Hi Everyone! Autumn is one of my favorite seasons because it means cozying up in the house, drinking hot chocolate and reading books. I’ve always been a voracious reader and books have served as a security blanket for me since early childhood. So, every year I aim to read 100 books, which I’ve thus far never been successful in but I do aim… I’ve read some terrific books this year and so I decided to pull together a quick list of five that you might enjoy this fall. I tend to buy them when amazon prime has a big sale (not an ad). I tend to pick mostly self-help books but every now again I dive into the world of fiction. When I read, I annotate and analyze every sentence and sometimes, I go back and re-read over and over. Without further ado, here are my 5 favorites of the year thus far:
1. THE DAILY STOIC by Ryan Holiday.
This is a book I read as a daily guidance. I found out about it through a podcast and got hooked right away. I read the Daily Stoic every morning and taking some notes on it. I then try to think about the passage during the day. Until this book, I’ve never used this sort of daily reader book before. I really like the daily reader aspect of it. Having the book by my bedside helps me to focus on a morning routine and the ritual of meditating on a powerful and brief excerpt has become part of my morning routine. Every morning I write that day’s quote in my journal and meditate on it for a few minutes. Each evening, in the same journal, I write a bit about how successful (or not) I was in incorporating the quote into my day. Any book based on philosophy and meditation would always be a favorite of mine.
2. East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Oh, this book! I saw it on a shelf at a spa and decided to drive straight to Barnes and Nobles to pick it up. For the first time in my life, I find myself putting a book down after certain passages and literally just staring into space to decipher and digest what I just read. It is certainly not a book you can rush through. Albeit, fictional, I find myself drawing parallels between the book and the current state of my life, and some of the passages have certainly changed the way I look at my life and the decisions I have made in the past and will make in the future. To be honest, I am only 1/3 through this book but what I’ve gathered from it so far is that despite the emphasis continuously placed upon one’s fate in determining one’s character and life, the book shows that it is ultimately possible to break free of these forces and create your own destiny. Favorite quote so far, “ And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.” Such a powerful read and a great insight into human nature.
3. Lean In: Women, Work, and The Will to Lead.
Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of Facebook and Instagram and of the most powerful woman in the world. I admire her grace, style and work ethic very much and I have followed her career closely for over a decade. Favorite quote in this book is “So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren’t afraid? And then go do it”. This book encourages women to take charge in workplaces. As an entrepreneur myself, this was a MUST READ for me. I blazed through it in one read. The book was mainly concerned with informing women of the imbalances of females in power– and the current-day injustices that are still occurring in the workplace. This book is aimed at women who need answers from a mentor figure: how to work your way to the top, how to work with other people as a lady in charge (and with people above you, male or female), and how to manage the home life when things might not quite be 50/50. Such a helpful read.
4. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson.
I picked this book up at the airport and finished it on my flight. This is not a self-help book, it’s more of a slap me in the face “get your crap together” book. It’s a book that’ll make you question everything you believe in. The tone and writing might be a little aggressive and brash for some but for me, this is such a preference when I read self-help books. I’ve been very open with my social anxiety. It has been a lifelong battle and something I know I’ll have to manage for the rest of my life. This book helped so much with my anxiety and helped me realize where a lot of it was coming from. This book is pretty much saying we should all reprioritize our f*cks and give them ONLY to what you give a f*ck about.The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. There are just some books that simply shapes your identity and this book is it. The Alchemist is my favorite book of all time and single-handedly helped in developing my mind. This book tackled all of the aspects of my life that needed saving: my faith, my purpose, my emotional and mental health, and even my love life. I’ve read this book at least five times already and this may sound a bit corny, but it’s like reading a new book every time. I wish there were a way to force the whole world to read this book and I promise the world would be a much more peaceful place. This book was the catalyst for my move to Los Angeles. It spoke to me in the most profound way no other book could probably ever. Paulo Coehlo really drove in the point for all of to always follow what our heart tells us. This book is beautiful, poetic and life-changing. Make Your Own Destiny and be the architect of your own dreams. “To Realize One’s Destiny Is A Person’s Only Obligation”
Here you have it. So what’s on your fall reading list? Leave a comment for me on Instagram and let me know! I can’t wait to check out your recommendations!
XOXO,
Niké
“Books are meant to renew hope, restore courage, and refill your desire to conquer life.”
— unknown