Book Nook Cafe discussion

🧡💜💚 📚 📚 📚 My 2023 Determination List 📚 📚 📚 💚💜💛


✔️1- I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Hannah Green
READ March - Rated 2/5

2- A biography, autobiography, or memoir of a U.S. president

✔️3- The Beauty of Dusk by Frank Bruni READ March - Rate 5/5 /b>

4- Mussolini's Daughter: The Most Dangerous Woman in Europe by Caroline Moorehead

5- A book by Madeleine K. Albright

✔️ 6- The Lincoln Highway-Amor Towles Read January ~Rate 5/5

✔️7- A book by Gabor Maté Read February Rate 5/5

.✔️ 8- The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
READ February Rate 3/5

9- Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

10- Know My Name by Chanel Miller

✅11- A book on meditation or Buddhism
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation

12 - Offerings by Michael ByungJu Kim

This is a varied list, Alias. Neat topics. Good Luck!

Best of luck to you with this!

Thank you, Deb & John !

Alias Reader wrote: "

🧡💜💚 📚 📚 📚 My 2023 Determination List 📚 📚 📚 💚💜💛


1- I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Hannah Green

2- A biography, autobiography, or memoir of a U.S. preside..."

I don't know where you are in your meditation journey, but the best book on meditation I've found is How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery byLawrence LeShan.

It's a classic in guided meditation, but it is geared more toward beginners than those who've meditated for years.

There are books written by the current Dalai Lama that are excellent, although I will say his book on the next life scared me at the outset. I read about one chapter, then put the book away. LOL

Thomas a Kempis actually wrote a book specifically of meditations on death. It's not something I want to contemplate yet, although all of us, even the youngest are moving one day closer to the end with each passing day. Not a happy thought.

Kiki, I'm a beginner. I've read a few books on the topic. Right now, I think I just need to get back into the habit. I did enjoy it when I did it.

I also use the free app, Insight Timer. It's excellent and I recommend it.

I already own the book Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright so I'll probably go with that one for my DL.

I will add the LeShan book to my TBR. Thanks for the suggestion!

LeShan's meditation book was the first i read. It was understandable and well presented. I hadn't thought of it in years, Kiki. For awhile i tried The Silva Mind Control Method--José Silva. I stayed with it longer than any but i was in a location which offered little else. I'd return to LeShan.

At the time, his wife, Eda LeShan, was a columnist for some magazine. I liked her approach to problems, as i recall. It was through her column that i found Lawrence's work.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki, I'm a beginner. I've read a few books on the topic. Right now, I think I just need to get back into the habit. I did enjoy it when I did it.

I also use the free app, Insight Timer. It's exc..."

You're welcome, Alias. I hope you find it useful like madrano and I have. One of my favorite meditations has always been "Thoughts are Logs." I think it works well to calm the mind.

I did not know about LeShan's wife, madrano. Thanks! That's interesting.

My pleasure, Kiki.

I checked off #6 on my Determination List. The Lincoln Highway.
It was an excellent read and I'm happy to start my DL off with such a terrific book.

I enjoyed that book, too. I found out in "Lincoln on the Verge" that Jefferson Davis had a highway, too.
I've seriously considered starting to meditate again. It helped me a lot at a confusing time in my life. I hope it gives you peace, too.

Alias Reader wrote: "I checked off #6 on my Determination List. The Lincoln Highway.
It was an excellent read and I'm happy to start my DL off with such a terrific book."

Congratulations, AliasReader!

Michele, i didn’t know that. Naturally, i had to look it up & found this— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffers...

The part of the highway that goes through Fredericksburg, Virginia, are now called “Emancipation Highway”.

Michele wrote: I've seriously considered starting to meditate again. It helped me a lot at a confusing time in my life. I hope it gives you peace, too.

Thank you, Michele. I hope you can get into the habit again.

Alias Reader wrote: "I checked off #6 on my Determination List. The Lincoln Highway.
It was an excellent read and I'm happy to start my DL off with such a terrific book."

Congrats!

Thanks, John !

Checked another off my 2023 Determination List.

✔️7- A book by Gabor Maté Read February Rate 5/5

Brava!

:)

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "
I don't know where you are in your meditation journey, but the best book on meditation I've found is How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery byLawrence LeShan.

It's a classic in guided meditation, but it is geared more toward beginners than those who've meditated for years.

My library didn't have the Kindle book and Amazon had it on sale for $3, so I purchased it.

Thank you for the recommendation, Kiki.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "
I don't know where you are in your meditation journey, but the best book on meditation I've found is How to Meditate: A Guide to Self-Discovery byLa..."

You're welcome, Alias.

Checked off another on my 2023 Determination List.

.✔️ 8- The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama
READ February Rate 3/5

Nice work, Alias. Next?

I'm reading #3- A book by an author you've never heard of before--Ask the Dust--John Fante next.

madrano wrote: "Nice work, Alias. Next?

I'm reading #3- A book by an author you've never heard of before--Ask the Dust--John Fante next."

I've never heard of him, either, so I'll be doubly interested in your report.

madrano wrote: "Nice work, Alias. Next?

I'm reading #3- A book by an author you've never heard of before--Ask the Dust--John Fante next."


Deb, this was for my Determination List, not the 100 challenge.
I'm not sure which book on my DL I'll tackle next.

Ah, sorry for my own confusion, Alias. I've been waiting for the Fante since the beginning of the year, as well as others for my 100 challenge. Therefore i am giddy to get one & am blaming my goof on that front. :-)

No problem. :)

I'm glad you got another book for the 100 Challenge.

That is the bottom line, isn't it?

I finished another book on my Determination List.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.
I reviewed it in the Book Salon folder.

Looking forward to reading about this reread for you, Alias. And well done!

How did you pick the books on your list?

Rachel wrote: "How did you pick the books on your list?"

They are mostly books that I wrote down in my TBR notebook. I get those books mostly from books mentioned here at Book Nook Cafe. Sometimes I check out best selling books in genre that I enjoy on Amazon. A few books I get from podcasts or friends mention them. Once in awhile the NY Times Best Seller list.

Rachel, today I started another book from my Determination List.
The Beauty of Dusk
I think I first heard of the book on Gretchen Rubin's podcast.

In my TBR notebook I try to write who recommended the book next to the tittle. However, I'm not always so diligent. I recently had to start a new TBR notebook and so far I am writing neatly and putting the source. I hope I can keep it up !

Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel, today I started another book from my Determination List.
The Beauty of Dusk
I think I first heard of the book on Gretchen Rubin's podcast...."

Alias, i recall you mentioned this book last year or so. I look forward to your comments when you finish.

Keeping my TBR list legible and in good form has been a challenge. Computerizing helped but not as much as i thought it would. Oh well, at least i'm not relying solely on my memory. :-)

The Beauty of Dusk sounds great. I listened to him read Born Round, the Life of a Professional Eater which I greatly enjoyed.

I use my wish list at the library for me TBR list. So many books, so little time.

Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel, today I started another book from my Determination List.
The Beauty of Dusk
I think I first heard of the book on Gretchen Rubin's podcast.

In my TBR notebook I try to writ..."

I will look it up. Thank you for mentioning it.

Rachel wrote: "I use my wish list at the library for me TBR list. So many books, so little time."

Rachel, i appreciate those "wish lists" on library web sites. Sadly, there are few duplicates of the books on my computerized TBR and that wish list. I'm doomed to die with a mile long TBR trailing behind me.

madrano wrote: "Rachel wrote: "I use my wish list at the library for me TBR list. So many books, so little time."

Rachel, i appreciate those "wish lists" on library web sites. Sadly, there are few duplicates of t..."

Oh, I will, too, Madrano. LOL

Best to have a large TBR list than to run out of things to read. When I don't have at least 3 books on my Kindle to read I get kind of panicky.

Really good point, Rachel. In my younger days i read far too many so-so books because i didn't check my list!

Sometimes a book's description sound familiar and I am glad GR keeps track for us of the book we have read already.

Rachel wrote: "Sometimes a book's description sound familiar and I am glad GR keeps track for us of the book we have read already."

I'm grateful Amazon keeps track of the eBooks I purchased. I never seem to know what's on my Kindle.

Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Sometimes a book's description sound familiar and I am glad GR keeps track for us of the book we have read already."

I'm grateful Amazon keeps track of the eBooks I purchased. I nev..."

I can't find where Amazon keeps track of purchased ebooks.

Kiki, if you go to the page where you are going to buy a book from Amazon and you already purchased it, that page is where they tell you that you purchased it already. It's not a list of books.

Kiki (Formerly TheGirlByTheSeaOfCortez) wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Sometimes a book's description sound familiar and I am glad GR keeps track for us of the book we have read already."

I'm grateful Amazon keeps track of the eBoo..."

If you are on a computer, the list of books you've ordered is under "Hello, (Your Name)" Look in the drop down menu and you'll see Orders. You can see there under Digital Orders what you've already bought. It's not convenient, though- just a chronological list. It's easier to find out if you own the book if you actually try and order it again. Amazon will tell you you already bought it and when.
Michele

Good feature, i think. Thanks for sharing that, Michele. I've long wondered about that but don't order via them, so was clueless.

Alias Reader wrote: "Kiki, if you go to the page where you are going to buy a book from Amazon and you already purchased it, that page is where they tell you that you purchased it already. It's not a list of books."

Thank you, Alias. Appreciate it! :-)

Also, for those of us who use Overdrive, if you do to my account and history it brings up the books that have been borrowed.

Rachel, i love that feature & find i use it quite a bit. Last week i used it to remember some titles i was sharing with my sister-in-law.

I still prefer Overdrive to Kindle or Libby but am trying to adjust, as Overdrive ends May 1. I suppose this means we will also lose that feature. Pity.

Like you I am not crazy about Libby and find it much less intuitive.
When I do it on my phone- I am not exactly sure what the tags are or how to use them. I guess when I have no choice I will play around with it.