Ideas for reading - my non-fiction Spring collection
Simply enchanting! The Little Book of Hygge and Big Magic
Why I need to thank authors and not disparage them
I’ve enjoyed some good reading this Spring and as a true book lover I personally recommend all the titles in my collections.
But what if I don’t like a book I read? Should I tell you about it and criticize the writer?
No. I’ve decided that if I have a poor opinion of a book, I’ll leave it out of the series. As a novice myself I feel it would be wrong to publicly criticize other writers’ efforts. But even if I were already an established novelist, as I hope to be one day, I would not be comfortable publicly criticizing the work of my peers.
To appreciate their writing in public, yes. To disparage it, no. Isn’t it bad enough for writers to have the professional critics baying at our heels as we emerge from the cover like frightened deer? Support among peers and from readers is what we all need. Discerning appreciation.
You see, writing a book is hard. It is also intensely personal. An author has to put so much of herself into her work. And then publish it for the world to see. Of course, some will sneer at it and that's tough. I have no wish to add to the strain. The very opposite!
My heartfelt thanks go out to the authors who have kept me company throughout my life, comforted me in horrible times, made me laugh when I was down or cry when I was happy; who have amazed, educated, entertained and inspired me; and who have helped me develop into a richer person. Without writers, there would be no readers. No books. No literary critics. Now there’s a chilling thought.
Happy reading!
There is so much to learn. Look how this lizard blends in with the bark of a huge, ancient tree it is not afraid to climb.
My Spring non-fiction choices – three books I personally enjoyed:
Big Magic. Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Little Book of Hygge. The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k by Sarah Knight
Big Magic. Creative Living Beyond Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert really has to go on your wish list if you’re an aspiring writer or creative of any sort in search of inspiration and encouragement.
It’s funny and moving, very human and personal, surprising and thought-provoking, practical, yet spiritually enlightening. The author best known for Eat Pray Love believes that creativity is literally magical – a force of enchantment. And she may well convince you of that, too.
Sections entitled Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust and Divinity express her unique approach. I shall be dipping into this book again and again. My first reading left me feeling comforted that my years of stubborn effort are worthwhile. I felt primed to get back to work and keep on trying until I succeed. But Liz’s words will ensure that we each decide first what success means for us, so that we’ll recognize it when we get there. I can only say, Thank you.
Beautiful books and covers. The Little Book of Hygge and Big Magic
The Little Book of Hygge. The Danish Way to Live Well by Meik Wiking is guaranteed to support you in finding ways to feel good, with so many tips for getting the best out of life in a simple, mindful and principled way. Hygge is an untranslatable Danish concept, but as we read chapter by chapter in our snuggly nook (hyggekrog) feeling very hyggeligt along the way, we come to grasp its meaning.
Hygge is a quality of ‘cosiness of the soul’, hominess, intimacy and taking pleasure in the small things in life. And the author says it makes Danes the happiest people in the world (despite their appalling weather). As Meik works at the Happiness Research Institute of Copenhagen and backs up his claims with fascinating international data and informative graphics, the secret of Danish happiness is definitely worth acquiring and trying to recreate in our own homes and lives around the world. Let’s face it, weather-wise, not only the Danes could occasionally do with some spirit-raising hygge.
We bookworms will not be surprised to learn that, ‘Taking a break with a good book is a cornerstone in the concept of hygge.’ All books are defined as hyggelig, ‘but classics written by authors such as Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens have a special place on the bookshelf’. Of course.
I loved this book and will be getting it out again in Autumn. For those of you in the southern hemisphere, now could be a great time of year to invest in a little experiment with hygge. As my photo shows, the beautiful hardback cover of my Penguin edition is a joy in itself; inside, the volume is fantastically illustrated with a myriad of colour photos.
Book: The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k with my favourite cat and dog bookends
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k by Sarah Knight is surprising and amusing and provides a fresh framework if you want to declutter your life and free yourself from a whole range of burdens and restrictions, including what other people think you should do or be.
The rewards of ‘ceasing to give a f**k’ are three-fold: time, energy and money. Only the author doesn’t put it that way, she calls them ‘the holy f**king trinity’. So I will warn you that some readers may be offended by the language and conceptual choices in the book, effectively designed to shock. The f-word, as you may have gathered, is liberally scattered on every page and is cleverly manipulated in new, expressive ways. For example, on the subject of in-laws: ‘Yes, by getting married, you’ve essentially doubled your family f**k-giving in one fell swoop.’ What a thought. (The author does not use asterisks apart from the title but I need to avoid blacklisting of my site.)
I have an idea that if Sarah’s advice were taken too literally, readers would have a great deal more time on their hands plus freedom to choose: all those superfluous colleagues, acquaintances and extended family members would soon catch on and begin avoiding you. This would make some of Sarah’s suggestions for purging your life with the ‘NotSorry Method’ redundant. The NotSorry Method ‘is all about prioritizing happiness and preserving time and energy for things you care about’. There are lists for you to compile, flow charts and many practical examples and cues to encourage you to take action. A fun read with some refreshing home truths. For the brave.
Thank you for reading this!
Part two of my Spring collection with six great novels is coming soon.
And don’t forget, if you ever feel pangs of guilt about making time to read as many books as you need, have a look at my post Permission to read.
I’d love you to join me in my writer’s journey!
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Copyright © 2017, Ally Preece
