The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator
Welcome to the Book Report! Included are some New + Newly Discovered books; a selection of Sufi wisdom; some delightful works for young readers; and a few ‘Just Because + Just for Fun’ offerings.
“Autumn light is the loveliest light there is. Soft, forgiving, it makes all the world an illuminated dream.”
~Margaret Renkl
It’s finally Fall!!! A time of transformation, harvest, gratitude, and turning inward. I’ve put together a few books with the intention to serve as companions for the season. May they meet you wherever you on the path and become sources of inspiration, support, and guidance. So, grab a cuppa, lay claim to your coziest reading spot, and give yourself over to some wonderful reads.
“Reading is the sole means by which we slip involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin, another’s voice, another’s soul.”
~Joyce Carol Oates
What’s Getting My Attention: New + Newly Discovered
To Speak for the Trees: My Life's Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest from Canadian botanist, biochemist, and visionary Diana Beresford-Kroeger brings us a wealth of insights into the hidden lives of trees and our relationship to the forests in which they dwell.
The much anticipated Conversations with the Z’s, Book One: The Energetics of the New Human Soul by the wonderful intuitive, artist, and musician Lee Harris is finally here – full of wisdom and guidance for all aspects of the human spiritual experience. The material Lee channels from his guide group, the Z’s, is as practical as it is meaningful – perfect for seekers of all kinds with open hearts and minds.
John Wineland, a respected Leader in men’s work, writes in his new book From the Core: A New Masculine Paradigm for Leading with Love, Living Your Truth, and Healing the World: “We need a generation of conscious men who can provide guidance and direction in their communities, just as we need to support and encourage women to do the same.” With From the Core, Wineland sets out a clear roadmap for men who want to live, love, and lead from the most profound places within themselves.
Botanica: The Herbalist's Tarot from Kevin Jay Stanton is a beautifully illustrated artist’s deck, exploring the biological roots of the Arcana. Included is a booklet, a golden dandelion charm, an embroidered patch, four stickers, and six Tarot-sized postcards.
Moonflower by Kacen Callender is a middle-grade novel introducing readers to a child named Moon as they struggle with mental health, and their journey into wholeness. With the help of celestial beings and guard-ians, Moon battles monsters and shadows, and through their journey, they begin to learn that a magical adventure of love and acceptance awaits them in the world of the living, too.
Protect Your Light: A Practical Guide to Energy Protection, Cleansing, and Cutting Cords by George Lizos presents a modern, comprehensive, step-by-step system of clearing, shielding, and strengthening your energy. Energy protection is the art of being energetically authentic. It is about managing your energy interactions with the surrounding world to ensure that your thoughts, emotions, and behavior are aligned with your purpose and integrity. Essentially, energy protection ensures that what’s ours is our and what’s theirs is theirs.
Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life by Dacher Keltner studies the complexities and nuances of human emotion, centered on the question: If humans are hardwired to lead lives that are ‘nasty, brutish, and short’ (as many in the field suggest), then why have we evolved with positive emotions like gratitude, amusement, awe, and compassion that promote ethical action and cooperative societies?
What We Owe the Future from Oxford philosopher William MacAskill is a well-crafted argument for ‘longtermism’, the idea that positively influencing the distant future is a key moral priority of our time. From this perspective, it not enough to reverse climate change or avert the next pandemic. The author asserts that we must ensure that civilization would rebound if it collapsed. If we make wise choices today, future generations will thrive, knowing we did everything we could to give them a world full of justice, hope, and beauty.
Be Not Afraid of Love by Mimi Zhu is a collection of powerful interconnected essays and affirmations that follow the author’s journey toward embodying and re-learning love after a destructive relationship. As rough as the subject can be at times, this is ultimately a book of hope and joy.
Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World from Karen Armstrong is a profound exploration of the spiritual power and solace of nature – and an urgent call to reclaim that power in everyday life. Drawing on her vast knowledge of the world’s religious traditions, the author vividly describes nature’s central place in spirituality across the centuries. In bringing this age-old wisdom to life, Armstrong shows modern readers how to rediscover nature’s potency and form a connection with something greater than ourselves.
Sufi Wisdom + Practices for Inner Peace
“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.”
~Kahlil Gibran
The Sufis and The Way of the Sufi by Idries Shah bring us much accessible wisdom and support and are, from my perspective, must-reads for anyone interested in Sufi thought and practice.
Awakening of the Human Spirit and Creating the Person: A Practical Guide to the Development of Self (Revised) by Hazrat Inayat Khan are classic works of Sufi mysticism, spirituality, and philosophy.
The Gift of Rumi: Experiencing the Wisdom of the Sufi Master by Emily Jane O’Dell offers a new reading of the beloved poet, contextualizing his work against the broader backdrop of Islamic mysticism and adding a richness and authenticity that is often lacking in many Western conceptions of his work.
Prayer of the Heart in Christian and Sufi Mysticism and Love is a Fire: The Sufi’s Mystical Journey Home by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee guide the reader through stages of mystical prayer, taking us into the passion and wisdom of this time-honored mystical tradition.
Sufi Wisdom Oracle: Divine Guidance Through the Hearts of the Great Sages by Rassouli is one of my favorite oracle decks, inviting us into the heart of the alchemical wisdom of history’s most influential Sufi sages. Filled with glorious imagery, insightful commentary, and direct transmissions from the Persian tests, this oracle creates a welcoming entry point into the world of Sufism.
The Sufi Tarot by Ayeda Husain is another powerful divination tool for self-reflection, healing, and transformation, merging traditional tarot archetypes with ancient Sufi practices.
Books for Young Readers + The People Who Love Them
“A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.”
~Neil Gaiman
The Path by New Yorker cover artist Bob Staake is a playfully illustrated journey into discovering an inspiring truth: our path through life is not only challenging and beautiful, it is all our own to experience and invent.
Lia Park and the Missing Jewel by Jenna Yoon is a middle grade fantasy story of a young girl who must venture to the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King in Korea to save her parents from an evil diviner spirit.
Holler of the Fireflies, a YA novel by David Barclay Moore, tells the story of a boy from the hood in Brooklyn who travels to a STEM camp in an Appalachian holler for one epic, life-changing summer. Along the way he learns a lot about science, tech, engineering, and complex social issues.
Gender Swapped Fairy Tales by Karrie Fransman and Jonathan Plackett invites you to imagine a world where kings prick their fingers as they sew, wolves wear heels, and princesses race to rescue sleeping princes. It might not sound like much of a change, but you’ll be dazzled by the world this swap creates and amazed by the new characters you’ll discover.
If You Read This from Kereen Getten is a captivating coming-of-age tale of love, loss, and letters. Within these pages Getten has managed to capture the raw edge of adolescence – when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying in a way it will never quite be again.
Just Because + Just for Fun
Stickerology: 928 Astrology Stickers with illustrations by Elisa Wong gives us a chance to put our horoscope out into the world – on notes, gifts, planner and journal pages, and more. Turn each sticker over and you’ll find useful information about astrology, including brief profiles of each zodiac sign and traits of each earthly element, modality, and the planets, too.
Apothecary: A Sticker Gallery for Modern Mystics by Chloe Standish is for artists, decorators, healers, and sticker collectors in search of ways to express their interest in the world of crystals, herbs, flowers, animals, and other natural elements.
You wouldn’t have made it this far into the Book Report without being a booklover, so here’s a fun way to express your interests and passions in style: The Antiquarian Sticker Book: Bibliophilia is a compendium of over 1,000 gorgeous stickers. Huzzah!
“Every minute of every hour of every day you are making the world, just as you are making yourself, and you might as well do it with generosity and kindness and style.”
~Rebecca Solnit
Please visit our online Bookshop to see our full selection of lists and titles.
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May you be inspired, supported, and delighted by what you find here.
