aka Books that make you realize how good you really have it. Not to get all mushy and stuff, but given the holiday season, it's a good time to throw out a list of books that make you realize that life is indeed pretty good no matter who you are, or how bad you think you have it - at least, some of the time. I can come up with three examples of my own offhand. Letters To A Young Poet, by Rainer Maria Rilke - I like just about anything by Rilke, but this one is among my favorites for what it says (and how lyrically it says it) to the 'young poet', who most of us who struggle with writing/art/creating something can imagine being in some small way. The Butterfly And The Diving Bell, by Jean Dominique Bauby - The story behind the writing of this book - that the author had suffered a catastrophic stroke which left him only able to move his eyelid (with which he signaled the entire book), and the fact that he died just as it was being acclaimed is dramatic enough. The book itself makes you think twice about how much there is enjoy in a moment of life. Man's Search For Meaning, by Viktor Frankl - I'm just finishing this one up, but it's a safe bet to add it to my small list now; I'm really liking it a lot (some people might get daunted or put off by some of the psychoanalytic talk, but I actually like that stuff.)
The Brothers K by David James Duncan Family, God, Love, and Baseball. Not neccessarily in that order. No other book has left me sobbing so openly or made me reappreciate family more.
Not Fade Away - Laurence Shames, Peter Barton It's a memoir/last days account of Peter Barton, a media mogul who passed away from cancer in 2002. I consider myself to be pretty cynical and I only read this because it was in a pile of uncorrected proofs that my friend at Random House gave to me. This is exactly the kind of book I would avoid at the store, a rich guy spouting advice from death bed. But by the time I finished it, I was almost in tears not because of sadness, but the appreciation Barton had for his life even as his body failed him. I was feeling pretty down and cynical when I started reading but the way he tackled everything in life, including cancer, as a challenge but could still find comfort when he realized he had lost the battle... I hate to throw around words like "inspiring" but yeah, it was inspiring.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories - Salman Rushdie Pure fun...the best answer to the forces of censorship in history.
One of the most moving stories I ever read was "Unforgettable" by Frederick A. Babb. It deals with a man that loved and lost to cancer.
¨Unforgettable¨ is a book worth reading. The author donates all proceeds to cancer research, so you can get inspired and donate to a good cause at the same time. I met the author, decent guy but he knows absolutely nothing about soccer. I guess we all can´t be perfect.