NON-FICTION

Seven and a half lessons about the brain. How Emotions are Made. Two fascinating books by Lisa Feldman Barrett, a neuroscientist who challenges the common myths about the brain and human nature. Explains how brains evolved, how they work, and what they reveal about who we are. Insightful books with both philosophical and practical applications.

Tao Te Ching. Mitchell, Stephen. This is an excellent contemporary translation of the 2000 year old Chinese book of poems and wisdom. It fluidly communicates the ineffability of mystical experience. Another great one for a daily dose of inspiration.

Diet for a Small Planet. Frances Moore Lappé. A classic from 1971 it made a big impact on my dietary habits. It demonstrates the environmental impact of meat production and as a contributor to global food scarcity.

Your Money or Your Life. Dominguez, Joe, and Robin, Vicki. The bible of the "Voluntary Simplicity" movement ... It's about having a life instead of making money. It doesn't have a spiritual theme at all, but points out that the quality of our life is under our control. Gives a practical strategy for transitioning to a simpler or "quality not quantity" lifestyle, by re-examining our relationship to money.

Eiger Dreams. Jon Krakauer. Collection of articles and essays by Jon Krakauer on mountaineering and rock climbing.

Touching the Void. Joe Simpson. A riveting account of Simpson and his partner's near fatal descent after climbing the 6,344-metre peak Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes.

Technopoly. Neil Postman. An argument that our society is one where technology is deified and dominates all aspects of life. He argues that technopoly is the result of scientism, information overload, and the loss of cultural coherence and meaning.

Shambala: The sacred path of the warrior. Chogyam Trungpa. The book discusses addressing personal and societal problems through the application of secular concepts such as basic goodness, warriorship, bravery, and egolessness as a means toward the creation of what he calls "enlightened society".

The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History Through the Heart of the Grand Canyon. Kevin Fedarko. A great adventure story supplemented by explanations of history, geology, and culture of the Grand Canyon.

Relax and Be Aware. Sayadaw U. Tejaniya. A lucid, practical guide to develop relaxation, awareness, mental clarity, and spiritual insight in your daily life.

FICTION      

The Dharma Bums. Jack Kerouac.    

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.  Robert Pirsig. 

The Deluge. Stephen Markley. 

Angels of Light. Jeff Long. 

Solo Faces. James Salter. 

Cold Mountain. Charles Frazier. 

Deliverance. James Dickey. 

Catch-22. Joseph Heller. 

Slaughterhouse-Five.  Kurt Vonnegut. 

Five Skies. Ron Carlson.

The Man Who Fell To Earth. Walter Tevis.

The Princess Bride. William Goldman.

All The Pretty Horses. Cormac McCarthy.

The Circle. Dave Eggers.

Siddhartha. Hermann Hesse.

Journey to Ixtlan.  Carlos Castaneda.

The Last Policeman. Ben Winters.

Motherless Brooklyn.  Jonathan Lethem.