Cresting The Hill

Hi Leanne, this is an interesting way of looking at life but I don't think I can narrow it down to 4 just at the moment. I'll have to have a little think about it. I enjoyed the blame video and although I've not read the book I can see why she has had an impact on many people. I've read one or two snippets of Brene's books, she seems to be very wise and uses research well. It's good to know we're all different but similar in some ways at the same time, otherwise life would be pretty boring!

I'll need to think on this but I was intrigued that I've read your first two also and found both impactful, but not life changing. Not sure what is Most impactful in changing my life perspective. I do know that Julia Cameron's The Artist Way was very powerful for me - life changing. As was learning about positive psychology - but that was multiple books. Really fascinating question!

Hi Leanne. I have to get a hold of this book, the Gifts of Imperfection. When you said that perfectionism is about feeling vulnerable, and not in control, it made so much sense to me. I realize my need to be perfect, is how I have always coped with my anxiety, and never feeling good enough. As you have probably guessed, The Artist's Way, had a huge impact on me, and was paramount, to my healing. Thank you so much for sharing these books. Christina Daggett

The Unschooling Handbook literally changed our family life as we turned away from public school and began homeschooling. It changed my entire belief of what learning was (and how it differs so much from "schooling")... the others I can't really recall the names off the top of my head! I know I read a book about poverty in America and how hard it is to crawl your way back out. I mean I kind of knew that from my college classes but hearing it first hand really cemented that in.

Hi, Leanne - I greatly admire that you included books that you loved and a book that you hated on this list of top influencers. That is very wise. I think that most books that we read leave their infuence on us - even when we don't realize it at the time. My 'Hamnet' was 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine.' Although it is a much praised book -- it just didn't work for me. Still, it did leave its influence upon me!

Brene' Brown is one of my gurus, and I have others, but I most want to comment on your Hamnet discussion. Here in the U.S., as I'm sure everywhere, we've forgotten we can disagree and still like each other. Thank you for the reminder.

Leanne, I was at a low time in my mid-twenties, full of self doubt and confusion when a good friend gave me a copy of Atlas Shrugged. The book is fiction, written by a self professed Atheist, but it was exactly what I needed at the time. The strong female lead, who let nothing and no one get in the way of her success was the exact opposite of all that I had been taught about being a good person. Having been raised in a small town with church at the center of 'community', I thought my role was one of submission and obedience and my opinions were to be kept quietly to myself as I learned to be a good wife and mother. I was 'taught' lessons from the bible, but I had never really read it. Many years later I did read the bible and that was the second most impactful book I have read in my life. If you are shaking your head about now, I fully understand. Somewhere between these two very opposite messages I found my truth, the one that guides me to this day; be authentic. Once I sorted out what that meant for me, I have tried my best to live it. Of course, authenticity comes with a price, but I gladly pay the toll rather than live like a pretzel for the pleasure of others.

Leanne, I think a lot of people confuse 'religion' and 'faith,' or more specifically, religious practices, which are highly interpretable among churches. I hope you will read Atlas Shrugged. Ayn Rand was an interesting person and very controversial in her time. She wrote most of her novels in the 1940's and was considered a champion of capitalism. Depending on what commentary you read about her, she was either brilliant and ahead of her time, or a selfish human being. I choose to believe the former, in spite of her personal flaws.

Hello Leanne. I have read three of the four books you discuss--all but the one you hated. 😊 I especially found a lot for me in Brene Brown's the Gifts of Imperfection. Another book that made a big difference for me was Mindset by Carol S. Dweck. The cover mentions parenting, business, and school, but don't let that scare you off. It is really about having a growth mindset, which is important at any stage of life. In fact, I may re-read that one now as I look to grow into my retirement.

Thanks, Leanne, for sharing this.

The Gifts of Imperfection sounds like a great book. I am going to check that out.

One book I have liked is "Tuesdays with Morrie". It's about a series of visits the author of the book Mitch Albom makes to the home of his former sociology professor Morrie Schwartz, who suffers from a debilitating neurological disorder. The book teaches us about the value of life.

There is audio version too. It was adapted into a stage play as well as a TV film.

Such an interesting question! I'd have to really think about it, because I read a lot, and parts of many books have changed my perspective on life.

Thanks for sharing the video--I love Brene Brown!

Hi Leanne this is such a great question. I’ve just drafted a post about a book that was life changing for me. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho. For the past six years I’ve read it in January each year. It a fable really but it has given me the confidence to know that I can do more than I think. I remember when men are from Mars was released causing a bit of fuss. I’ve never read it but thinking I should.

Leanne, One book that fueled my strong bend to live life my way is 'At One with The Sea' by Dame Naomi James. She was born in New Zealand and is the first woman to have sailed single-handed around the world via Cape Horn, the second woman to have ever sailed solo around the world. Thank you for sharing the four books that changed your perspective on life with #weekendcoffeeshare.

What an interesting post, Leanne. I liked reading it and your reasons for choosing the books you did. I cannot 'waste' time and energy of books I dislike. I do find it a challenge at times to be "different" to many I follow via social media because I do not have a great interest in popular fiction. I am, however, always interested in what makes people (and me) tick! So I would say the works of Brene Brown and others have been a great help to me too. Denyse #weekendcoffeeshare

This got me thinking...and I'm still not sure which books I'd say - so many have left their mark on me in different ways. As you are with Hamnet, I am with Bree Brown. I've tried, I really have, but there's something about the "voice" (as opposed to her voice) that just sets my teeth on edge - and I have no idea why. But as so many other people love her I used to think I was missing something - and then decided that it was just me.

Hello again, Leanne. You're giving my brain a workout again this week. Four books which changed your perspective in life:
1) The Bible. I've been either hearing it or reading it all my life, which is more than I can say for any other book and it's constantly reshaping my perspective.
2) The Diary of Anne Frank - I wrote a diary for many years and still somewhat keep it up but largely use my blog now, but it used to be addressed to "Dear Anne".
3) Kahlil Gibran - The Prophet.
4) Malcolm Gladwell - "The Outliers"
The first three are fairly well known. The Outliers looks at what makes people really successful. One of the things he mentions is that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become a maestro on the violin. I had just taken up the violin when I was reading the book, and it encouraged me greatly that success wasn't purely based on talent. However, getting those 10,000 hours up proved a bit daunting. I was doing really well on the violin before lockdown but the poor thing has been seriously neglected for the last two years.
I'd really encourage you to read "Tuesdays With Morrie". It's brilliant. I've also just remembered "Jonathon Livingston Seagull".
My latest find is Irish author Michael Harding and I'm currently reading "A Cloud Where the Birds Rise" and listening to his podcasts. Here's a link to an interview with him on "The Artist's Well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrRYg1hvCh0 I thought you'd enjoy it.
BTW It was finally sunny today and I was bogged down at home with my support worker here and couldn't go out. Then, we had another deluge just when I needed to pick my daughter up from work. Couldn't believe it.
Best wishes,
Rowena

So good Leanne. The one by Brene Brown sounds interesting. It is so true that what we might think of as so good, someone else just doesn't resonate with us. My 9 enneagram personality hates recommending books because I'm afraid you won't like it...lol.

Oh, have you ever read "The Kite Runner" The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini ? O-M-G!!!! Such an amazing story. It changed me. It's fiction and boy, oh boy is it powerful.

Popping back to say thanks for linking up!

Hi Leanne, you hit is on the head when you wrote that we all have different tastes. For example, you know I loved Hamnet and you didn't but I'm also not a huge fan of Brene Brown (probably because people have saturated social media with her thoughts) and you are. That's the great thing about life - we are different, yet we can still be friends or partners. It would be a very small genre of books written if we all liked the same thing. Thanks for linking up at WOYBS and hope to see you next month. x

You are not my first friend to feel that way about Hamnet. I've not read it. But yes, I often find the books that my book club love, I hate & I don't think I've picked a book they've liked (if I've loved it). And then you have that weird excitement if someone loves a book you loved....