BRILLIANT BOOKS ~ Recommended By Nicola from The Orange Tree

 

One Day – David Nicholls.  Amazing modern story that follows two teenagers (Emma and Dex) from university through to their 40’s.  Beautifully written.

The Book Thief – The story is set during the Second World War, it is of a little girl who steals books as a way of ‘dealing’ with the stresses of being separated from her parents and living though the war. Written by ‘death’.   Amazingly written and gives fabulous history and insight into the goings on at that time.

 

Tuesdays with Morrie – The story of a lovely relationship between a university lecturer and the lessons of life that he teaches his student every Tuesday. Beautifully simple.

 

Siddhartha – Written by Hermann Hesse!! The Buddha’s story. Magically written.

 

The Monk who Sold his Ferrari – Lovely book about a very wealthy lawyer who falls ill one day in court, as a result of the incident he decides to sell all he owns and go to the Himalayas. He returns some years later and shares with his junior what he learnt from the sages. Lovely, simple little book.

 

Eat, Pray, Love – Classic.  A woman’s ‘journey’ through Italy, India and Indonesia. 

 

Who will Cry When I Die? – 102 thought provoking chapters that point out the benefits of being a lovely person to both yourself and those around you. Not as depressing as the title may indicate!!

 

Letters from Burma – Letters written by Aung San Suu Kyi which uncover the truth behind what was going on in Burma, before she was placed under house arrest.

 

Three Cups of Tea – in simple terms…. an inspiring story about how one person can make a difference.

 

A Beginners Guide to Changing the World (For Tibet with Love) – One woman’s journey from London to Tibet to meeting the Dalai Lama. This gives a fabulously detailed history of Tibet.

 

The Four Agreements – A lovely book that highlights four agreements… many say….the agreements, if followed properly, afford the reader freedom, happiness and love…. recommended by about a zillion travellers!!!

 

The Human Zoo – A story about a man called Morris who finds remarkable similarities with captive zoo animals and looks closely at the aggressive, sexual and parental behaviour of the human species under the stresses and pressures of urban living.

Don’t Sweat Over the Small Stuff – 100 reasons not to sweat over the small stuff. Nice, easy and fun…. and pretty true.

 

The Art of Happiness – A book written by a western psychologist, his view on the art of happiness ‘against’ the Dalai Lama’s view on the art of happiness. Lovely and very thought provoking.

The Art of Living – written by Goenka!! A beautiful book whereby Goenka (G) explains in simple terms Vipassana meditation, a little bit of Buddhism and affords the reader a few stories of his own about life.

 

The Gracious Flow of Dharma – written by Goenka!! A simple book focussed on the five precepts.

 

A Fortune Teller Told Me – A book that follows one man’s experiences with a number of fortune tellers. Yet to read but recommended by a number of lovely travellers.

 

The Golden Compass – Mmmm no notes in my journal about this number, but I wrote it down so I reckon it must have sounded interesting… maybe look on Amazon before purchasing. 

 

The World Peace Diet – Mmmm a very interesting book about meat eating.

Buddhism Plain and Simple – A Buddhist life style and views explained ‘plain and simply’.

Snow Boarding to Nirvana – A book recommended by a fabulous travel friend that I am yet to read, but I trust that it is a ‘must read’, explanation in the title.

Zen and the Art of Motorbike Maintenance – A story of two men and their motor bikes and how they maintain them, one is all Zen and peaceful and the other is not so much so. Interesting, funny and light.

What Makes You Not a Buddhist? – Fabulous read!!  Written by a Tibetan monk. Inviting, funny and clear as to what makes you not a Buddhist.

 

How to Meditate – Guidance and simple instruction on how to meditate. 

 

Awakening the Kind Heart – Yet to read but recommended by my meditation teacher in India.

 

Attention Revolution (Alan Wallace!!) I believe that Alan Wallace is a scientist and he researches Buddhism from this angle. Fabulous reputation in the India Dharma field. Recommended by some good traveller friends.

 

How to See Yourself as You Really Are – A fabulous book written by the Dalai Lama, not read it but again saw a lot of travellers reading it. Also it was recommended to me by my Tushita lecturer.

 

The Middle Way – Another book by His Holiness. Yet to read.

Tantra – The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra – Yet to read… recommended by my teacher at ‘Tushita’.

Introduction to Tantra – Lama Reshi – written by a very well respected Lama and recommended by a very well respected meditation teacher.

Mind in the Balance- Meditation in Science, Buddhism and Christianity – Alan Wallace! Recommended by a traveller friend.

Essential Education – 16 Guidelines of Buddhist Values – Not yet read… recommended by a travelling friend.

 

Guided Meditations on the Path – Recommended by my mmm Tushita teacher.

 

The Highly Sensitive Person – How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You -A really good book that I found educated me about myself and about my perception of others! Also that its ok to be sensitive…..

 

Who Moved my Cheese – A little book about two lil’ people and two mice who live in a maze, needless to say…. someone moves their cheese, it’s a lovely lil book that focuses on the human mind against the simple mind of the mice. Short, sweet and can be read within an hour – so perfect for reading with a cuppa.

Everything I have ever done that Worked –does what it says on the tin really – a lovely book for bedside reading or to keep in the car in times of stress!!

 

Mindfulness – in Plain English – Brilliant book. I read this after doing my first vipassana and it TOTALLY explained my experience and supported me massively in facing the challenges that came (and still come) during my struggles in meditation. Love it!!

 

A New Earth – Brilliant book by Eckart Tolle. This was recommended to me about two years ago and is quite an academic approach to the mind and the ego…. wonderfully written…. it took me a while to get into it but once I was into it I loved it…. worth persevering!

The Power of Now – Another book by Eckart. Loved this too… although New Earth created more of a shift with me! Still brilliant. Nice short chapters and very insightful!

 

Shambhala – The Sacred Path of the Warrior –I recived this book as a gift….I didn’t read it for ages as I thought it seemed like a bit of a ‘boy book’. I found it when I was unpacking after my trip and started to have a lil read… I wasn’t able to put it down. Lovely light and nicely written – by a Tibetan Monk.  I also use this as a bit of a flick book – if I want an answer there and then to something that’s going on for me…. lovely lil book!

 

The 8 Human Talents – BRILLIANT book. All about the chakra’s. Gurmukh seems to perfectly reflect on life, yoga and the chakras. Brilliant!!

 

I am A Woman – meditation and yoga techniques for every occasion!! Love it! Brilliant for choosing out 40 day practices/ or something that will work for you on that day and / in that moment!! This book is becoming a bit of a ‘bible’ to me in and my kundalini yoga practice.

 

A Woman’s Book of Yoga – brilliant book explains Kundalini yoga very well! As well as going through the female life cycles and how Kundalini and the brain work – together.

 

Yoga Nidra – a lovely explanation of the beauty of yoga nidra as well as all of the yoga nidra’s written by Swami Satananda Saraswati.

Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha – an introduction to Hatha yoga, as well as asana practices, benefits and lots of pictures.

 

Teachings from Tibet – as the title suggests really. Teachings from the Dalai Lama and his other lama friends. Lovely book. Well written and short chapters so easy to dip in and out of!

 

How Yoga Works – A story about yoga which is beautifully written and not too heavy!

 

The Illustrated Light of Yoga – BKS Iyengar rocks!! Brilliant book for understanding hatha postures , the benefits and exactly how to do them properly!

 

Yoga for Real Life – Maya Fiennes is accessible and brilliant! An easy to read yet very insightful peek at the chakra system.