Finding Meaning: Books that have impacted us

Have you read any books that helped you find yourself?  Everyone seems to go through a period in their life where they are looking for meaning, where they feel lost and unsure how to move forward.  Here are some titles that we’ve heard about from others, who felt they helped them find meaning, motivation, or offered an insight that impacted their life.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

True story of a computer science professor who was diagnosed with cancer and the last lecture he gave his students, relating to how they could help others realize their dreams and overcoming obstacles

Reader response: The whole story was impactful. I still think about it a year later.

Hiding in the Bathroom: an Introvert’s Roadmap to Getting Out There (When You’d Rather Stay Home) by Morra Aarons-Mele

Wisdom and practical tips for introverts on building relationships and dealing with challenges at work.

Reader response: This book really enabled me to find ways to get around challenges.

House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Linus has a solitary life as a case worker for a governmental department that oversees orphaned children with magical abilities.  Called out to an island to look into a group of magical misfits there, Linus feels like he has found family, but has a difficult choice to make.

Reader response: “I loved these characters so much I would fight to the death for them. This book just really restored my faith in humanity and helped my anxiety to know that level of love, kindness, and acceptance.”

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

A labor and delivery nurse is prohibited by a father for caring for a newborn because she is black, but when the baby goes into cardiac arrest, she intervenes and is later sued.

Reader response: “This book made me realize that I was not as aware about racial inequalities as much as I thought I was. It really educated me and changed my perspective.”

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff and E. H. Shepard

Reader response: “It’s an introduction to Taoism through how Winnie the Pooh reacts to things. Simple, but deep, and helped put into words how I wanted to live my life mindfully and with less stress.”

Man’s search for meaning by Frankl

A psychiatrist who survived the Nazi concentration camps reflects on his experiences and how to live a better life.

Reader response:  There’s a quote in the book, "He who has a why can survive any how,” that made me think very critically about how I wanted to live my life. The author talks about visualization and using his imagination as coping tools to move you to a better space, and I think about that a lot.

Cosmos by Carl Sagan

Reader response: Learning how everything is connected on an atomic level was astonishing and actually changed some of my views on spirituality and life.

10 Shades Of Personality: Understanding and Thriving amidst Personality Disorders by Queeneth Agu

Reader response: I had been talking to someone about my ex-wife and she gave me a copy of this book. It helped me better understand my ex’s behavior and work toward healing. It was amazing to read a list of behaviors that described her so perfectly and understand that I was not the crazy one.  It was mind-blowing, honestly. I feel like they should teach this in schools, so people are aware of and can recognize personality disorders in themselves and others.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reader response: I read this in 2017 when it first came out and it really opened my eyes. I remember hearing in the news when I was fairly young about black men being arrested/killed unfairly and asking about it.  I was told that they had done something to deserve it—they had been dealing drugs or looked suspicious when they ran away… I’m ashamed to admit how long I believed that. This book offered a look into that world through the eyes of a very intelligent, honest teen girl who was doing her best to understand what happened with her friend.  Her courage and willingness to tackle giant systemic issues not only impressed me, it inspired me to continue educating myself to become anti-racist and to educate my friends and family when they were perpetuating racist behavior. There are other non-fiction books that opened my eyes even further, but this was the first to jolt me awake, with a main character so likeable, it feels like a conversation with a close friend.

The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Reader response: This book let me know that it’s OK to step outside of our comfort zones, enjoy the little things in life, and do our best not to let our anxieties get the better of us.

Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

Reader response: This made me realize how much I internalized that one's worth is tied to production.  Our society is brainwashing us into being machines, working an an unrealistic pace and this book shows how rest can be radical resistance.