Books with Bite

Books with Bite

(A book took a bite out of the Gingerman’s head…get it? Or no…)

Need some last minute gift ideas? Here are a few of my favourite reads:

As a remedy for teenage angst:

The Flying Troutman’s by Miriam Toews

A baffled Aunt takes her eccentric eleven year old niece and insolent fifteen year old nephew on a road trip to find their long-lost father. The characters are so wacky, honest and real, I didn’t want the trip to end.

For those ready to take the leap to a more sustainable Christmas:

Hundred Dollar Holiday; The Case for a More Joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben

Christmas should be something to enjoy rather than endure…what a concept!

For the spiritual seeker:

Anam Cara; A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O’Donohue

Anam Cara is a Gaelic term that means “soul friend.” This beautiful book guides the reader through the spiritual landscape of the Irish imagination, exploring topics such as love, intimacy, solitude, spirituality, integrity, growth, courage, aging, wisdom and death.

Something More; Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach

A candid, compelling and often uncomfortable collection of women’s stories that strike to the core of the need to live an authentic life…your life. If your soul is not on the right path, reading this book will likely let you know 🙁

For the budding business enthusiast and entrepreneur:

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People; Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey

A must-read classic for good reason – not just for business reasons but also, perhaps more importantly, for personal ones. This book helps the reader get back to the basics of the core principles such as service, fairness and integrity. I wish I read this decades ago.

Tribes by Seth Godin

A fantastic book about what it means to be a leader and how to use social media to bring about change for the better.

 For someone who has recently lost a loved one:

Tueday’s with Morrie by Mitch Albom

The best bit of advice I ever received about grief came from this book: when a wave of sorrow bubbles to the surface, stop and feel it, then let it go – versus stuffing the hurt back down and running from it. This book is chock full of wisdom delivered with humility and humour from a dying man.

 For the dreamers:

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

An inspirational fable about achieving your dreams and seeking your treasure…it’s always right where you left it 🙂 This book has sold millions of copies for a reason.

 For the motorcycle enthusiasts:

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

This brilliant tale is as much about a mental breakdown as it is about a father and son taking a cross country road trip on a motorcycle.

For the dog-lovers:

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Written from the dog’s perspective, I strongly suspect this author was a dog in his former life. I laughed, I cried…and now I understand my own dog in a whole new way!

The Philosopher and the Wolf; Lessons from the Wild on Love, Death and Happiness by Mark Rowlands

A much darker read, this book is about a philosopher’s journey of raising a wolf pup. “The most important thing in life,” writes the author, “is to be found in precisely what we cannot have.” This book just happened to catch my eye while I was browsing in a bookstore – and ended up changing the way I define happiness.

What are some of your favourite reads? I’d love to hear 🙂

Maryanne Pope is the author of A Widow’s Awakening, the upcoming book, Barrier Removed; A Tough Love Guide to Achieving Your Dreams and the play, Saviour. Maryanne is the Board Chair of the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund and the CEO of Pink Gazelle Productions Inc.