Small Stone: 2012 Reading List

As part of my resolve for this year, I made a list of all the books I wanted to read. Some of the books I’ve read before, even twice, but many are new to me. The list is only non-fiction, because fiction for me is pure pleasure and I want to leave those textual choices up to chance, desire, whimsy. As for non-fiction, there is a plan.

I collected and organized the books on a shelf in my studio. It seemed auspicious that they so neatly and perfectly fit on a single shelf. All but one (The War of Art) are ones I already owned before making the list.

As I was writing this morning, I thought of one that I wanted to look at, turned to view the shelf, and felt a wave of open-hearted appreciation and joy. Look at all the great things I get to read, to learn about, to contemplate! For the hundredth time, I think “this is going to be a really good year.”

My 2012 Reading List

Writing
Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance by Jonathan Fields
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
Old Friend from Far Away: The Practice of Writing Memoir by Natalie Goldberg
The Right to Write: an Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron
Dog Years by Mark Doty
Fearless Confessions: a Writer’s Guide to Memoir by Sue William Silverman
Now Write! Nonfiction Edited by Sherry Ellis
The Sound of Paper: Starting from Scratch by Julia Cameron
Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

Working/Living, Eating, and Self-Love, Self-Care
Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything by Geneen Roth
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t): Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power by Brene’ Brown
The Comfort Queen’s Guide to Life: Create All That You Need with Just What You’ve Got by Jennifer Louden
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally by Patti Digh
The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World by Chris Guillebeau
End Malaria by Michael Bungay Stanier
The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size by Julia Cameron

Meditating and Yoga-ing
Be the Change: How Meditation Can Transform You and the World by Ed and Deb Shapiro
The Mindfulness Revolution: Leading Psychologists, Scientists, Artists, and Spiritual Teachers on the Power of Mindfulness in Daily Life Edited by Barry Boyce
Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery by Chögyam Trungpa
Ashe & the Four Dignities by The Kongma Sakyong
Buddhism without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor
To Know Your Self by Swami Satchidananda and Edited by Philip Mandelkorn
Happy Yoga by Steve Ross
The Joy of Living by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
A Path with Heart by Jack Kornfield
Awake in the World: Teachings from Yoga and Buddhism for Living an Engaged Life by Michael Stone
You are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment by Thich Nhat Hahn
No Self No Problem by Anam Thubten

• What are you reading?