Great Reads for the New Year

I recently heard that for the first time three vegan books are in the top 100 books on Amazon. It made me want to share some of my favorite books with you.

Im often asked for book recommendations, and its one of my favorite things to do-match a book to a client or friend in need. Youll notice there’s no fiction on this list of beloved books, because I dont read fiction. Also, most of these books are over twenty years old because I dont read anything contemporary, except those books on veganism. More than not, the authors I read are dead.

Its unusual for me to be reading more than one book at a time (I couldn’t multi-task to save my life) but right now these six are on my nightstand, though I wouldn’t call some of them my favorites.

Eat to Live. Dr. Joel Furhman. Ive only just started to read books on veganism, though Ive been a vegan for three years and a strict vegetarian (no eggs, no milk, no ice cream) for over twenty. The problem is that because I post about veganism, people sort of expect me to know what Im talking about nutritionally, and truth be told, Im not that well-read on the subject.

I just know in my entire being thats in not right to eat animals, and therefore it cannot be healthy. Thats always been good enough for me. I don’t need to be proven that it is so. Lately, however, Ive been more interested in the nutritional benefits, which has always been secondary for me.

Eat to Live is a weight loss book but its really just the most sensible way to eat and be healthy. Dr. Mehmet Oz writes the forward. Check out Dr. Oz on this video that I recently posted.

Becoming Vegan. Brenda Davis. I found this book at my favorite used bookstore Jackson Street Booksellers in Omaha, NE. Very good info for vegan neophytes.

The Red Book. C.G. Jung. (Jung’s never never before published writings.) This is a behemoth. Its daunting. I read one page a week. Seriously. Thats all I can take.

The Shadow of Sirius. W. S. Merwin. Ahhhh, poetry. Recently won the Pulitzer Prize.

Existentialists and Mystics: Writings on Philosophy and Literature. Iris Murdoch. This has been sitting on my shelf for years (again, from Jackson St.) and Ive only just decided to tackle it. Did you see that film about her called Iris? I’m a sucker for fascinating, whip-smart women.

Hypnosis Questions and Answers. (Jackson St. again) Unless youre a hypnotherapist, you would find this dry and boring. Actually, I do. And I’m a hypnotherapist.

And Im always and forever reading A Course in Miracles, which is my spiritual path.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

(I’ve linked them all to Amazon, though you can be sure I get no kickback.)

VEGANISM (See those above as well.)

Eating Animals. Jonathan Safron Foer. Everyone seems to be reading this right now.

Diet for a New America. John Robbins. Classic. Of the Baskin-Robbins fame.

Skinny Bitch. Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. The language can be a bit vulgar sometimes. (Hence, the title.) But I don’t mind. They’re right on.

Quantum Wellness. Kathy Freston. She puts it nicer.

The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World. John Robbins and Dr. Dean Ornish. Enough said in the subtitle.

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight-Loss and Long-term Health. T. Colin Campbell. For the dedicated reader.

PHILOSOPHY

The World as Will and Representation. Arthur Schopenhauer. My favorite philosopher. I read this book about fifteen years ago and FELL IN LOVE. i adore this man and wish I knew him. Too bad he died in 1860.

The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World’s Greatest Philosophers. Will Durant. Such an enjoyable read.

The Portable Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche and Walter Kaufman. Nietzsche inspires me like no other.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Friedrich Nietzsche. I can’t believe someone wrote this. No wonder he lost his mind.

PSYCHOLOGY

Freud: The Man and the Cause. Ronald W. Clark. There are about five Freud fans left in the world and I am one of them. I will go down fighting that he was one of the most important persons to grace this world.

The Portable Jung. C.G. Jung and Joseph Campbell. Worthwhile.

Toxic Psychiatry. Peter Breggin. An education. Anyone on anti-depressants should read this book.

EASTERN THOUGHT

Autobiography of a Yogi. Paramahansa Yogananda. Classic spiritual literature. Completely transformational.

I am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. Wow. Mind-expanding.

Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Gandhi. Made me want to be a better human being.

Think on These Things. J. Krishnamurti. Absorbing and helpful.

SCIENCE

Holographic Universe. Michael Talbot. Very interesting stuff here. The whole is in the smallest part. I see things differently now.

Taking the Quantum Leap. Fred Alan Wolf. Physics for the non-physicist.

Tao of Physics. Fritjof Capra. Ditto.

METAPHYSICS/SPIRITUALITY/OTHER

Seth Speaks. (Any and all Seth books.) Jane Roberts. My first spiritual teacher. Nothing would ever be the same when I read this at fifteen years old.

Emmanuels Book: A Guide for Living Comfortably in the Cosmos. (And II, III) Pat Rodegast. Immensely enjoyable and comforting books. I come back to these again and again.

Living with Joy. (All of the “Earth-life Mastery Series” books. There are five others.) Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. The book I most recommend to clients. It’s probably the most self-helpish book on the list, but not. Easy reading and helpful exercises.

Many Lives, Many Masters. Brian L. Weiss. Second most recommended book to clients. Deals with hypnosis and reincarnation.

The Essential Edgar Cayce. Mark Thurston. How does one begin to describe Edgar Cayce? Except to say that he should be required reading.

The Story of Edgar Cayce: There is a River. Thomas Sugrue. An engaging life. He ushered in the idea of holistic medicine and what we consider “New Age.” There, I just described him.

Love, Medicine, and Miracles. Dr. Bernie Siegel. I recommend this to clients who are dealing with disease.

You Can Heal Your Life. Louise L. Hay. Just good commonsense to me.

The New Astrology. Suzanne White. My favorite astrology book.

Last Words: The Final Journals of William S. Burroughs. William S. Burroughs. Mystic, philosopher, revolutionary. I know he’s a little off-topic, but my list would be incomplete without him.

There you have it. I’m sure I will continually update this list.

Please let me know your favorite books. And if you read any of these, or have read them, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Reading is not only one of the most important things in life, it is also one of life’s great pleasures.

Happy Reading!

Book recommendations by Cynthia Morgan