine and based on a true story about torture in Brazil. While it is an easy read, it is written to bring awareness to what is still happening not so far from here.
    

I hope you pick one (or more!) and it becomes a favorite of yours. If you have a book you loved please share with us here.

Enjoy the longer days, lose yourself in a book, and take some time off!!!

To learn more about Deborah and how she can help you, please visit http://ingredientsforabalancedlife.com/