5 books on my shelf

It's no secret to you by now that I love to write. But, now and then, I do love to lose myself in others' words and photographs. 

Here are 5 books that I keep handy on my shelf and LOVE to flip through:

• 52 lists for happiness. I LOVE THIS BOOK! I can't get enough ot it, or its sequels. This book's mission is actually to inspire you to fill its pages - it is a book of lists, as the title suggests, that prompt you to contemplate what brings you joy, to reflect on your past experiences, and to invest in your values, passions and goals. When you read Moorea Seal's table of contents, her 52 lists may seem daunting at first. But, the truth is, they are extremely rewarding to explore. At the bottom of each list is a little "take action" bubble, which gives you the impetus to do something with the list you just thought up -- something that will align you more clearly with what brings you happiness and makes you feel fulfilled. I have tremendously enjoyed sitting in my little urban garden each morning and taking 10 minutes at a time with this book. I like to open it up a random page and see whether the list speaks to me at that moment. Focusing my thought and my energy onto this exercise of reflection has left me feeling content, fulfilled and empowered each time! You have to try it! Find out more about 52 lists for happiness and 52 lists for Calm (for soothing anxiety and creating a peaceful life). 

• Falling Cloudberries. I have always had a weak spot for cookbooks, but those written by Tessa Kiros are just dream-inducing. I first discovered Tessa's series of cookbooks when I landed on her book called Venezia, which is essentially THE perfect combination of scrumptious recipes, dreamy storytelling and gorgeous photography. Fun fact: it was Venezia that made me fall in love with the art of food photography and changed my way of looking at things very early on, when I first began to experiment with a camera. Falling Cloudberries is replete with Tessa's family recipes that blend cultures and generations. As usual, the photography by Manos Chatzikonstantis makes you drool as much as the ingredients do. I highly recommend all her books, but I find this one has a great variety of recipes at different levels of complexity. Find out more about Falling Cloudberries.

• How to Be a Wildflower. My Mom gave me this book and it is literally filled with inspiration, childish wonder and fresh air. Katie Daisy is an illustrator who is deeply inspired by the natural landscape that surrounded her during her childhood. Wildflowers, creeks, cornfields, hummingbirds, fireflies, and star constellations are alive and well between the colorful pages of this magical book of illustrations and quotes. As you flip through its pages, you can feel the summer breeze, smell the earth, the trees and the flowers, you can see the golden light of the setting sun in the cornfields, and the movement of the fresh linen hanging on the line. Katie has captured childhood and nature in her pages. She calls it a field guide and encourages you to travel with it and record your own inspirations, even giving you space to press flowers between the pages. Reading it, you can't help but feel more aware, more grounded and more connected to nature and life. I loved it so much, I bought some of Katie's prints for my garden. The book makes a wonderful gift for anyone who loves nature, illustrations, quotes and the simple joys in life. Find out more about How to Be a Wildflower.

• 111 Places in Venice that You Must Not Miss. If you know me a little bit, I don't have to go into extreme detail about why I love this book! I stumbled upon Gerd W. Sievers' book this summer and I was instantly hooked. For someone who has known and loved Venice for decades and has even studied Venetian art history, I was over the moon about how this book has made me discover new interesting facts about my lagoon city. It goes sestiere by sestiere, dedicating two pages to a place - sometimes a monument, an architectural detail or a food - and interwoven in its description are elements of history, culture, myth and legend. It is written in a style that is enjoyable and easy to follow; you can easily pick up where you left off. Photographs and practical information (about opening times, vaporetto stops and other visitor tips and trivia) make the book a multi-purpose guide for Venice lovers. Find out more about 111 Places in Venice that You Must Not Miss.

• The Mindfulness Pocket Book. This book is the perfect book to own if you want to improve in your practice of mindfulness on a daily basis. Gill Hasson has filled this book with meaningful, realistic exercises to help you to slow down, to notice, to feel aligned and peaceful and in control of your perspectives and reactions. What I love about this book is the way the content is organized - it is concise, impactful and super easy to immediately get value out of its pages. You don't have to read the chapters in order and, although it is a small book, it is so rich that you can learn from revisiting its content more than once. It is also filled with quotes to reflect on. I have gifted this book to friends and family, and I love keeping it accessible so that I can refer to it often. Find out more about The Mindfulness Pocket Book.

I hope you found a little bit of inspiration in this post!

Tell me: Have you read any of these 5 books? Which one is up your alley?
Leave me a comment and let me know. I love to hear from you!

From my heart to yours.

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