My current reading list

I have been  reading a few books at the same time, not knowing

which is my favorite , knowing the book can and will influence my mood

the weather has been  mad, changing from a tropical storm in mid morning to 

sunny at noon and don't ask me what that does to my sunglasses that are forced 

to go into hiding then frantically sought in every drawer.

Group 1

The local public library provided these:

1. Zoli by Colum McCann 

A love story , a tale of loss and a parable about Europe , the story of Zoli Novotna a singer, poet

gypsey takes place in Slovakia during War World 2 .

The subject is one close to my heart, the writer is Irish and talented , it is a book i can really

get into on a park bench.

2. Where the stress Falls -Susan Sontag

very heavy and heady reading material about books and writer

At first when she quoted Camus about Russian writers of the 19th century i got all excited 

however after a bit of bla bla i remembered why i decided not to take Literature as a major

it's like removing all the gravy till there is nothing left but dates and facts. dry bones.

3. "Divorce" (a simple title) an advice book in German

I  read the facts and numbers and thought, oh, no

too complicated, can i change my mind? 

Group II. 

o.k. then the next day i got some second hand books  

  1. A prayer for the dying by Stewart O'nan

A cross between Stephan Crane and Stephan King

Set in Friendship, Wisconsin, just after the civil war the story is of a terrible epidemic 

that has gripped the town in fear and death.

Dark, poetic and chilling the book raises questions about whether it is possible to be good 

in extreme circumstances.

Camus is quoted 

"There is no escape in a time of plague.

We must choose to either love or hate God." 

This was one of those books that i could not put down , it had a hold of me, love at first sight, 

it is written in the rhythm of breath . Reading this book on buses made me fear i would 

choose to stay sitting and reading and forget my station.

The next day, yesterday , i walked into a second hand charity shop and i knew i would not leave

empty handed, in fact i left with 6 more books..

2. Something more-Excavating your Authentic self by Sarah Ban Breathnach 

NO. 1 New York Times Bestseller says the cover

This is a beautifully written book with many delightful quotes that caught my breath like 

the following 

"Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The soul that rises with us

 our life's star;

Hath had elsewhere its setting,

and cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness.."

     William Wordworth

The words on the cover promise this will dare to plumb the depths, powerful truths are waiting that can change your life and inspire you to settle for nothing less than SOMETHING MORE

Assisting your personal "dig" will be insights from the lives of both celebrated and unknown 

women .

What can i say? 

I can  hardly  wait!!!

Last but not least is a book i have already but in Israel in my old room 

at my mother's apartment .

I have read it about 20  odd years ago however need a reminder desparately

4. "When bad things happen to good people" 

by Harold S. Kushner 

 " A touching , heart warming book for all those of us who must contend with suffering , and that, of course, is all of us"

            -Andres M. Greeley

The writer, a modern Rabbi, says this is a very personal book written by someone who believes in God and in the goodness of the world, someone who has spent most of his life trying to help 

 other people believe, and was compelled by a personal tragedy to rething everything he had been taught about God's ways.

I think i am going to be doing a lot of thinking there..

Here is the quote that pulled me in 

"And David said: While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept, for i said, who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me and the child will live. But now that he is dead, why should i fast? Can i bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me"

                                       II. Samuel 12:22-23

In memory of his son who died young.

5. "Healing with Qualities" the essence of TIme therapy "

              by Manuel Schoch

Apparently a few meters from my house there is a therapy center called "Time therapy"

who claims to integrate western and eastern thought.

"True freedom comes through knowing yourself, and this does not involve having to change anything.

All that is needed is to see what has been, without reacting to it in any way and in so  doing,

putting an end to the story there."

The book claims to be an opportunity to learn a new way of thinking , change perspective and begin to realize potential and connect with the qualities which are the real essence of your being."

Luckily this therapist has several world wide centers as well as a web site .

I read the first chapter with much enthusiasm however later was reminded  too much of my

psychology courses in the university, human development etc, 

I happily returned to "A prayer for the dying" like a puppy that enjoys digging the bone from 

beneath the earth rather than being given the juicy meat from the butcher's hand.

However for those of you that are curious and i definitely will be returning to this book 

here is the web site 

Tune-in@cybercity.ch

www.tune-in.ch 

manuel.schoch@bluewin.ch

There are centers in London and Athens

www.timetherapy.co.uk

I am not promoting the guy but i like that he does not dwell on the past too much

or my mother.

OOps, the potatoes are burning!

Got to go !

Share your thoughts about the books if you know them too , and exchange book tips!

It's funny since signing up for 150 t.v. channels in several languages for peanuts

i have come to realize i need and want to reclaim my mind through books

so this weekend i will dig into the pile and lets see what comes out..