The Best Inspirational Books of 2008

For the last two weeks I’ve taken a little break in my normal reading schedule. I’ve pour thought some of my favorite fiction writers’ books, two of Sue Grafton, one of Stuart Woods, and a long adventure novel by Wilbur Smith. While the diversion has been fun, I look forward to the New Year and the books of 2009 that will be the movers and shakers of the New Year.

Last year one book stands above all others in terms of its influence on the psyche of what I will call “The New Spiritualism” and its impact on the world. That book is of course,A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)
by Eckhart Tolle. Not only did he reach into millions of homes, but through the use of modern media in the form of ten podcasts Lesson broadcast over the internet by not other than Oprah. This created a worldwide sensation, proved the power of modern forms of communication to reach out and connect in a way that has not been possible before.

This is my number one pick of the year. If you somehow missed all the chatter across the globe about “A New Earth”, I urge you to correct the over sight right away. Just follow my link and order today.

The number two book on my list is Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

This is a book about the just how much power a single individual can wield when committee to fearlessly to a cause. In this case, the cause, originally, was to build a school for a Village in Pakistan. What follows is a spell binding story that illustrates to us all just what a single person can do. After reading the book, you will be unable to shrug and ask “but I am just one person, what can I possibly do to change the world?”

This book should be mandatory reading for anyone in the Foreign Service, and most certainly should be read by all political leaders in the free world.

The third book on my list is Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
by Wayne Dyer. In this book Mr Dyer takes you though all 81 Verses of the Tao Te Ching the Chinese Classic Text about the nature of the universe. Each verse is accorded its own chapter with the verse followed by Wayne Dyer’s insights and thoughts about the meaning of each verse. The book stayed with me for 81 days as I read through a chapter a night, just before I fell off to sleep. I am now on my second go round. There is a lot to ponder and absorb.

The next two book where not published in 2008, but in terms of their huge impact on me I include them here for your consideration.

The first book is The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have
by Mark Nepo. I really have now words for how deeply the book moved me. The writing is powerful, spiritual, insightful and filled with truth and passion. The writers influence on me has been substantial: showing me that there is no shame in expressing the emotions of the heart. There is a beauty in the language to this book that moves it beyond the English language in which it is written to a truly marvelous language of the soul.

Finally a book that sings to my heart, brings back the gentle English Country side where I spent my formative years, and brings to me that sense of wide eyed wonder and adventure of those long ago years. The book is The Tao of Pooh
It is my little red book. Benjamin Hoff carries on a dialogue with Pooh about the nature of the Tao, and the wisdom of Pooh Bear who wouldn’t ever consider himself wise… just …well you know…things just happen…and just have a way of turning out.
I love this book. As Benjamin and Pooh talk, I sit there like I am part of the conversation, where I can clap my hands with the joy of it all.

That’s my top five for the year. Other books inspired me too. Many carried an impact that I still have not completely absorbed.
As I look back in gratitude for all the wonderful books I read this year, I am touch with a sense of joy, excitement and boundless love of the written word, and the power of those words to move within us, change us, teach us, and endow us with a sense of the glory of the universe.
I look forward to the words of 2009 and to sharing those words with you for the simple joy of opening the doorway wider for both of us.

I’d love to hear from you about the books that most influenced you in 2008.

Nick Grimshawe.

We end off the year with our Top Five Inspirational Books for Weekending December 27, 2008. Most of these books have been best sellers for some time. Here is the list.

1. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell

2. The Shack by William P Young

3. The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

4. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

5. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61) by Eckhart Tolle

There you have it the last top five inspirational book list for 2008.

Nick

Eckhart+Tolle, Greg+Mortenson, Wayne+Dyer, Benjamin+Hoff, Pooh+Bear, Mark+Nepo, Awarkening, spiritual+awareness, books, inspirational+books

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