I go through a lot of books. I listen to them, and audio-books have become my passion. For the past several years, I have been listening to books in my car while I drive all over Southwest Florida. I have become so accustomed to having audio-books that if for some reason I get behind in borrowing them from the library, I feel lost while driving. I have listened to classics, self-help, history, legends, mysteries, love stories, biographies, and autobiographies. My big brother and I share a lot of the same interests and we keep each other up on titles that capture our attention.

Sometimes you read a book that hits you emotionally and intellectually. These stories carry weight because we can feel the emotion and understand the characters. Although I enjoy a good sci-fi, adventure, thriller, as well as other types of stories, I love a tale that pulls you in because you can relate to what is happening as though you are in the story with the characters. These books stay with you, teaching a lesson about life and about self. So, I thought I would share with you a few of the ones that have stuck with me….

Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven – My mother taught me to make my bed first thing every morning and it has stuck with me all my life. McRaven said, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” In 2014, Admiral McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement Day. He shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves, and the world, for the better.

Have A Little Faith, A True Story, by Mitch Albom – A book about a life’s purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man’s journey, but it is everyone’s story.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne – Germany 1942, a young boy’s family moves to a new house, where he meets another boy whose life and circumstances are very different to his own.

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – Narrated by a dog named Enzo who shares thoughts about the life experiences which prepared him to protect his family in times of greatest need.

The Century Trilogy Series by Ken Follett – 3 Book Set: Fall of Giants, Winter of the World, Edge of Eternity follows the fates of five interrelated families – American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh – as they move through the world-shaking dramas of World War I and II, the Russian Revolution, civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements, Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution—and rock and roll.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman – A story of resilience, regaining one’s perspective on life, and truly living it again. To quote the novel, “Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it’s often one of the great motivations for the living…”

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens – A mystery novel about a young college student whose assignment in a biography class leads him to investigate a thirty-year-old murder.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead – Is based on the real story of the Dozier School, a reform school in Florida that operated for 111 years and had its history exposed by a university investigation.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton – After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution.

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins – Follows the ordeal of a Mexican woman who had to leave behind her life and escape as an undocumented immigrant to the United States with her son.

Pachinko by Lee Min-jin – Follows four generations of a Korean family who move to Japan amidst Japanese colonization and political warfare. A family saga that explores the effects of poverty, abuse, war, suicide, and the accumulation of wealth on multiple generations.

Breathing by Andrew Weil – From increasing energy to lowering blood pressure, to improving circulation to beating anxiety disorders without drugs, Breathing is a practical introduction to the benefits of breathwork
 

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

Robin Anne Griffiths – Founder of ReChargeMe Zone * Behavioral Change Specialist * Yoga Instructor * Meditation Facilitator * Personal Trainer * Author * Speaker * Helping people on a journey for change to live a fuller and healthier life. Find out more about her work at www.rechargemezone.com