Mindfulness, Gratefulness, and Happiness Books on The Point

On today’s book show Mindy Todd, Jill Erickson, and Eric Linder of Yellow Umbrella Books in Chatham encouraged everyone to start the new year reading about and maybe even trying to practice a bit of mindfulness, gratefulness, and happiness. Below is our list of picks and listener picks as well, including a bonus list of books that didn’t make the air, but might interest you. Thanks for listening, and thanks for calling in with your suggestions. Happy New Year! And should you have missed the show on WCAI, you can listen online!

 

Mindy’s Pick

E. B. White on Dogs edited by Martha White

 

Eric’s Picks

Listening Below the Noise: a meditation on the practice of silence by Anne D. LeClaire

Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Chet & Bernie mysteries by Peter Abrahams

“The First Time Percy Came Back” in  Dog Songs: thirty-five dog songs and one essay by Mary Oliver

“The Snakes of September” and “Touch Me” in The Wild Braid: a poet reflects on a century in the garden by Stanley  Kunitz

The Outermost House: a year of life on the great beach of Cape Cod by Henry Beston

 

Jill’s Picks

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, drawings by Robert Lawson. Read more of the backstory of The Story of Ferdinand at Anita Silvey’s Children’s Book-A-Day Almanac.

An excerpt from War and Peace by  Leo Tolstoy, translated by Richard Pevear & Larissa Volokhonsky

Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer: an approach to life in fullness by Brother David Steindl-Rast

99 Blessings: an invitation to life by Brother David Steindl-Rast. You might also want to take a look at his web page gratefulness.org and his TED talk.

Wherever You Go There You Are: mindfulness meditation in everyday life by Jon Kabat-Zinn

All the Odes by Pablo Neruda, particularly Ode to Happiness and Ode to the Tomato

The Power of Off: the mindful way to stay sane in a virtual world by Nancy Colier

52 Small Changes for the Mind by Brett Blumenthal

 

Titles For Which There Was No Time Left!

Five little books all by Thich Nhat Hanh, part of a Mindfulness Essentials collection published by Parallax Press:

How to Sit
How to Walk
How to Love
How to Eat
How to Relax

Dancing with Joy: 99 poems edited by Roger Housden

The Book of Joy: lasting happiness in a changing world by His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams

The Lost Art of Reading: why books matter in a distracted time by David L. Ulin

Growing Up Mindful: essential practices to help children, teens, and families find balance, calm, and resilience by Christopher Willard

America the Anxious: how our pursuit of happiness is creating a nation of nervous wrecks by Ruth Whippman

10% Happier: how I tamed the voice in my head, reduced stress without losing my edge, and found self-help that actually works by Dan Harris

 

Listener Picks

How to Meditate by Eknath Easwaren

Last of the Saddle Tramps by Mesannie Wilkins with Mina Titus Sawyer

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: a year of food life by Barbara Kingsolver

The Fisherman and His Wife: a brand new version by Rosemary Wells (e-mailed to us after we went off the air)