The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator

Inspired by Spring and the abundant new growth all around me, I want to highlight one of my favorite sections--New & Newly Discovered. It’s a wide-ranging mix of newly released books as well as those that are new and engaging to me--and, hopefully, to you as well.

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Here is a sampling of titles which share common themes of resilience, compassion, and gratitude:

You Will Leave a Trail of Stars: Words of Inspiration for Blazing Your Own Path by the wonderful artist and educator Lisa Congdon is a beautiful guide for anyone looking to live with more intention, curiosity, and joy! 

A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds by Scott Weidensaul explores the patterns and paths of migratory birds and it’s flat out amazing.

Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing: Essays by Lauren Hough is a candid memoir detailing a multitude of complex experiences - from surviving a cult to living as a lesbian in the military - all of which fuel her determination to live a life of freedom and true belonging.

Ancestral Tarot: Uncover Your Past and Chart Your Future by Nancy Hendrickson is a practical hands-on guide for using tarot to connect with your ancestors and gain access to their insights for healing, self-protection, and personal powers.

My Inner Sky: On Embracing Day, Night, and All the Times in Between by Mari Andrew empowers us to transform everything that’s happened to us into something meaningful with reassurance that even in our darkest times, there’s light and beauty to be found. Yes - more of that, please!

The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self by life coach and sociologist Martha Beck is inspired by the hero’s journey at the heart of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri as a framework to help us navigate our own lives with purpose and courage.

Connection: How to Find the Life You're Looking for in the Life You Have by Kristine Klussman is a deep celebration of the power of connection in our everyday lives. Through experiential exercises, Klussman guides us toward living in greater alignment with our values, hopes, and dreams.

The Wild Silence: A Memoir by Raynor Winn is a powerful story of hope triumphing over despair and lifelong love prevailing over everything that matters.

Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman presents the perspective that the human capacities for kindness and altruism emerge strongly at times of crisis and are a are in fact the greatest factors for our long-term success on the planet.

Hello, Earth! Poems to Our Planet by Joyce Sidman with illustrations by Miren Asiain Lora is a collection of poems for young readers in celebration of the world around us and the joys of science. 

And, to round out this selection, I offer You Were Never Broken: Poems to Save Your Life by contemporary spiritual teacher Jeff Foster - as lovely a companion on the path as you could ever hope for.

“Leave everything undefined, including yourself. Befriend uncertainty. Fall in love with mystery.
Kneel at the altar of not knowing. Give your questions time to breathe. The answers will find you.”

~Jeff Foster