Good Reads Vol 1.
A good book can be life changing. It can enhance, alter or provide new avenues of perspective. Here are a few that have, significantly or slightly, added to my outlook and potentially, yours. In no particular order:
Based on actual events, Maugham states early on that the story follows his memory of Larry Darrell–the main character. He fills in his own absence in the story through the eyes of his friends. It’s a journey of self-liberation. A young man born with a silver spoon seeks more in life than what’s expected of him. Larry doesn’t waltz to the same tune as those close to him in life. He has everything teed up–a dedicated lover, money and friends. He has a life worthy of envy. In the end, we discover what Larry wants and why his journey there is so familiar.
Why I like it: It’s a timeless story. One could replace Chicago or Paris from the early 1900’s with right now. The story is relatable to anyone who’s contemplated what it’s like to not follow the status quo and pursue their own path.
“The fact that a great many people believe something is no guarantee of its truth.”
Loaned to me by a gracious Vincent DiMichele, Ishmael shapes a story of the world many have never considered, but once read, holds true. Though the characters may sound ridiculous in summary (hence why I exempt them), they make complete sense in the end. They had to be that way. The theme is based around the story of mankind and its relation to the planet. It explores challenging thoughts to any human that reads it. As we barrel towards destruction, is there a way to halt it? To reverse it? Or are we damned to fly a machine with broken wings?
Why I like it: It flips egotism on its head and holds us all accountable for each other. All of us. Dead or alive. The story of the Takers is incredibly familiar. We see it enacted every day. This story is the biggest threat to us all. It’s not Trump. It’s not Hilary. It’s not Isis. It’s not famine or war. It’s a twelve thousand year old story few of us have heard.
“But why? Why do you need prophets to tell you how you ought to live? Why do you need anyone to tell you how you ought to live?”
“…because otherwise, we wouldn’t know.”
3. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
For years, I have felt the presence of the “governor” in my head. Similarly to what limits a car’s maximum speed, the governor resides in our minds as a limit to ourselves. I’m sure you’ve felt it, too. Pressfield beautifully personifies this entity as “Resistance” and gives his own humble tale on how he finally managed to face it head on later in life. What separates Tiger Woods (in his prime) from his golfing peers? What chemistry occurs in his brain that allowed him to drive a ball 300 yards perfectly down the fairway with the weight of millions of eyes bearing down upon him? Pressfield explores, examines and then explains what makes someone a professional.
Why I like it: I’m now able to place this mirrored enemy in my sights and be honest with myself when it manifests. Pressfield provides great examples on how to navigate around self doubt and pessimism. He humanizes the greats of the world and exposes their triumphs as acts that anyone can perform.
“We fear discovering that we are more than we think we are. More than our parents/children/teachers think we are. We fear that we actually possess the talent that our still, small voice tells us. That we actually have the guts, the perseverance, the capacity. We fear that we truly can steer our ship, plant our flag, reach our Promised Land. We fear this because, if it’s true, then we become estranged from all we know. We pass through a membrane. We become monsters and monstrous.”
I’ll be posting more of these as I complete books or review old ones. I’m always looking for new material to broaden my horizons. If you have any suggestions, please comment below. If you’ve read any of the above works, share your thoughts. Disagree, append or rant your opinions. Otherwise, have a god damn good day.
